Goosebumps x Black Mirror
This dark and twisted teen thriller captures you from inception. Starring Mae Martin as the morally centered Alex Dempsey and Toni Collette as the charismatic Evelyn Wade, this chilling limited series explores the dark side of institutions for “troubled teens” in a way that forces the audience to confront their internal biases about teen issues, behavioral residential programs, cult culture, and generational conflict between adults and teenagers.
Alex (Martin) heads to Tall Pines, a calm countryside atmosphere, looking for a fresh start with his wife, when his life is upended by an investigation into sinister occurrences that begin to peel back the dark layers of this seemingly idyllic town. At the center of these occurrences is Tall Pines Academy, a school for troubled teens with questionable methods and secrets to die for.
Secrets Unraveled
Alex is thrown into a whirlwind of moral and ethical dilemmas as he realizes the academy’s mysterious leader, Evelyn (Collette), may be at the center of every unusual event and the problems that are brewing with the residents at Tall Pines Academy. His loyalty and sanity are tested in this limited series that Martin describes as taking “the kids from Booksmart and putting them in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.”
Martin drew from their own experiences as a wayward teen whose best friend was sent to a troubled teens institute at age 16. This experience sparked something within Martin, which allowed the Canadian comedian to naturally shift gears into a darker genre and the exploration of the wayward teen life. Central to this journey is the growing divide between adults and teens and the oppressive institutions that aim to stunt them rather than cultivate an environment of psychological safety in which they can thrive.
The “troubled teen” industry as a whole is scrutinized within the series under the microscope of Tall Pines Academy but it highlights real world exploitative issues. Most famously, in 2021, Paris Hilton spoke with “Good Morning America” about her stay in a residential program in the 1990s, stating that she was “physically abused, yelled at, restrained, locked in rooms, forced [to take] medication,” and how she had no human rights—stripped of all dignity under the guise of behavioral correction. Danielle Bregoli, known famously for her phrase “catch me outside” from her appearance on “Dr. Phil,” also spoke out in 2021 about similar treatments at a Christian-based residential treatment program. “Wayward” takes a shovel to these claims and the cult-like ways these facilities function—exerting authoritarian control over individuals who simply need help, understanding, and community.
However, one of the larger themes that stands out is the chasm between teens and adults who have forgotten that they were once those same teens—feeling oppressed by the world and systems that wish to silence their voices, concerns, and feelings. “Wayward” takes a sharp knife to memory and the struggle for truth as you watch these teenagers rage against a world that seems to do everything but keep them safe.
“Wayward” will premiere all eight episodes on Thursday, September 25 on Netflix.
Can't wait to watch this!