Did Yellowjackets S2 E7 Just Reference A Forgotten Elijah Wood '90s Movie?
Contains spoilers for "Yellowjackets" Season 2, Episode 7 — "Burial"
Season 2 of "Yellowjackets" has plumbed the psychological depths of its central characters via their reunion with fellow crash survivor Lottie Matthews (Simone Kessell), who is now running a retreat in the wilderness. Misty Quigley (Christina Ricci), who is not as dedicated to self-improvement as Lottie's acolytes, takes advantage of all of the amenities available at the lodge. She's slapped some drums, she's taken part in group therapy, and during "Burial," she slides into a sensory deprivation tank.
While Misty lies floating in the water, we take a peek into her psyche, and it's about as colorful as you would imagine it might be. Among the thoughts about her beloved African grey parrot, her brain settles upon a romantic fantasy involving Walter (Elijah Wood) and a whole lot of soft-shoe. But one moment in the montage may have gone over the heads of many viewers.
When Misty begins thinking of more pleasant things, brief shots of dolphins can be seen on-screen, along with the sound of the mammal's call. Misty immediately segues from seeing dolphins to thinking of Walter. Could that dolphin sound effect be a reference to Wood's role in the big-screen remake of "Flipper"? After all, the family-friendly flick is all about a playful dolphin, and Wood was front and center in it as Sandy Ricks.
Elijah Wood's turn in Flipper was one of his many iconic parts as a child actor
1996's "Flipper" is a remake of the film of the same name from 1963, which spawned both a sequel, "Flipper's New Adventure," and a television series. All three initial outings focus on the Ricks family, including Sandy; his dad, Porter; and his younger brother, Bud, added for the TV show. The family communes with nature and makes friends with the titular bottlenose dolphin, with the eldest Ricks evolving from a fisherman to a park ranger.
In the 1996 film, Porter (Paul Hogan) is not Sandy's father but his eccentric uncle and a fisherman living a bachelor's life. Sandy does not want to waste his summer living with Porter, but his opinion turns around when he meets Flipper, whom he befriends after the dolphin is separated from his pod. Porter and Sandy soon find themselves battling an evil big game fisherman, Dirk Moran (Jonathan Banks), who is dumping toxic waste into the ocean. When Flipper is sickened by it, Sandy dedicates himself to stopping Moran.
This version of "Flipper" only made just over $20 million worldwide, and since its budget was over $25 million, it did not make back costs during its theatrical run. It's not certain whether the dolphins in Misty's fantasy are a reference to "Flipper" — but if they are, then they're a perfect callback to Wood's time as Sandy.