Netflix may have just dropped its darkest and most addictive mystery yet. Set in a small town where nothing is what it seems, the series dives into betrayal, secrets, and sinister control — leaving audiences stunned. Fans are calling it “twisted,” “magnificent,” and “unlike anything we’ve seen before,” with social media flooded by one demand: “Give us another season!” After that jaw-dropping finale, the only question is whether viewers can handle what comes next.

etflix’s new psychological thriller Wayward has left fans begging for a second season after its gripping debut on the streamer. The eight-part series stars Mae Martin and Toni Collette and is set in the seemingly idyllic town of Tall Pines. The story follows police officer Alex Dempsey, who encounters two teenage girls and begins to uncover disturbing secrets surrounding a local school for “troubled teens” – run by a mysterious and deeply sinister woman named Evelyn.

HELLO!’s Acting TV Editor Nicky Morris said: “I’m a sucker for a seriously creepy, sinister thriller, and Netflix’s Wayward promises to be just that. Not only does the plot sound seriously intriguing, but the cast features the brilliant Toni Collette, who’s no stranger to spine-chilling stories with previous credits such as Hereditary and Krampus.” Keep reading to find out what fans and critics are saying about the new series…

Creator Mae Martin also stars

Fans react to the new series

Fans were quick to praise the show, with many demanding: “Make it another season!!! I’m obsessed.”

One person wrote: “Please let there be a season 2. So many characters still deserve a happy ending from Tall Pines,” while another wrote: “Loved this season. It’s twisted and mysterious. I really hope they do season 2 following Abbie in the world and also the people who stayed at Tall Pines.”WATCH: Wayward Official Trailer

Mae stars opposite Toni Collette

A third person added: “I enjoyed the plot and figuring out the mystery behind it. It touches on sooo many deeper things as the teen and as the adult experiences. Great cast and happy to see Mae Martin had a part in creating this. Toni Collette is amazing as always. Watch the story for the story and watch it unfold to catch the deeper subjects in it. Definitely worth a watch.”

Critics have praised Toni’s haunting performance

Wayward Rotten Tomatoes score

It’s safe to say Wayward has been a hit with viewers. It’s currently sitting at number two on Netflix’s UK Top 10 TV shows and has already earned a 73% Rotten Tomatoes score.

In her four-star review, The Guardian’s Lucy Mangan wrote: “Toni Collette is utterly magnificent in this eerie thriller about teen runaways. The star plays the terrifying leader at an academy for troubled teenagers in Netflix’s mesmerising mystery by Mae Martin. It’s hard to look away from any show where evil grownups get their comeuppance…”

Wayward is currently at number 2 in the Netflix Top 10 chart

Meanwhile, The Independent penned: “Unlike plenty of the glossy-looking but thin thrillers so frequently served up by the streamers at present, Wayward offers something far more odd and entertaining.”

Digital Spy added: “A queer, twisty, genre-blending thriller that goes places you won’t expect, even if it tries to do a little too much at points. Toni Collette is predictably great, but it’s Mae Martin who steals the show (which they also created).”

Sydney Topliffe plays Abbie

What is Wayward about?

The synopsis reads: “In the picture-perfect town of Tall Pines, sinister secrets lurk behind every closed door.

“Not long after police officer Alex Dempsey (Martin) and his pregnant wife Laura (Gadon) move into their new home, Dempsey connects with two students, Abbie (Sydney Topliffe) and Leila (Alyvia Alyn Lind) from the local school for “troubled teens” who are desperate to escape, and could be the key to unearthing everything rotten in the town.

Have you watched Wayward yet?

“As Alex begins investigating a series of unusual incidents, he suspects that Evelyn (Collette), the school’s mysterious leader, might be at the center of all the problems.

“Created by Martin, Wayward is a thrilling and genre-bending limited series about the eternal struggle between one generation and the next, what happens when friendship and loyalty are put to the ultimate test, and how buried truths always find a way of coming to the surface.”