Netflix’s latest success story comes courtesy of comedian, writer and actor Mae Martin, whose new series Wayward has stormed to the top of the streaming platform’s charts. The show, which dropped all eight episodes on September 25, quickly became the most-watched English-language TV series of the week, racking up an impressive 8.2 million views over its opening weekend.

Wayward is set in 2003 in the eerie fictional town of Tall Pines, Vermont. Much of the story unfolds at Tall Pines Academy, a so-called therapeutic boarding school run by the formidable Evelyn Wade, brought chillingly to life by Toni Collette. Collette, an Oscar-nominated star and undisputed queen of horror, lends the series its unnerving heart.

At the centre is Alex Dempsey, played by Martin, a police officer struggling with identity and yearning for the promise of traditional family life. Alex’s wife, Laura, portrayed by Canadian actor Sarah Gadon, is pregnant with their first child and carries her own haunting connection to the academy as a former pupil.

Alongside this adult storyline runs the tale of two teenage girls from Toronto, Leila (Alyvia Alyn Lind), reeling from grief and substance use, and her best friend Abbie (Sydney Topliffe). When Abbie’s conservative parents have her abducted and shipped off to the academy, Leila embarks on a reckless rescue attempt, only to find herself imprisoned there too.

What they encounter is a world of cult-like rituals, coercive therapy sessions and systemic abuse, raising chilling questions about manipulation and vulnerability rather than supernatural terror.

The inspiration for the series comes from Martin’s own adolescence in the early 2000s. Speaking to Netflix’s Tudum, they described themselves as a “wayward teen,” recalling how a close friend was sent to one of these institutions at 16 and returned with “the craziest stories.”

That friend, Nicole Simon, not only inspired the character of Abbie but also worked as a consultant on the series. In an Instagram post, Martin called Wayward a “love letter” to their enduring friendship.

Critical response has been enthusiastic, with viewers praising the show’s mix of genres and emotional depth. One reviewer wrote: “If you have ever been a teenager, or a parent, or lost someone close to you, this story will hold you.”

Another, with first-hand experience of such programmes, described it as “chilling” yet authentic.

With its haunting atmosphere, sharp writing and heartfelt roots, the Netflix show Wayward has cemented Mae Martin as one of television’s boldest new storytellers.