'Wayward' exposes dark reality behind 'reform' academy

IT'S fair to say we should probably stay far, far away from any place named Wayward. Remember the series Wayward Pines?

- BERNELEE VOLLMER

That town was everything wrong with small-town creepiness: electrified fences, secrets lurking behind every door, and adults doing very questionable things while pretending it was all for your own good.

Netflix's Wayward takes that unsettling vibe and cranks it up several notches, except this time it's all about "troubled teens" and the institution supposedly trying to fix them.

Created by Mae Martin, who also stars as Alex Dempsey, the series leans hard into the "ship off your problem child and hope they come back better" concept.

Only, the place they're shipped to looks like a literal prison and for the teens, the conditions are as harsh as you'd imagine.

And yes, it's all supposedly designed to make them "better".

This concept isn't new. Reality has plenty of examples: Dr Phil's boot camps in the US, South African boys' and girls' schools for "naughty children", and various wilderness camps and reform programs worldwide have been criticised for abuse, strict regimens, and poor outcomes.

Teens are sent to isolated locations, forced into rigid routines, and subjected to emotional or even physical punishment.

Positive transformations are rare, and the trauma often lasts long after they leave.