Okay, guys, we need to talk about Wayward, Netflix’s brand-new original series, because, wow! Just wow. I hit play thinking this was going to be another dark drama, maybe even their answer to Yellowjackets, but it is so much bigger, scarier, and honestly… more addicting than I expected. If you’re a fan of dark, suspenseful stories with cult-like mysteries, shocking twists, and powerhouse performances, this is the show you need to add to your watchlist immediately.

Wayward takes place in Tall Pines, a picture-perfect little town built around a “transitional academy” for troubled youth. Sounds wholesome, right? Nope. This place has basically taken over the whole town, and the academy is way more cult than school. Kids are lured in, and suddenly everyone’s walking around smiling like they’re in some eerie Charles Manson-meets-Disneyland situation.

Toni Collette, My Queen

Let’s be real: the reason you’re going to press play is Toni Collette. I’ve been a fan of hers for a long time, and I will watch anything she’s in. Every time she’s on screen, you can’t look away. Collette brings chilling charisma to her role as the leader of Tall Pines. She’s terrifying and magnetic all at once.

Wayward is one of those series where you think you’ll watch “just one episode,” and suddenly it’s 3 a.m., and you’ve inhaled all eight. Each chapter drops little hints and tiny red flags that build until you realize, oh no, this isn’t what I thought at all. By the finale, you’re questioning what’s real, what’s fake, and praying Netflix greenlights a Season 2 immediately.

Welcome to Wayward. We think you’ll be very happy here.

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