The Harsh Reality Behind Netflix's 'Wayward'
By Alivia Stonier
Image Credit: Netflix
Imagine moving to a quaint small town, eager to get a fresh start with the love of your life, only to discover that nothing is quite what it seems on the surface, no matter how warmly you are welcomed with seemingly open arms.
This is the reality for Alex Dempsey, played by Mae Martin, who also directed the limited series. After facing troubles at work in his previous town, Dempsey is both nervous and thankful for this new beginning in Tall Pines, though it doesn’t come without skepticism.
Image Credit: Netflix
As this uncertainty brews, teens Leila and Abby are living their usual lives at school in Canada. Days spent smoking weed on the roof and cheating on exams come to a screeching halt, however, when the school counselor recommends that Leila attend a corrective school program known as Wayward.
The performances from both Alyvia Alyn Lind as Leila and Sydney Topliffe as Abby truly help bring these nuanced coming-of-age experiences to life. The introduction to these characters is, unfortunately, quite heartbreaking, as Abby reveals that her dad refers to her as a parasite.
This pair of friends isn’t delinquents; they’re simply struggling teenagers who aren’t being heard within their own homes. Leila’s mother is emotionally absent, and Abby’s family dynamic is equally painful. When Abby ends up being the one sent to Wayward, and Leila sets out across the border into America to find her, dark secrets begin to surface.
Dempsey, on the other hand, has his suspicions confirmed when a bloody, barefoot teen emerges from the woods, claiming to have escaped from the very program that Abby has been placed in.
Image Credit: Netflix
While Wayward is a work of fiction, its inspiration is tragically real. Many real-life teens labeled as “difficult” have become victims of what is known as the “troubled teen industry.”
Most programs within this industry are wildly unregulated when it comes to the safety of the teenagers placed in their care. They range from residential facilities to wilderness camps that require intense physical labor. Many of these programs have led to both physical and psychological abuse and often operate with practices deemed cult-like. Families are sometimes discouraged from contacting their children, or they lose interest due to the complex dynamics that existed at home. As a result, these teens are left to fend for themselves (and each other) within abusive systems.
Methods such as “attack therapy” have only worsened trauma and mental health for many participants, with some taking their own lives after enduring such treatment.
Some of the most notable facilities within this industry include the Academy at Ivy Ridge, which has an entire documentary on Netflix titled The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping. Survivors of the program recount not only the trauma they endured but also the question of who truly survived the experience. The program descended into chaos after students began protesting and running away—an event eerily mirrored in the fictional show Wayward.
Many teens were sedated against their will or physically restrained to prevent escape, often resulting in serious injuries and, in some cases, death. Other notable programs include Élan School, Turn-About Ranch, and Three Springs.
What Wayward brings to the table is not only an accurate depiction of the psychological abuse these teenagers face—through therapy exercises like “the hot seat” or being taken into the woods with minimal supplies—but also a conversation about accepting the parts of ourselves we’re pressured to change to fit societal standards.
Image Credit: Netflix
There has been some movement in the right direction over the years. As of 2021, according to multiple sources, “Utah, California, Oregon, Montana, and Missouri have all enacted laws aimed at increasing oversight of troubled teen facilities.” One of the driving forces behind this movement has been Paris Hilton, who has openly discussed her experience at Provo Canyon School and the horrific reformation tactics used there.
According to outlets including Vogue, Hilton described treatment such as not being allowed to speak freely or even look out of a window for over a year, and being “violently restrained and dragged down hallways, stripped naked, and thrown into solitary confinement.”
Despite some progress, these programs still exist today, and every day, teenagers are enduring these forms of abuse. Instead of being supported in safe, productive environments, they are punished for their struggles—magnifying their pain for the financial gain of these facilities, all at the cost of adolescent mental health and well-being.
The new Netflix series helps keep this conversation alive and sheds light on the real experiences people are facing, while adding a paranormal element that amplifies the tension. It explores themes of power and identity through complex dynamics, as characters begin to feel the thrill and danger of control.
The show also covers a range of lived experiences, from transgender and bisexual identities to growing up in different cultures. It delves into trauma and the weight of generational pain, portraying how wounds are passed down through families in deeply nuanced ways.
Image Credit: Netflix
Paired with chilling performances from Toni Collette (known for previous thriller roles such as Hereditary) as Evelyn Wade, the head of the program, and Sarah Gadon as her former student, Laura Redman, Wayward is not a show you’ll soon forget. Not only do the actors captivate the screen, but the real-life stories that inspired the series deserve continued attention.
The show does an incredible job of not only giving you people to root for but also holding up a mirror to the viewer—encouraging reflection on your own experiences and how they’ve shaped you as a person. This vulnerable element allows the topic to be explored in a light worth speaking about, especially at a time when these programs are still active today.
