Breaking Down That Papa Roach Needle Drop On Yellowjackets

This piece contains spoilers for the first episode of "Yellowjackets" season 2.

In "Yellowjackets," no character proved how wrong first impressions can be like Jeff Sadecki (Warren Kole) did. During the first season, he was set up to be a philandering scumbag who didn't love his wife Shauna (Melanie Lynskey) anymore — hence why Shauna felt comfortable cheating on him with the enigmatic artist Adam (Peter Gadiot). When it turned out he was blackmailing Shaun and her friends with the truth of what they did those 19 months in the wilderness, suspicions seemed confirmed.

Then Shauna confronted Jeff, and the truth came out: he wasn't cheating on her, just indebted to loan sharks after trying to keep his business afloat. His dorky dad/milquetoast wife guy persona isn't cover for a dark side — it's just who he is. While he's charmingly oblivious ("there's no book club?!"), he's also dependable — he volunteered to fall on the sword for Shauna and take the wrap for Adam's murder. It doesn't come to that, however, thanks to some fast crime scene clean-up (courtesy Christina Ricci's strangely relatable character, Misty.).

However, in the angrier, more unhinged season 2 premiere, Shauna discovers Adam had an art studio. She and Jeff go there to destroy any evidence of Shauna's relationship with the deceased; there's a lot of it in the form of portraits. Jeff isn't happy about coming face-to-face with proof of his wife's adultery, but Shauna flips his feelings with some dirty talk — crime and honesty have put the passion back into their relationship — and they do the deed right there.

Still, the following scene indicates Jeff isn't totally over his sadness. Still alone in his car and remembering what just happened, he starts rocking out to Papa Roach's "Last Resort." I burst out laughing at how perfect a needle drop this was.

It'd be a mistake to call "Yellowjackets" a nostalgic story, but the shadow of the 1990s does loom over it. The flashback storylines take place in 1996, meaning the pop culture references are tied to that era. This is also why the series cast '90s starlets Juliette Lewis (Natalie) and Christina Ricci in the present-day segments. The show's soundtrack reflects this era too. The pilot featured "Today" by Smashing Pumpkins, and the season carried on with more '90s top 40 hits, from "Dreams" by The Cranberries to "Kiss From A Rose" by Seal.

Papa Roach formed in 1993 as part of the nascent nu-metal movement. "Last Resort" was part of their second studio album, "Infest," released in 2000. It has become their signature song (and most listened to on Spotify) and a hallmark of musical angst. "Cut my life into pieces," the song opens, "this is my last resort." The opening is the only part we see Jeff listen to, but from there, the song trudges into darker territory.

"Would it be wrong would it be right, if I took my life tonight, chances are that I might," "Last Resort" continues. And then there's the chorus:

"'Cause I'm losing my sight, losing my mind
Wish somebody would tell me I'm fine
Losing my sight, losing my mind
Wish somebody would tell me I'm fine'"

By now, the meaning of the title is clear; suicide will be the "last resort" for the song's main character in dealing with their pain. Lead vocalist Jacoby Shaddix has said the song was inspired by struggles with suicidal thoughts, both ones he'd suffered and those his friends suffered from (thankfully, none of them acted on them).

The sad lyrics of the song don't quite match Shaddix's aggressive vocals, which has contributed to the song's reputation: it's perfect both for getting yourself psyched up and wallowing in your misery. That's what Jeff was using it for, listening to it alone and slamming his hands on the car steering wheel. Based on the show's timeline, "Last Resort" would've come out when Jeff was in college (or at least college-aged), so it makes sense he still turns to it. At the same time, a middle-aged man rocking out to a teenage angst anthem is pretty hilarious. He's also shown scrolling a playlist just before, so we know that "Last Resort" was his conscious choice and not a random selection.

"Last Resort" may have been a silly music choice on Jeff's part, but it was a perfect one by the "Yellowjackets" creative team.