26 Must-Watch Drama Shows on Netflix Right Now (December 2025): Homeland and More

How much is too much “tough love” for a “troubled teen”? That’s one of the many questions asked by the new Netflix series Wayward, created by writer, actor and producer Mae Martin. (Martin’s previous Netflix series, Feel Good, was critically acclaimed, with a 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.) While Feel Good was semi-autobiographical, Wayward is a thriller with supernatural undertones about a transgender police officer, Alex (Martin), who begins investigating the disturbing, cult-like happenings at Tall Pines Academy, a center for troubled teens in the small town of Tall Pines.

The Academy is run by Evelyn Wade (Toni Collette), a magnetic, strangely haunting headmistress who seems to have power over everyone in town, including Alex’s wife Laura (Sarah Gadon). As Alex uncovers more secrets about Tall Pines Academy, he begins to realize strange things are happening to the students who attend… This mystery thriller is twist-filled, thoughtful and perfect for spooky season.