☰
Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

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 54 Reviews 47% Popcornmeter 250+ 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.
Watch on Netflix Stream Now

Where to Watch

Wayward — Season 1

Wayward — Season 1

What to Know

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.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More (54)
Wenlei Ma The Nightly (AU) 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. Oct 1, 2025 Full Review Linda Holmes Pop Culture Happy Hour (NPR Podcast) It's so perfect because it's so creepy, and yet, it's so dorky. Sep 30, 2025 Full Review Rebecca Nicholson Financial Times In an era of television that rewards simple narratives and meme-able one-liners, [Wayward] is starkly cerebral and defiant. Rated: 4/5 Sep 29, 2025 Full Review Hannah Brown Jerusalem Post 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. Oct 21, 2025 Full Review Álvaro Onieva Fotogramas 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] Rated: 3/5 Oct 6, 2025 Full Review Bethan Ackerley New Scientist 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. Oct 6, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More (136)
Hayden J I thought it was great! My jaw DROPPED at the end! I don’t understand the bad reviews Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/23/25 Full Review Jason M Not worth an entire season. Turned off after the first episode. Barely made it through. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 10/22/25 Full Review Amber F. Love Mae Martin. Feel Good is one of the shows I’ve recommended the most. Looking forward to season 2. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/22/25 Full Review Min J. Excellent characters and plot. Edge of seat. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 10/22/25 Full Review Mimi L I really wish I hadn't wasted any time on this series, and I didn't even finish it. Very disappointed to see Toni Colette in something like this, she must be desperate for a paycheck. I am mad at myself for falling for the atmosphere and the aesthetic only to be left trawling along after a snail-paced series that appears to be going pretty much nowhere. Mostly mediocre acting, characters mostly stereotypes, infantile dialogue, in short, another one of those series which seem to be in style right now in which, because there is no substance, they try to make up for it with faux suspense. Not to mention they're trying to create a sort of dystopian w&ke world where even small-town residents pretend people are what they want to be, not what they are. Based on other reviews, I am happy with my choice to abandon it. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 10/21/25 Full Review David A I couldn't get past the acting to even get to the wilted clima...conclusion. I did, however, enjoy the premise. Wayward is Mae's creation, inspired by true events, but I wish they had left the acting to a seasoned actor. I couldn't suspend my disbelief and lose Mae in the story. I also dislike it when people use the word agenda. Mae is non-binary, and their stories reflect their own experiences. If that's an agenda, then we've made that word fit too broad a definition. A reviewer could just say it wasn't to one's taste and why, but agenda tells us that the reviewer doesn't like to watch stories that portray non-straight characters. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/21/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Wayward — Season 1

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

View All

Mae Martin

Creator

Mae Martin

Actor

Toni Collette

Leanne

Sarah Gadon

Laura

Patrick J. Adams

Actor

Brandon Jay McLaren

Actor

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

More Like This

View All
A Murder at the End of the World 89% 88% A Murder at the End of the World Watchlist TRAILER for A Murder at the End of the World Perpetual Grace LTD 88% 89% Perpetual Grace LTD Watchlist TRAILER for Perpetual Grace LTD The Queen's Gambit 96% 94% The Queen's Gambit Watchlist TRAILER for The Queen's Gambit Sugar 81% 80% Sugar Watchlist TRAILER for Sugar Butterfly 68% 83% Butterfly Watchlist TRAILER for Butterfly Discover more movies and TV shows. View More
View All

Wayward — Season 1

Wayward: Limited Series Trailer Wayward: Limited Series Trailer 2:00 Wayward: Season 1 Teaser Wayward: Season 1 Teaser 0:39 View more videos
View All

Wayward — Season 1

Wayward Wayward Wayward View more photos

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
More Top TV Picks Netflix