• Network: Netflix
  • Series Premiere Date: Sep 25, 2025
Metascore
71

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 18
  2. Negative: 0 out of 18

Critic Reviews

  1. Reviewed by: Harry Stainer
    Sep 29, 2025
    60
    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.
  2. Reviewed by: Daniel Fienberg
    Sep 24, 2025
    60
    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.
  3. Reviewed by: Chris Vognar
    Sep 25, 2025
    50
    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.
  4. Reviewed by: Tania Hussain
    Sep 25, 2025
    50
    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.
  5. Reviewed by: Abby Monteil
    Sep 24, 2025
    40
    There are interesting lingering threads in Wayward to parse about collectivism versus individualism, and how pursuits of the perfect nuclear, neurotypical family can wreak intergenerational havoc, regardless of ideology or identity. The trouble is, fascinating ideas aren’t enough to prop up a several-hour TV series without a clear sense of self.