Netflix's Wayward and the dark true events that sparked it
Wayward is a Netflix miniseries that revolves around disturbing experiences at the Tall Pines Academy for troubled youth. The eight-part psychological thriller that features a star-studded cast, including Golden Globe winner Toni Collette, explores the horrors and lifelong effects of trauma caused by troubled teen institutions.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Wayward is an eight-part Netflix Original series set in a fictional town of Tall Pines and the Tall Pines Academy for Troubled Teens.
- The series follows the lives of Alex, a police officer, and his wife, Laura, as well as two teenagers, Abby and Leila, as they navigate past and present experiences related to the institution.
- Wayward is heavily inspired by real-life testimonies, as well as actual cult-like institutions and troubled teen correctional centres.
- The series ends with Abby escaping while Alex and Laura choose to stay, highlighting the distorted view of true freedom that such experiences cause.
Film profile summary
| Series title | Wayward |
| Genre | Drama, mystery, thriller |
| Director(s) | Euros Lyn, John Fawcett, Renuka Jeyapalan, Mae Martin |
| Key cast member(s) | Mae Martin, Sarah Gadon, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Sydney Topliffe, Toni Collette |
| Theme | The long-lasting effects of trauma |
| Filming location | Ontario, Canada |
| Release date | 25 September 2025 |
| Release platform | Netflix |
| Release studio | Studio Lambert |
Unpacking Netflix’s psychological thriller Wayward
The series is an eight-part thriller set in the idyllic town of Tall Pines, centred around a school for troubled teens. The school boasts of its unique ability to help teenagers manage adolescence and thrive by using groundbreaking therapeutic techniques.
These methods include emotional and mental abuse, physical torture, psychological manipulation, and the use of psychedelics. The show's mission is to expose how individuals with such experiences grapple with trauma, addiction, and codependent relationships throughout their lives and across generations.
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Welcome to Tall Pines Academy: Setting the stage
The film starts by introducing viewers to Tall Pines Academy through the attempted escape of a student. In his attempt to escape, exhausted and bloodied, Riley runs onto the road, narrowly avoiding being hit by a police cruiser.
At this stage, Alex Martin, a new police officer, receives his first introduction to the school. Alex, who recently moved to Tall Pines, is paired with his childhood friend, Dwayne Andrews (Brandon Jay McLaren), in the town's police force.
Early in the film, viewers also get to meet Abbie and Leila, two best friends whose conduct, such as skipping classes and getting high, was a source of tension for their families. In an effort to help her, Abby's parents ship her off to Tall Pines Academy.
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Confinement and control inside the academy walls
Before his death, Riley told Alex of strange occurrences at the academy, prompting him to start investigating the school. As viewers get to know Abby and Leila's relationship in Tall Pines, they are also introduced to members of the town, all of whom seem very welcoming and friendly but strange.
At this point, Leila, whose rescue mission had failed, has been forced to become a student at the high school. As she takes stock of her new surroundings and learns more about the school's strict rules, she convinces some students, including Abbie, to plan an escape.
Although their meticulously planned escape fails, Abbie gets her hands on a walkie-talkie, allowing her to talk to Alex. In her effort to fight the system, she is forced to carry rocks and stay in the Mirror Room as punishment.
In Build, the fifth episode of the series, Evelyn Wade, the school and town leader, guided the students in the Hot Chair. The Hot Chair is a disturbing therapy session that requires students to attack each other's weaknesses or insecurities.
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Secrets unearthed as Alex's investigation unfolds
As secrets surface, Alex is forced to confront not only the truth behind the case and his unravelling marriage to his wife, Laura, played by Sarah Gadon. Laura is an alumna of the academy.
He finds out that at least eighteen teenagers have disappeared after trying to escape. He also uncovers the town's shadowy history, which includes a ban on biological parenthood.
This made his unborn child the first ever, representing a future that challenged the foundations of Tall Pines.
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Revelation, rebellion, and escape
In the final episodes of the series, plans to escape the town ramp up for Abbie, Rory, and Laila. Laura begins a therapy group for the members of the town, all of whom were former students of the school. She gains a leadership role by taking this step, replacing Evelyn.
The series ends in Evelyn's death during a Leap ritual meant for Alex. As she dies, viewers are taken to a labour room where Laura's child was born. In the end, Abbie is the only escapee, as the town closes its grip on the rest of the townspeople and students.
Laura's involvement in the town gradually moulds her into a figure of authority, taking Evelyn's place. The unborn child also takes its place in the community as a 'clean slate' symbol.
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Is Netflix's Wayward actually a true story?
The Netflix drama series Wayward is not a true story. However, it is heavily inspired by real-life events and institutions within the troubled teen industry.
The show's creator, Mae Martin, based the fictional Tall Pines Academy on personal experiences from close sources, such as her friend, Nicole Simon. She told Forbes;
The story is based on my best friend, Nicole. We were so codependent and hysterical all the time, and she was sent to one of these schools. She was taken over the border and handcuffed in the middle of the night, and she was gone for two years.
She added,
She ended up ultimately escaping on bare feet through the woods and hitchhiking across the state and was in a very dangerous situation. I always felt incensed about that, and also, I had a lot of guilt that I should have been sent with her or instead of her. I wondered what would have happened if I'd followed her.
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What was the ending of Wayward about?
At the end of the show, some characters, such as Abbie, achieve true freedom by leaving the town, while Alex and his wife, Laura, choose to remain in the town. This ending reflects a bittersweet escape for one protagonist, while others remain trapped in the manipulative cult of Tall Pines.
Was Wayward on Netflix based on a book?
While Tall Pines Academy is a fictional private institution, the series draws inspiration from personal experiences growing up as an adolescent, the troubled teen industry, and cults.
Is Wayward based on Wayward Pines?
The new Netflix series Wayward is not based on the Wayward Pines television series or book trilogy. Although it is also set in a small town, Wayward Pines explores themes of conspiracy and control.
Is Wayward on Netflix worth watching?
Although Wayward is not unique to the platform, its storyline and cast make a strong case for it as a film worth watching. It wastes no time pulling you in and keeping you entertained for eight 50-minute episodes.
Wayward is a fictional portrayal of popular correctional institutions for teenagers. Backed by real testimonies, the film brings attention to an often-overlooked industry and its lifelong impact on survivors. Wayward's cast expertly uses dramatised storytelling themes of trauma, coercion, and survival.
Legit.ng has recently published an article listing the latest movies set to release in October 2025. Some of the most highly anticipated picks include a lineup of horror, action, drama, and thriller films available in theatres and on streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Shudder.
Movies coming out in October 2025 include Tron: Ares, Black Phone 2, Bone Lake, The Smashing Machine, and Kiss of the Spider Woman. Read on for more drama movies, spooky Halloween films, and family-friendly movies.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
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