The buzz around Wayward just keeps growing. The new Canadian thriller from creator Mae Martin has officially claimed the #1 spot on the Netflix Global Top 10 (English TV) for a second consecutive week, solidifying its place as an international hit.

Debuting with a powerful 8.2 million views in its first week (Sept. 22–28, 2025), Wayward quickly captivated global audiences with its gripping mystery set in the eerie town of Tall Pines, home to a boarding school for troubled teens.

This continued momentum is a landmark moment for Canadian storytelling on the world stage, and a major achievement for Mae Martin and the entire creative team behind the series.

Don’t miss what everyone’s talking about. Wayward is now streaming globally on Netflix.

By Mr. Will Wong

One of the Festival’s biggest surprises comes out of the Primetime programme in Netflix‘s WAYWARD, written, directed by and starring Toronto’s Mae Martin. The Limited Series centers is set in a small town. We meet a detective Alex (Martin) and their wife Laura (Sarah Gadon) who are expecting a child, as they move back to the town here Laura grew up. We also meet best friends Abby (Sydney Topliffe) and Leila (Alyvia Alyn Lind), who are in the rebellious years of their teens. What they don’t know though is that their parents secretly are plotting to have them admitted to a correctional youth institution.

WAYWARD is full of intrigue and mystery and we can’t wait to unpeel the layers of these characters as things were just beginning to get rolling in the preview we saw, but this looks very promising. Martin thoughtfully looks at the institutionalization of norms and standards, and refreshingly, maybe sometimes it’s the adults who aren’t always in the right.

This is a welcome turn of foot for Martin, who, though they have experience in episodic television, is exercising completely different muscles and showing their range here. Cast is rounded out by some very familiar names, including Toni Collette and Patrick J. Adams.

WAYWARD screens at TIFF ’25 as follows:

Tuesday, September 9
TIFF Lightbox
9:00 pm

Thursday, September 11
TIFF Lightboxlocation_on
9:45 pm

Welcome to Tall Pines. We think you’ll be very happy here.

Today, Netflix released a teaser trailer and first look images for the limited series, Wayward.

Wayward releases September 25, 2025 only on Netflix.

ABOUT WAYWARD

Logline : Nothing is what it seems in Tall Pines. After an escape attempt from an academy for “troubled teens”, two students join forces with a newly local police officer, unearthing the town’s dark and deeply rooted secrets.

Synopsis: In the picture-perfect town of Tall Pines, sinister secrets lurk behind every closed door. Not long after police officer Alex Dempsey (Mae Martin) and his pregnant wife Laura (Sarah Gadon) move into their new home, he 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. As Alex begins investigating a series of unusual incidents, he suspects that Evelyn (Toni Collette), the school’s mysterious leader, might be at the center of all the problems. Created by Mae 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.

Format / Episodes: 8 Episode Limited Series
Creator / Co-Showrunner / Executive Producer: Mae Martin
Co-Showrunner / Executive Producer: Ryan Scott
Directed By: Euros Lyn (101, 102, 107, 108), Renuka Jeyapalan (103, 104), John Fawcett (105, 106)
Written By: Mae Martin (101), Ryan Scott (102), Evangeline Ordaz (103), Mohamad El Masri (104), Kim Steele (105), Kayla Lorette (106), Alex Elbridge & Ryan Scott (107), Mae Martin & Misha Osherovich (108)
Cast: Mae Martin, Sarah Gadon, Sydney Topliffe, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Brandon Jay McLaren and Toni Collette
Recurring Cast: Tattiawna Jones, Isolde Ardies, Joshua Close
Guest Stars: Patrick J. Adams, Patrick Gallagher, Gage Munroe, Byron Mann, Mark McKinney
Executive Producers: Mae Martin, Ryan Scott, Jennifer Kawaja with Sphere Media, Bruno Dubé with Sphere Media, Ben Farrell with Objective Fiction, Hannah Mackay with Objective Fiction, Euros Lyn

Today Netflix announced the start of production of Wayward, a thriller by co-showrunners Mae Martin and Ryan Scott, in the Toronto area.

Euros Lyn (Heartstopper, Doctor Who) joins the production as executive producer and director (episodes 101, 102, 107, 108).

Previously announced cast members include Mae Martin, Toni Collette, Sarah Gadon, Sydney Topliffe, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Brandon Jay McLaren, Patrick J. Adams, Joshua Close, and Patrick Gallagher.

Logline: Wayward is a thriller set in a bucolic but sinister town that explores the insidious underbelly of the “troubled teen industry” and the eternal struggle between one generation and the next.

Format / Episodes: 8 episode Limited Series

Creator / Co-Showrunner / Executive Producer: Mae Martin

Co-Showrunner / Executive Producer: Ryan Scott

Executive Producers: Ben Farrell, producing through his company Objective Fiction, along with Hannah Mackay. Jennifer Kawaja and Bruno Dubé of Sphere Media.

Directors: Euros Lyn, Renuka Jeyapalan, and John Fawcett

Production Company: Sphere Media

For the full announcement, please visit: TUDUM.com

Netflix today announced five new additions to the cast of the limited series Wayward (fka Tall Pines), including series regulars Sydney Topliffe (Davey & Jonesie’s Locker, Doin’ It) and Alyvia Alyn Lind (Chucky, Daybreak). You probably caught star Mae Martin just this past weekend hosting the Canadian Screen Awards!

-Patrick J. Adams (Suits, The Right Stuff), Patrick Gallagher (Big Sky, Joe Pickett) and Josh Close (American Solitaire, Killers Of The Flower Moon) have been cast as recurring guest stars.

They join the previously announced series regulars, Mae Martin (Mae Martin: SAP, Feel Good, The Flight Attendant), Sarah Gadon (Ferrari, Alias Grace) and Brandon Jay McLaren (The Cleaning Lady, Snowfall).

Logline:

Wayward is a thriller set in a bucolic but sinister town that explores the insidious underbelly of the “troubled teen industry” and the eternal struggle between one generation and the next.

Format / Episodes: 8 episode Limited Series

Creator / Co-Showrunner / Executive Producer: Mae Martin

Co-Showrunner / Executive Producer: Ryan Scott (Servant, Treadstone, Fear The Walking Dead)

Executive Producers: Ben Farrell, producing through his company, Objective Fiction (Feel Good, The Gold), Hannah Mackay (Peep Show, Year of the Rabbit), Jennifer Kawaja (Sort Of, The Porter, Cardinal), Bruno Dubé (Transplant, The Sticky)

Production Company: Sphere Media

Producer Robert Lang (Why We Dance, Museum Secrets) and director Michelle Mama (Shine True) bring Kensington Communications’ latest project Fluid: Life Beyond the Binary to CBC’s The Nature of Things launching on March 28, 2024 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT) on CBC and CBC Gem. Hosted by the award-winning non-binary comedian Mae Martin, the film explores the little-known science of gender and sexual fluidity in the natural world.

Fluid debunks dangerous pseudo-scientific myths and introduces cutting-edge research to reveal that in a very real and measurable sense, we are all gender fluid.

“There is no one better equipped to host Fluid than Mae Martin and there is no better time for audiences to have access to the revelations in the film. Blending humour with science, Mae sheds light on the most recent findings about gender and sexual fluidity in humans and many other species.” said producer Robert Lang. “They were an incredibly thoughtful collaborator on this project and we look forward to sharing our special documentary with audiences across the country.”

Guided by eminent biologists Joan Roughgarden and Justin Rhodes and famed primatologist Frans de Waal, Mae discovers a hermaphroditic ginger plant, sex-changing clownfish and kobudai, and mammals – lions, hyenas and chimpanzees – that display surprisingly non-normative sexual traits.

In the realm of human research, Mae meets with trans historian Jules Gill-Peterson to explore the misguided but unfortunately still influential gender studies of the 1960s and 70s. Then Mae delves into the current gender controversies, seeking out the best and most up-to-date answers from brilliant researchers including child psychologist Kristina Olson, prominent neuroscientists Gillian Einstein and Lise Eliot, and three young trans/non-binary scientists – Daniel Pfau, Elle Lett and Simone Sun – who take on the challenges of gender research from a gender non-conforming perspective.

Mae also meets a group of trans youth who candidly reveal their difficult life experiences and hopes for a future that is more inclusive and accepting. Along the way, Mae shares reflections through relevant and hilarious material from their live standup performances.

Fluid is produced by Kensington Communications in association with CBC, SRC Explora and Gay Agenda, with the financial participation of Canada Media Fund, Rogers Documentary Fund, Ontario and Canada tax credits. Other key creatives include Director of Photography Lulu Wei (Sex With Sue), editor Peter Topalovic (Shine True, Canada’s Drag Race), and writer Allen Booth (Why We Dance, Nature’s Cleanup Crew), with music by Ames Bessada (Black Mirror). For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Entertainment, Factual, & Sports; Jennifer Dettman is Executive Director, Unscripted Content; Sandra Kleinfeld is Senior Director, Documentary; and Sue Dando and Lesley Birchard are Executives in Charge of Production, The Nature of Things.

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television (the Canadian Academy) announced today that Mae Martin, award-winning Canadian comedian, actor, writer, and producer, will host The 2024 Canadian Screen Awards, airing on Friday, May 31, 2024 at 8:00 PM (9:00 PM AT, 9:30 PM NT) on CBC and CBC Gem.

“We are thrilled that Mae Martin will be hosting The 2024 Canadian Screen Awards,” said Tammy Frick, CEO, Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. “They are the perfect fit for this show: a dynamic and accomplished Canadian who is breaking barriers and making waves globally both in front of and behind the camera, just like the many talented individuals who we will be celebrating during Canadian Screen Week 2024.”

Join comedian and host Mae Martin for The 2024 Canadian Screen Awards at the CBC Broadcast Centre in Toronto on Friday, May 31. The one-hour broadcast, airing at 8:00 PM (9 AT, 9:30 NT) on CBC and CBC Gem, promises an innovative blend of unpredictable, emotional award-show moments and unprecedented access to nominees and Special Award winners, offering audiences a celebratory look at the best in Canadian film and television. Produced by creative forces Roma Ahi and Katie Lafferty of Makers, this year’s broadcast will continue to redefine the award show and shine a spotlight on the achievements of our homegrown talent.

“I am elated to be hosting this celebration of all the amazing talent in Canada, and plan on asking a lot of people I admire for selfies,” said host Mae Martin.

Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Mae Martin is an award-winning comedian, actor, writer, and producer who presently hosts the hit comedy podcast Handsome alongside Tig Notaro and Fortune Feimster. They are best known for creating, starring, and co-writing Feel Good, a critically acclaimed drama-comedy series for which their stunning performance earned them a 2021 BAFTA TV Award nomination. Beloved for their stand-up comedy, Martin’s show Dope was nominated for “Best Comedy Show” at the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Awards, and their standup special SAP, directed by Abbi Jacobson, launched on Netflix in March 2023.

The nominees for the 2024 Canadian Screen Awards will be announced on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 7:00 AM ET on academy.ca/nominees.

The full schedule for the 2024 Canadian Screen Awards can be found at CanadianScreenWeek.ca. For more information about the 2024 Canadian Screen Awards and Canadian Screen Week 2024, please visit Academy.ca.

(Photo credit: Joseph Sinclair)

Netflix today announced a limited series order for TALL PINES, a thriller from Mae Martin. Martin will also play a leading role in the show.

Logline:

TALL PINES is a thriller set in a bucolic but sinister town that explores the insidious underbelly of the “troubled teen industry” and the eternal struggle between one generation and the next.

Format / Episodes: 8 episode Limited Series

Creator / Co-Showrunner / Executive Producer: Mae Martin (Mae Martin: SAP, Feel Good, The Flight Attendant)

Co-Showrunner / Executive Producer: Ryan Scott (Servant, Treadstone, Fear The Walking Dead)

Executive Producers: Ben Farrell, producing through his company, Objective Fiction (Feel Good, The Gold), Hannah Mackay (Peep Show, Year of the Rabbit), Jennifer Kawaja (Sort Of, The Porter, Cardinal), Bruno Dubé (Transplant, The Sticky)

Production Company: Sphere Media

QUOTES:

Mae Martin: “Tall Pines is a story I’ve been dying to tell for years, and I’m beyond excited for people to see what we have in store! It’s going to be an insane roller coaster and so different to anything I’ve done before. Very very grateful to Netflix for supporting it, and I can’t wait to get going.”

Ben Farrell, Chief Creative Officer, Executive Producer, Objective Fiction: “Tall Pines is a truly gripping, intergenerational mystery thriller. Objective Fiction is delighted to be partnering with Netflix and Sphere Media to bring Mae Martin’s latest creation to the screen.”

Jennifer Kawaja, President English Scripted, Executive Producer, Sphere Media: “This is a fantastic project and Sphere is thrilled to be part of the team, with Netflix and Objective Fiction, producing work with a unique Canadian voice at its center.”

Danielle Woodrow, Director, Content – Canada, Netflix: “Tall Pines is a wildly entertaining story that explores the complex and sometimes twisted relationship between teens and adults. We’re thrilled to be working with a singular talent like Mae and bringing their unique voice to one of our first commissions for Netflix Canada.”

We love Mae Martin and coming soon on Netflix is a Comedy Special, SAP!

• Mae Martin: SAP will premiere globally on Netflix on March 28, 2023.
• This is the comedian’s hour-long Netflix stand-up debut. They previously made their Netflix comedy special debut with a half-hour set in COMEDIANS of the world in 2019.
• The special was filmed last December at the Vogue Theater in Vancouver, British Columbia.
• The special is directed by acclaimed creator, Abbi Jacobson.
• The special will be produced by All Things Comedy.
• About the special: Mae Martin makes their hour-long comedy special debut with SAP, directed by Abbi Jacobson. The award-winning comedian, writer, and actor, best known for their critically acclaimed series FEEL GOOD, reflects on a world off its axis, from a mythical moose encounter to the gender spectrum in “Beauty and the Beast”, in this new stand-up special.
• Mae created and starred in the critically acclaimed and award-winning series, Feel Good and also performed in the Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration special, the largest-ever gathering of LGBTQ+ comics recorded at Netflix Is A Joke: The Festival earlier this year. Both can be streamed on Netflix.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

Toronto’s Mae Martin continues to see their star rise. After serving as a Writer on the Baroness Von Sketch Show, you know Mae from acclaimed Netflix Series FEEL GOOD which garnered them a BAFTA Award nomination. Martin in addition to being seen in the current second season of THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT, is currently touring with their Comedy Show “SAP“, which brought them to The Danforth Music Hall, playing a packed house two nights at the venue.

See the Trailer for Season Two of THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT:

Have loved Martin‘s work for some time now and am thrilled to see them thriving. Martin was so kind to stop for photos after their Show, and even brought-out special musical guest Donovan Woods, also from Toronto.

See our Snap:

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)