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Season 1 – Wayward

Play trailer 2:00 Poster for Season 1 – Wayward Sep 2025 Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
78% Tomatometer 55 Reviews 46% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Nothing is what it seems in Tall Pines. After an escape attempt from an academy for “troubled teens", two students join forces with a newly local police officer, unearthing the town's dark and deeply rooted secrets.
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Wayward — Season 1

Wayward — Season 1

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Critics Consensus

An eerie mystery that eschews easy answers, Wayward can occasionally feel as listless as its title, but surprising twists and Toni Collette's committed performance keep this thriller intriguing.

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Critics Reviews

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Em Win Autostraddle Oct 28
An evocative, eerie reflection of the present. Go to Full Review
Wenlei Ma The Nightly (AU) Oct 1
Toni Collette has always been such a magnetic performer across every genre, but she’s always at her best when a role calls on her to be a little bit spiky and arch. It’s a mix of impeccable timing, instincts and oodles of charisma. Go to Full Review
Linda Holmes Pop Culture Happy Hour (NPR Podcast) Sep 30
It's so perfect because it's so creepy, and yet, it's so dorky. Go to Full Review
Hannah Brown Jerusalem Post Oct 21
It plays like a combination of The Handmaid’s Tale and Schitt’s Creek, but as strange as that might sound, it works. Toni Collette is both charismatic and creepy as the head of the school. Go to Full Review
Álvaro Onieva Fotogramas Oct 6
3/5
This psychological thriller alone is worth watching (and the rest of the cast delivers as well), but the story's development is engaging enough to hold your attention the whole way through. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Bethan Ackerley New Scientist Oct 6
There are so many interesting ideas in Wayward, but it is often more stimulating to think about the show than watch it. Sadly, after some stellar first episodes, it falls apart, ending mundanely. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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David G @Irishkeagan 3d Gave up after the second episode. It feels very cliched and predictable - as if the writers threw a plot together combining random ideas from other films and stories. See more chad D. @Chaddie 3d I really REALLY wanted to like this once it got started, pretty good writing and enough to be intriguing, but it just got pointless by the end, I wouldn’t watch it if I knew that going in, although not an absolute time waste so 2 stars See more Marco L @decatur555 Nov 23 (CASTELLANO) Incontrolables tiene todos los ingredientes para enganchar: un misterio inquietante, un tono sombrío y un reparto sólido encabezado por una magnífica Toni Collette, que vuelve a demostrar que puede sostener cualquier historia con su sola presencia. La serie sabe crear atmósfera y personajes interesantes, logrando atrapar desde el primer episodio. El problema aparece cuando la trama, que en un inicio promete tensión y giros sorprendentes, se alarga más de lo necesario. La sensación de que estiraron la historia para llenar ocho horas es evidente, y eso resta intensidad a un relato que hubiera funcionado mejor con menos capítulos. Aun así, la narrativa mantiene el interés gracias al carisma de su elenco y a un suspense que, aunque irregular, cumple en los momentos clave. Visualmente se nota el cuidado de la producción, y el ambiente extraño de la comunidad que retrata recuerda a clásicos del thriller psicológico. Hay ecos de The Wicker Man o incluso de Stranger Things, pero sin llegar a la misma contundencia. En definitiva, Incontrolables es un thriller efectivo, con aciertos claros en el apartado actoral y en su atmósfera, pero también con un exceso de metraje que impide que brille como podría. Una serie disfrutable, aunque con la sensación de que con un poco menos hubiera sido mucho más. (ENGLISH) Wayward has all the ingredients to hook viewers: an unsettling mystery, a dark atmosphere, and a strong cast led by the brilliant Toni Collette, who once again proves she can carry any story on her own. The series knows how to build atmosphere and interesting characters, drawing you in from the very first episode. The problem comes when the plot, which initially promises tension and surprising twists, stretches longer than necessary. The sense that the story was extended to fill eight hours is clear, and that takes away some of the intensity. Still, the narrative keeps the audience engaged thanks to its charismatic cast and suspense that, while uneven, delivers at key moments. Visually, the production shows great care, and the strange community setting recalls psychological thrillers like The Wicker Man or even Stranger Things, though without the same punch. In the end, Wayward is an effective thriller, with clear strengths in acting and atmosphere, but weighed down by excessive length. A show worth watching, but one that could have been much more with a tighter approach. See more Jeff C Nov 23 Extremely cringeworthy See more Luke S Nov 23 Creepy and King enough to be entertaining. See more Joan D Nov 19 Starts well. Disintegrates into pretentious nonsense. The writer clearly didn’t know what to do at the end and it’s so bad it’s just embarrassing. How the heck did Toni Collette end up in this mess? See more Read all reviews
Wayward — Season 1

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Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Sep 25, 2025 Tall Pines After a student escapes, newly arrived local cop Alex Dempsey grows suspicious of the goings on at Tall Pines Academy, a school for troubled teens. Details Episode 2 Aired Sep 25, 2025 Burrow As a terrified Abbie takes stock of her new surroundings, Leila attempts a daring rescue; Alex discovers there's no privacy in a small town. Details Episode 3 Aired Sep 25, 2025 Break Abbie and Leila get a taste of Tall Pines' unconventional approach to rehabilitation; Alex gains new insight into the school's history and Laura's. Details Episode 4 Aired Sep 25, 2025 Mud Laura grows weary of Alex's suspicions; Leila endures a punishment; Rory and Abbie team up to find crucial evidence that could help them escape. Details Episode 5 Aired Sep 25, 2025 Build Alex connects with a blogger who's convinced the school is hiding something; Leila divulges a secret that spirals out of control. Details Episode 6 Aired Sep 25, 2025 Mirror A wilderness excursion grows vicious as the students vie for a chance at freedom; Evelyn forces Leila to revisit the night of her sister's death. Details Episode 7 Aired Sep 25, 2025 Ascend As Evelyn exploits the growing rift between Leila and Abbie, Laura finds an opening to drive a wedge of her own; Alex sees the true face of Tall Pines. Details Episode 8 Aired Sep 25, 2025 Leap Evelyn desperately tries to regain control; Abbie, Leila and Rory set their escape plan in motion; Alex discovers his purpose. Details
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Season Info

Creator
Mae Martin
Executive Producer
Mae Martin, Ben Farrell, Hannah MacKay, Bruno Dubé, Jennifer Kawaja, Euros Lyn
Network
Netflix
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date
Sep 25, 2025
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