Netflix debuts the first teaser for Wayward, offering a haunting first look at Toni Collette’s role as the counselor for a troubled teens’ camp. The upcoming limited series, created by comedian Mae Martin, is set in a seemingly picturesque Vermont town with a sinister secret, centering on a controversial program designed to rehabilitate wayward youth. The show’s star-studded cast includes Collette, Martin, Patrick J. Adams, Sarah Gadon, and Sydney Topliffe, promising a tense and thought-provoking thriller.
Netflix has unveiled the first official footage for Wayward, as Suits alum Adams shows a young teen a VHS tape recording of Collette’s charismatic yet enigmatic leader of Tall Pines Academy, Evelyn Wade. Dressed in a pristine outfit and with a disarming warmth, Wade introduces the program as a cutting-edge therapeutic school, though the tone of the footage suggests a far more ominous reality. Watch the full video below:
What Wayward’s First Teaser Means
The Hidden Horrors To Come At Tall Pines Academy
While Netflix has provided only a brief description of Wayward, the show is said to explore “the eternal struggle between one generation and the next.” In the Tall Pines’ VHS footage, Collette’s Wade refers to the academy as an environment where teenagers learn to grow and thrive with “groundbreaking therapeutic techniques, rigorous academics, and a transcendent connection with nature.” With a huff, the young girl unplugs the TV and Wade’s face disappears. Given that it’s a mystery thriller, Tall Pines will likely be far from the healing oasis that was advertised.
Martin, who also serves as its star, producer, and co-showrunner, is best known for their work in comedy, including Feel Good and Baroness Von Sketch Show. While this marks a departure from their usual projects, Feel Good nonetheless demonstrates Martin’s ability to blend tragedy, drama, and comedy seamlessly. With Martin’s touch, Wayward may provide unsettling psychological tension with moments of dark humor akin to Apple TV+’s Severance.
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Wayward also seems poised to examine the controversy surrounding the troubled teen industry, a real-world network of rehabilitation programs that has faced widespread criticism for abuse, institutional corruption, and the use of teen escort companies that forcibly transport adolescents to these facilities. With Toni Collette’s experience in both horror (Hereditary) and drama (Little Miss Sunshine), her character, youth counselor Wade, is set to embody the unsettling ideology behind these institutions.
Our Take On Wayward’s First Look
A Must-Watch Thriller With Toni Collette And Patrick J. Adams
I’ve been waiting since the release of Hereditary for Collette to lead another psychological thriller, and Wayward looks like it’ll be the right fit. The teaser sets up a chilling, slow-burn mystery, hinting at a sinister undercurrent beneath the serene facade of Tall Pines Academy. With Martin’s unique storytelling approach, Wayward has the potential to be both an unsettling and thought-provoking addition to Netflix’s line-up. Add in a stellar supporting cast, with Adams and Gadon, and Netflix could have its next must-watch thriller.
Source: Netflix