Wayward

Amid an endlessly captivating cast and a compelling plot that never quite moves in the direction the viewers might expect, “Wayward” is a thrilling watch.

Wayward has two very compelling lead performances from Martin and Collette, and a good balance between the dark and the darkly funny.

The show is elevated by Martin, who is best known as a comedian but fully commits to a serious role. Alex is an immensely likeable character, earnest and empathetic, and gets the audience fully onside.

Less could have been more, but the warmth and intelligence that Martin as an actor and writer (along with others, in the latter case) brings to the endeavour means it cannot help but endear itself to the viewer.

The concept is genuinely well executed, with characters who hold their own and enough well-timed twists to keep viewers hooked.

It’s ultimately a show about an unsettling town with a dangerous secret, another in a long lineage of precursors that seem content with drawing from the same communal pot and doing little to alter the recipe. Were one to venture into the world of ‘Wayward,’ the greatest takeaways come from its cast, characters, and outstanding screenplay, with enough gas left in the tank by the end to pique the right amount of curiosity into what the future might hold.

The found-family aspect becomes the show’s beating heart. So even though it doesn’t put a fresh spin on the thriller, Martin’s series packs an emotional punch that’s hard to shake off.

Wayward sticks close to some familiar beats of the genre but thrives on its well-realized characters — most obviously with Mae Martin's socially awkward Alex and the relatable ensemble cast of Tall Pines students.

While its conclusion is more frustrating than you might expect, Wayward’s stellar performances and propulsive pacing make the journey worth more than the destination.

With the many relationships and cultural conversations the show contends with, it isn't surprising that it struggles to make every aspect of the story fit together as it should. However, there's enough charm in the performances and universality in the story to make Wayward a fun watch, if not the most thrilling.

While it may not go down as one of the stronger cult stories sweeping television, “Wayward” has fewer problems than peculiarities. Just keep an open mind.

For the first seven episodes, “Wayward” is strong and smart about building suspense, breadcrumbing hints about its central mystery. The plot is propulsive. However, in the finale, the reveal fails to scare, instead dipping into a campy drug sequence and an even more bizarre quandary for Alex and Laura.

Come for the cult, stay for the teen drama. It may lack edge-of-your-seat thrills, but Wayward’s abundance of ideas and big heart make it a weekend binge that’s hard to pass up.

I was never bored and, despite the evasiveness, never exactly frustrated. I think Martin is incredibly talented and this series shows the expansive potential of their voice, albeit not the fully realized potential. Viewers craving something more concrete are less likely to remain tolerant for the full journey.

Caught between the moody, opaque world of the adults and the sullen, earthbound world of the teens, the show never quite figures out how to craft an integrated vision of the two.

Slow-burning and muddled, Collette lights up the show for a stronger appeal, but the rest never quite follows, leaving Wayward true to its name.