Comedian Mae Martin has a new TV series Wayward, and it’s a very different offering from their previous work.
The Netflix show see Martin playing Alex Dempsey, a transgender man and young police officer who relocates from Detroit to his girlfriend’s rural hometown of Tall Pines, Vermont. Alex and girlfriend Laura are ready to start a new life for themselves, and bring a new life into the world too as they’re expecting.
The town surrounded by dense forest is also the home to a facility that deals with wayward and troubled teens. Here leader Evelyn Wade rules the roost, and her influence spreads across the whole town. Australian actor Toni Collette portrays the cultish leader.
Simultaneously we meet Canadian teens Leila and Abbie who are often in trouble at their high school. They’re into smoking weed, cutting class, shrooming and getting involved in all sorts of hijinks. Abbie’s parents worry that Leila is leading Abbie astray, while the school’s guidance counsellor worries that Leila is acting out following the tragic death of her sister.
Their worlds come together with the mystery surrounding what really goes on at the Tall Pines Academy, and just how far leader Evelyn Wade’s influence reaches.
Mae Martin first came to prominence in the comedy-drama series Feel Good which they starred in alongside British actor Charlotte Ritchie. In that show Martin played a fictionalised version of themselves exploring relationships, romance, coming out and family dynamics.
Martin created the show which ran for two series from 2020 until 2021, but here they’ve created something of an entirely different genre. Wayward echoes shows like Twin Peaks and the 90s film Disturbing Behaviour.
Set in 2003 it explores America’s teen industry, where troubled teens were sent to boot camp style facilities or prison like programs to improve their behaviour, break them off from substance abuse, or doll out conversion therapy practices.
Martin has spoken about in writing the series they drew upon their own teenage experiences and those of a close friend who was sent away to a facility. Martin’s interest in the area has led them to conducting extensive research into the industry to create this fictional story.
“There can be huge profits and often questionable practices. I knew it was rich for thriller territory.” Martin said during an interview with Dazed.
Wayward is available now on Netflix.
