In streaming, audience attention often fragments and sophomore slumps are common, “Yellowjackets” though, just keeps buzzing louder. The third season of the wilderness survival/suburban trauma saga didn’t just hold its audience; it grew it, becoming the most-watched season in the show’s run on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, solidifying its place as a genuine, quantifiable hit for the platform.
The numbers back up the narrative: Season three wrapped its run (which spanned from February 14 to April 17, 2025) with record viewership. The finale alone pulled in 3 million global viewers across all platforms within its first seven days, a solid 19% jump compared to the conclusion of season two (which aired from March 24 to June 1, 2023). This wasn’t just a finale spike, either; total viewership for the entire third season edged up 3% over its predecessor.
Beyond just eyeballs on screens, the show’s social media footprint expanded considerably. Engagement around the series saw a 186% increase compared to season two, and total social media views clocked in at 115 million, marking a 114% rise. This indicates a series that isn’t just being watched but actively discussed, dissected, and obsessed over – the kind of chatter platforms crave. It now stands as the second most-streamed global SHOWTIME original series, sitting only behind the “Dexter” prequel, “Dexter: Original Sin.”
The series, created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson who executive produce alongside Jonathan Lisco, continues its dual-timeline story, following the teen survivors of a plane crash in the 90s and their adult counterparts grappling with the lasting effects. Season three saw the core adult cast – Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, Tawny Cypress, and Lauren Ambrose – tackling new challenges and shifting power structures, with guest turns from Hilary Swank, Joel McHale, and Ashley Sutton.
The sustained performance is clearly valuable to the parent company. Chris McCarthy, Co-CEO of Paramount Global, noted the show’s contribution, stating its success helps Paramount+ “maintain its position as the #1 ranked premium SVOD service.” In a business built on attracting and retaining subscribers, having a reliable, growing hit like “Yellowjackets” – a blend of psychological horror, survival thriller, and coming-of-age drama – provides a vital anchor, especially when past seasons are readily available for new viewers to catch up on via Paramount+ with SHOWTIME.
