Michael Cusack’sYOLOseries has had quite a history. Originally starting asa pair of web shorts, the Australian adventures of the party girls Rachel and Sarah would subsequently hit television in the form ofYOLO: Crystal Fantasy. The brief Adult Swim series introduced Cusack’s off-beat humor to a mass audience, where it was a moderate critical success. Following thesuccess of his other series,Smiling Friends, a second season ofYOLOwould eventually be developed and aired throughout early 2023. As of Mar. 5th,YOLO: Silver Destinyhas concluded its televised run.
Silver Destinybrought the same unhinged Aussie humor we’ve come to associate with Cusack’s work. Still, at the same time, it introduced a set of significant shakeups to the episodic series. Aside from adopting a more serialized format and slicker animation, we saw the show’s cast of characters get more depth when tackling genuine relationship troubles. So, while we’re still a ways away from the announcement of a third season, we’d like to ask: what could we expect from a potential third season ofYOLO?
Returning to the Episodic Format
Arguably the most significant change thatYOLO: Silver Destinybrought to the table is the adoption of serialized storytelling. While season one ofYOLObriefly experimented with the idea by building up to agrandiose two-part finale, season two opted to tell a grander story right from the get-go.
Starting as a typical night of partying for Sarah and Rachel, the two find themselves at odds with each other after they’re shown a vision of their future selves. In an effort to find some happiness and improve her life, Sarah decides to start a garden that gradually encompasses more of her time and effort throughout the season. Rachel, conversely, sees herself depicted as a sword-wielding empress, warned that her ways would eventually lead to nebulous destruction. Instead of veering from this path, Rachel sees Sarah’s hobby as a means to keep the duo apart. Her toxicity eventually splits the duo in half, leading us to wonder how they could get back together. It’s a story that gradually builds upon itself in eleven-minute increments before jumping to a gargantuan forty-five-minute finale. To briefly summarize it, the duo find themselves emotionally maturing and reuniting over a family dinner of fish and chips, courtesy of Pelekeen Mischief Maker.
But the finale also closed out a season-long story surrounding Lucas. Originally a joke character that embodied the “internet nice guy” trope, Lucas was at the center of a story arc involving the creation of a love potion. His obsession with Sarah and pseudo-intellectual personality presented him as a tertiary antagonist, culminating in a lengthy journey through trials to finish his potion. While the trials would lead to the deaths of others like him, he finds himself surviving due to a growing recognizance of how he comes off to others. During the reunion, he realizes that forcing someone to fall in love via manipulation against their interests is a scummy thing to do, on top of apologizing for how he may have come off before. It’sa satisfying and definitive endto the series, should a third season fail to air.
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However, don’t expect serialization to be a series staple going forward. Cusack had the following to say about the difficulties of implementing serialization in an interview withComingSoon:
“So it was really … it’s much more challenging, definitely. It had its parts where it’s more rewarding too, but I think right now, I’m a little bit serialized out. I was just saying before to these guys, if we do another season — if we’re lucky enough — I feel like it probably will be less serialized than this season. I love doing it, I think it’s really fun, but there’s also something really fun about just the pure episodic stuff where you can truly jump in whenever and it’s an isolated story.”
It’s safe to assume that the next season may return to the antics of season one, opting to tell more isolated adventures rather than connecting them through an overarching narrative.
More Adventures with Sarah and Rachel
Silver Destiny, in a lot of ways, felt likea logical progression for the animated series. The animation is noticeably smoother with more detailed environments and expressions. The episode “Chaise in the City” was a notable highlight for many, melding two incredibly different styles in a long dream that highlighted the growing divide between Sarah and Rachel. On top of that, the series introduced more multiple live-action segments that further add to the visual variety the series is becoming known for. You might even spot Michael Cusack himself if you have a keen eye. Season two has noticeably improved upon the admittedly-manic first season in spades, leading us to believe that a third season would only improve things further.
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Based on Cusack’s desire to turn the series into a trilogy, season three will hopefully take the time to see Sarah and Rachel become independent adults. The series has been increasingly flirting with this idea throughout its run, and turning Lucas into a more rounded individual would make it the perfect send-off for our favorite Aussie girls. While season three is yet to be announced, Cusack certainly won’t be hurting for work. You can find more of Cusack’s creativity in his dedicated Hulu seriesKoala Man andseason two ofSmiling Friends.
