Wayward (2025) is a Canadian thriller series set in 2003 in the fictional town of Tall Pines, Vermont.

Tall Pines Academy is a ‘therapeutic’ boarding school for ‘wayward’ teens run by Eveyln (Toni Collette). The Academy includes teens who are state wards as well as children whose parents have agreed with them living there.

There are 2 main stories.

One is the way the children are treated at Tall Pines, including by each other. They are encouraged, for example, to sit in a circle and verbally attack the one in the “Hot Seat”.

Another is that Detective Alex Dempsey (Mae Martin) moves to Tall Pines with their pregnant partner Laura, and begins to investigate a number of children who have gone missing from Tall Pines.

Although Wayward isn’t a documentary, creator Mae Martin has said they were informed by the practices in the US’ multi-billion dollar “Troubled Teen Industry”.