WAYWARD

Trans police officer Alex (Mae Martin) moves to picturesque Tall Pines, Vermont, the small hometown of his pregnant wife Laura (Sarah Gadon) who left 15 years earlier. He becomes suspicious of activities at the Tall Pines Academy, a cult-like institution for wayward teens led by the mysterious Evelyn (Toni Collette). After discovering that dozens of students have run away or gone missing, Alex discovers the academy’s sinister nature and the strange control Evelyn exerts over the town. Teaming up with two troubled teens, Abbie (Sydney Topliffe) and Leila (Alyvia Alyn Lind) who are desperate to escape the institute, he uncovers Evelyn’s methods of emotional and psychological control, aimed at severing family ties. As the series unfold it becomes weirder and more unhinged but also more ridiculous. Non-binary actor Mae Martin, who wrote, created, and executive-produced the series, is unfortunately the weakest link. Their portrayal of Alex falls flat in believability and body language, and there’s zero chemistry between Alex and Laura. On the flip side, Toni Collette excels at playing evil and relishes her role as Evelyn – a woman teetering between a maternal facade and outright cruelty. The ending felt hasty and didn’t offer any satisfactory conclusions. It was clearly intended to leave the story open for a possible second season but rounding out the first one would’ve been a better reward for viewers who persevered that far. Mae Martin fans had high hopes for this show but it didn’t live up to its potential.