Toni Collette Is Quietly Terrifying in the Excellent Netflix Thriller Wayward

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Philip Larkin famously wrote about the difficulties of family and how we often inherit our parents’ shortcomings. His poem on the subject has become widely known and relatable. However, despite acknowledging these challenges, the traditional nuclear family remains the most common – and perhaps the best – way to raise children. It makes you wonder if there’s a better alternative, or if it’s even something we should strive for.

Netflix’s new series, *Wayward*, created by comedian and *Feel Good* creator Mae Martin, starts with a compelling question. It’s an unusual blend of psychological thriller, teen drama, and police story, all made better by Martin’s signature dry wit. The show takes familiar storylines and twists them to explore fresh ideas about what family really means. While tackling important and often controversial subjects like transgender identity and the practices of troubled teen programs, *Wayward* stands out by providing context and nuance instead of simply taking sides.

The story unfolds in 2003, a simpler time and the year 16-year-old Martin’s life is explored. It’s set in Tall Pines, Vermont – a picturesque small town with a hidden darkness, reminiscent of Twin Peaks. Everyone in town knows each other and gathers regularly at a bustling farmers market. Tall Pines was founded by hippies who moved there in the 60s and 70s, creating a welcoming, forward-thinking community similar to a classic New England college town. However, instead of a university, Tall Pines is home to Tall Pines Academy, a boarding school led by Evelyn Wade (played with chilling subtlety by Toni Collette). She’s known for her innovative work with troubled teenagers, and the school’s promotional materials urge students to “See who you really are and DO something about it.”

The story begins with a strange ad seen in a Toronto high school guidance counselor’s office. Mr. Turner is frustrated with Leila, a troubled student who’s been skipping class and experimenting with drugs after the death of her sister. She’s become close to Abbie, a previously shy girl, and the two bond over their shared love of 1960s music, especially the Beatles. Mr. Turner tries to convince Leila she’s a bad influence on Abbie, and Abbie’s parents, who are wealthy and strict, agree. Since Leila’s mother can’t afford the tuition, Abbie is sent to Tall Pines, a reform school. In a dramatic turn, Abbie is forcibly taken away one night by men in a van, with her family watching helplessly – despite being the ones who initiated the process. At Tall Pines, she’s given a uniform, assigned a bare-bones room, and greeted by a matter-of-fact roommate who observes that all the food is a depressing shade of brown, but somehow finds it calming.

While Abbie navigates the challenging and unusual rehabilitation program at TPA, a young couple, Laura and Alex, arrive in Tall Pines hoping to start a family. Evelyn provides them with a rent-free, rustic home. Laura, an Academy graduate, dreams of raising their child in the town’s welcoming community and launching her bodywork practice. Alex, a police officer, is still recovering from a difficult experience working as a trans man in Detroit. He’s reassured by his new partner, Dwayne – a friend of Laura’s – that the townspeople are accepting. However, his sense of security is quickly shattered when he and Dwayne almost hit a distressed, barefoot boy named Riley, who has run away from TPA. Riley escapes their attempts to help, leading to a widespread search.

There’s something unsettling about how the investigation is being handled, particularly after Evelyn arrives at the police station and immediately takes charge, with everyone listening to her intently. No one seems concerned about why Riley ran away from school, and they don’t react to Alex learning that other children have disappeared from the school grounds over time. Laura is also difficult to figure out. She appreciates Evelyn’s help-Evelyn helped her go from a troubled teenager, abandoned at the airport, to a stable adult-but she’s not completely naive about her. “Evelyn is incredibly smart, but also overwhelming,” Laura tells Alex. “She seems to see right through people.” Alex replies cryptically: “You’re like that too.”

As Alex investigates and Abbie struggles to adjust, a feeling of growing darkness spreads beyond the Academy and throughout the town of Tall Pines. It’s becoming clear that Evelyn is at the heart of it all. The show builds tension by gradually revealing her unusual methods, the reasoning behind them, and the personal experiences that led her to this point. Evelyn is more of a disturbing puzzle than a typical villain-she’s eerily calm, bluntly honest, and has a distinctive 1970s style reminiscent of Gloria Steinem. While she’s very focused on getting tuition paid, there’s also a sense that she genuinely believes her rigorous program is creating well-adjusted, happy people. This adds a layer of vulnerability to the character, subtly conveyed by Collette’s performance, which becomes increasingly important as the season’s mysterious ending nears.

Drawing on personal experiences as a rebellious teenager in the early 2000s and stories from a friend who attended reform school, Martin created a fictional world that realistically combines the harsh realities of troubled teen programs, the manipulative tactics of cults, and the self-focused trends of the 1970s and 80s. Evelyn, the program’s leader, uses a process of first breaking down students’ defenses and then rebuilding them as part of the Tall Pines community. A particularly unsettling technique involves students publicly accusing each other, followed by a group hug that feels as disturbing as any of the emotional-and sometimes physical-abuse. The institution heavily relies on attachment theory, yet seems obsessed with cutting off teens from their parents, who are often portrayed as either terrible people or simply incapable of proper care. Even close friendships, like the one between Abbie and Leila, are viewed with suspicion.

The show uses Evelyn’s beliefs and Alex’s detective work to explore its central ideas, guided by the creator Martin. Meanwhile, Laura feels distant from her unborn child. Alex, portrayed as both vulnerable and insecure, grapples with the expectations of being a courageous officer, a good father, and a heroic figure – all while navigating his identity as a transgender man and what it means to be masculine. The show features many LGBTQ+ characters, likely reflecting the experiences of those who faced family rejection earlier in life. The dynamic between Leila and Abbie, a familiar ‘good girl-bad girl’ trope in teen dramas, is given a fresh perspective by the characters’ strong personalities and the way they challenge adult expectations. Even Abbie’s kidnapping, which happens with her parents’ permission, taps into current Canadian concerns about the United States, a theme that feels particularly relevant in 2025.

What struck me most about *Wayward* is how subtly it explores its themes. Don’t expect characters to spell things out for you, or a neat, tidy resolution. Instead, the film works through feeling and suggestion, prompting you to draw your own conclusions rather than pushing a particular viewpoint. It’s a clever approach, and I think it’s intentionally pushing back against the mindset of someone like Evelyn – the idea that whether you’re overprotective or overly involved, believing you *know best* is actually the first step towards controlling behavior. It’s a powerful message, delivered with a light touch.

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2025-09-25 15:06