Netflix is preparing to take us somewhere darkly intriguing this autumn with ‘Wayward’, a new limited series from Mae Martin (Feel Good). Best known as an excellent stand-up comic and actor/writer, Martin is taking an unexpected turn into the world of psychological thriller, and it looks like it’s going to be something very different from anything we’ve seen them do before.
Created by Martin, who also serves as co-showrunner, executive producer and star, ‘Wayward’ whisks viewers to the seemingly idyllic town of Tall Pines, a place where sinister secrets lie just beneath the surface. When police officer Alex Dempsey (Martin) and his pregnant wife Laura (played by Sarah Gadon Alias Grace) move to town, they encounter two desperate students, Abbie (Sydney Topliffe) and Leila (Alyvia Alyn Lind), from the local “troubled teen” school. As Alex digs deeper into a series of unsettling incidents, all signs point toward Evelyn, the school’s enigmatic leader, played by Toni Collette (Pieces of Her).
Martin, drawing inspiration from their own experiences as a “wayward teen” and extensive research into the controversial “troubled teen” industry, describes the series as a genre-bending exploration of adolescence, friendship and the uneasy compromises adults make to function in society. “Wayward has a ton of metaphors for the systems that we all participate in as adults, and how much of our empathy and critical thinking we have to suppress in order to just live in the world,” Martin explained.
The creative team includes co-showrunner Ryan Scott, who says the show examines “why one generation always ends up hating the next”, and acclaimed director Euros Lyn (Heartstopper), who helms several episodes and executive produces. Additional directors include Renuka Jeyapalan and John Fawcett, while producers Jennifer Kawaja, Bruno Dubé, Ben Farrell and Hannah Mackay round out the crew.
The cast features a strong ensemble, including Brandon Jay McLaren (Ransom), Patrick J. Adams (Suits), Patrick Gallagher (Night at the Museum), Byron Mann (Altered Carbon), Gage Munroe (Nobody), Tattiawna Jones (Flashpoint), Isolde Ardies and Joshua Close (Fargo).
If that wasn’t enough to intrigue you, Martin teases the tone as “like if you took the kids from Booksmart and put them in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” So expect a chilling ride with a surprising amount of heart.
‘Wayward’ Season 1 premieres Wednesday, 25th September 2025 on Netflix.
Login to Geektown