Wayward: Netflix’s New Thriller Just in Time for Chills

If you’ve ever felt uneasy around institutions that promise healing for “troubled youth”, Wayward is arriving just in time to tap that discomfort. Created by comedian Mae Martin, this limited series mixes psychological tension, mystery, and cultish control - with enough emotional weight and dark undercurrents to make it more than just mood-lighting.

What It Is & Who’s In It

Wayward is an 8-episode limited series premiering on Netflix on September 25, 2025. The cast is stacked: Mae Martin plays Alex Dempsey, a small-town cop trying to settle into a quiet new life, while Toni Collette steps in as Evelyn Wade, the magnetic head of a boarding school for wayward teens who may or may not be as benevolent as she seems. Sarah Gadon, Sydney Topliffe, Alyvia Alyn Lind, and Patrick J. Adams round out a line-up that feels like Netflix put real weight behind this project.

Why You Should Queue It Up

If you loved Sharp Objects for its psychological bite or The Haunting of Hill House for its atmosphere, Wayward deserves a spot on your list. It promises edge-of-your-seat suspense without cheap jump scares, a cast firing on all cylinders, and themes that actually give you something to chew on after the credits roll.

When Netflix gets thrillers right, they stick. And from the looks of it, Wayward could be the one people are still talking about when we’re all making our “best of 2025” lists. Check out the trailer here below.