Wayward: Netflix’s New Mystery Series With Shades of Wayward Pines

Netflix is set to deliver another chilling slice of small-town paranoia with Wayward, an eight-episode limited series premiering on 25 September 2025. While not a direct sequel, the show carries an undeniable spiritual connection to Wayward Pines, the cult thriller that kept audiences guessing a decade ago. Both stories take root in seemingly idyllic communities hiding dark, unexplainable truths, where outsiders stumble into conspiracies that twist the meaning of safety and control.

Set in the picture-perfect town of Tall Pines, Wayward follows police officer Alex Dempsey (Mae Martin) and his pregnant wife Laura (Sarah Gadon) as they settle into their new home. Alex soon crosses paths with Abbie (Sydney Topliffe) and Leila (Alyvia Alyn Lind), two students from a nearby school for “troubled teens.” Their desperate attempts to escape the institution lead Alex into a web of secrets that points toward Evelyn (Toni Collette), the enigmatic leader of the school, whose influence might stretch far beyond its gates.

Created by Mae Martin, who also stars and serves as showrunner, Wayward blends psychological drama with mystery, horror and generational conflict. The series explores what happens when loyalty and friendship clash against buried truths, and how a community’s obsession with order can mask the darkest of sins.

Behind the scenes, the series was produced by Objective Fiction and Sphere Media, with Martin working alongside executive producers Ryan Scott, Ben Farrell, Hannah Mackay, Jennifer Kawaja and Bruno Dubé. Filmed in Ontario through mid-2024, Wayward boasts a stellar ensemble including Patrick J. Adams, Brandon Jay McLaren and Josh Close.

Much like Wayward Pines, which explored manipulation and control within a hidden community, Wayward taps into that same unsettling energy—inviting viewers to question just how safe any small town really is.