Decoding Netflix’s Sirens Catchphrase: Yacht Club Roots & Cult Symbols

Hold the applause—apparently Netflix’s biggest cliffhanger in Sirens isn’t a plot twist but the origin of that annoyingly perky “hey hey.” Show creator Molly Smith Metzler finally spilled the tea in Variety, confessing she nicked the phrase from her summers working at a Martha’s Vineyard yacht club, where one person tests a new catchphrase and everyone else parroted it like Pavlovian seals. In her own words, “One woman would come in with a new bracelet that just dropped in town, and then they’d all have it. They did it with language, too.” (Source: Variety) Translation: Michaela “Kiki” Kell (Julianne Moore) drops a casual “hey hey” and Simone DeWitt (Milly Alcock) can’t help but echo it, creating the world’s most forced inside joke.

While we’re decoding cult-level jargon, Metzler also clarified that Michaela’s mysterious lockets are pure high-society bling—no illegal substances tucked inside. Those basket necklaces, she explained, are a Nantucket Island specialty featuring ivory from Wales, handmade and priced like a down payment on a compact car. Costume designer Carolyn Duncan made sure each character was sporting the “status symbol,” a little like wearing a cross or a secret handshake. “You have the key, you have the necklace, but it’s a little culty,” Metzler admitted. (Source: People)

And because fashion can double as hazing gear, the show drapes everyone in Lilly Pulitzer prints and Nantucket reds—yes, those salmon-colored pants you’d need night-vision goggles to miss. Metzler confirmed, “The first time you see it, you’re like, ‘Where am I?’ It’s so bright. It takes a certain status to put on a dress like the one Simone wears.” This isn’t a wardrobe choice; it’s a membership badge for those in-the-know about island elitism.

If that sounds gratuitous, welcome to Sirens’ brand of black comedy. Based on Metzler’s play Elemeno Pea, the limited series stars Meghann Fahy as Devon, who arrives at her sister Simone’s (Alcock) dreamy beach estate after their father’s dementia diagnosis—and immediately smells something rotten beneath the pastel facade. Julianne Moore’s Kiki Kell runs her billionaire lair with the charm of a cult leader, complete with cliffside views that could sell oceanfront property to a goldfish.

Sirens premiered May 22 on Netflix and is now streaming in full. Expect more “hey hey” exchanges, expensive trinkets doubling as mind-control devices, and outfits so bright you’ll need sunglasses indoors. And remember: if you don’t own the bracelet, the locket, and a pair of Nantucket reds, you might as well be rowing a dinghy in the dark.

So there it is—beachside backstabbing, high-priced jewelry posing as religion, and a catchphrase more forced than a yacht club membership fee. That’s today’s dose of reality. You’re welcome.

Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, Variety, Netflix
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