A Perfect Blend of Thrills, Comedy & Social Commentary
Netflix’s new miniseries, Wayward, has the perfect formula for an exceptional psychological thriller. Created by comedian Mae Martin, the September 2025 series follows Alex Dempsey (Martin) as he moves to a new town with his wife, Laura (Sarah Gadon). However, he soon discovers that the idyllic Tall Pines is hiding a disturbing secret, with the local school for troubled teens at the very center.
Wayward debuted on Netflix with an impressive 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Though this has dropped slightly as more critic reviews have rolled in, the psychological thriller has maintained its “Certified Fresh” score. This is thanks, in no small part, to the performances of Martin and other stars, such as the enigmatic Toni Collette. However, Wayward‘s balanced formula is the true defining factor here.
Netflix’s Wayward Balances Bizarre Psychological Thrills With Comedy & A Powerful Story
Psychological thrillers are always good fun—the more disturbing and bizarre, the better. Wayward does spectacularly with its strangest moments. The tone and setting alone evoke the unsettling feeling that audiences seek in a series like this. Add in the bizarre imagery, mind-bending psychological concepts, and a slew of Kool-Aid-drinking Tall Pines residents, and Wayard perfectly fits the bill.
Of course, the above elements aren’t enough to qualify something as a great series. Many projects within this genre have stumbled into the pitfall of lacking substance beyond disturbing thrills and chills. Wayward avoids this with those added touches of comedy, which are masterfully handled within Martin’s writing. Then, the thrills and laughs come together to complete a powerful story.
Martin uses Wayward to pull attention to the real-world institutions for troubled teenagers. Often disguised as places for psychological growth, schools like Tall Pines Academy are instead hubs for shame and abuse. Parents, teens, and general citizens are manipulated into the cult mentality that these things are okay. It’s a powerful message, presented to audiences through that psychological thriller format.
How Wayward Compares To Netflix’s Other Thrillers
Laura holding a toad in WaywardCourtesy of Netflix
Netflix has produced several thriller TV shows and movies, with varying degrees of success. Some notably bad ones, such as 6 Underground, threw bizarre elements in audiences’ faces without paying off in substance. Those that left a deeper mark, like The Platform, used those shocks and psychological thrills to establish social commentary within the plot, thus finding a far better balance.
Wayward sits more in line with projects like Woman of the Hour, which sprinkles in touches of comedy to both break up and contribute to that unsettling feel. There are very few TV shows on Netflix, however, that strike a balance between thrill, social commentary, and comedy as effectively as this one. Hopefully, with Wayward‘s success, we will get more similar projects that do it even better.
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