Mae Martin’s new Netflix series Wayward, starring Toni Collette as the headmistress of a school for troubled teens, had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this week.
A bucolic small town, a correctional school for troubled teens, and a mysterious headmistress (Toni Collette) are all much more than meets the eye in this new limited series from creator Mae Martin.
Canadian standup comic, actor and writer Mae Martin stars as Detective Alex Dempsey with Sarah Gadon as Alex’s wife Laura, Toni Collette as the school’s headmistress Leanne, Sydney Topliffe and Alicia Alyn Lyne as teen potheads Abby and Leila, and Brandon Jay McLaren in an undisclosed role.
Patrick J. Adam (Suits), Patrick Gallagher and Josh Close recur.
Longer synopsis:
Wayward, follows rebellious teens Abby (Sydney Topliffe) and Leila (Alyvia Alyn Lind) in the early aughts as they skip classes, get high, and listen to their Discmans, unaware that their parents are scheming to remedy their “bad” behaviour by involuntarily admitting them to a mysterious correctional school.
As Abby and Leila innocently enjoy their final days of slacker freedom, detective Alex Dempsey (Mae Martin) arrives in the town of Tall Pines with their wife Laura (Sarah Gadon), who grew up there and feels drawn to return in her final months of pregnancy. Tall Pines is the kind of place where everyone knows your name, and homemade preserves are left on your front porch by neighbours, a gesture Laura finds comforting and Alex finds jarring. Although Alex may warm to small-town life, it’s clear they still have suspicions, especially when it comes to Evelyn (Toni Collette), the headmistress of the correctional school, who appears congenial and caring, but whose connection to Laura raises red flags.
When a teen escapes the facility, the sinister underbelly of the school is exposed, bringing Alex, Laura, Abby, and Leila together under dire circumstances. Featuring a killer soundtrack and Martin’s talents in front of and behind the camera, Wayward shines a light on the “troubled teen” industry, questioning societal definitions of what constitutes “bad” behaviour.
Wayward:
Episodes: 8
Working titles: TALL PINES & PROGRAMMED.
Filming dates: July 02 2024 – October 16 2024.
Showrunners: Mae Martin, Ryan Scott
Cast: Mae Martin, Toni Collette, Sarah Gadon, Sydney Topliffe, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Brandon Jay McLaren, Patrick J. Adams, Patrick Gallagher, Josh Close.
Producers: Sphere Media, Objective Fiction.
Wayward drops September 25th on Netflix.