‘Wayward‘ has already unsettled viewers with its creepy boarding school, cult-like leader, and disturbing therapy sessions. The new Netflix thriller feels like something that could have been plucked straight from real-life headlines, and fans are now wondering if they’re actually watching a fictional story or something far darker.
The eerie setting of Tall Pines Academy, where troubled teens face shocking rules, abductions, and brutal punishments, has only fueled the speculation. So, is ‘Wayward‘ based on a true story, or is it just an incredibly convincing piece of fiction? We have the answer.
‘Wayward’: A Sinister School At The Heart Of The Story
Set in 2003, the series stars Mae Martin as Alex Dempsey, a police officer who relocates with their wife, Laura, to the quiet town of Tall Pines. But it’s home to Tall Pines Academy, a school for troubled teens, overseen by the unnerving Evelyn.
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At the same time, we meet Abbie and Leila, two best friends who find themselves trapped inside the institution. Their lives are soon filled with extreme punishments, manipulative therapy sessions, and rigid rules. The parallels to real-life practices are unmistakable.
Mae Martin has been open about the fact that ‘Wayward‘ is inspired by personal experiences. As a teenager, they described themselves as wayward, but more importantly, their best friend, Nicole, was sent to one of these facilities at just 16. Nicole disappeared for two years, only to escape by hitchhiking home. The harrowing stories she told afterwards became the seed of the series.
And, you’ll be surprised to know that Nicole herself worked as a consultant on the show, alongside another survivor who joined the writers’ room. So, does that mean ‘Wayward‘ is a true story? Not exactly.
The Truth Behind ‘Wayward’s Inspiration
The characters and central plot of ‘Wayward‘ are fictional, but almost every shocking detail is based on real-life accounts. Mae Martin has said that while their own rebellious teen years gave them perspective, it was Nicole who pushed them to investigate further. That research uncovered disturbing ties between the troubled teen industry and cult-like self-help groups from decades earlier.
One of the biggest influences was Synanon, a group founded in Los Angeles in 1958 by Charles Dederich. Initially tied to Alcoholics Anonymous, it evolved into a notorious cult. Synanon pioneered “the Synanon game,” where participants sat in circles and hurled abuse at each other before reconciling with hugs. Mae revealed that this shows the series’ “hot seat” sessions, where students are broken down verbally under the guise of therapy.
That’s not all. Tall Pines Academy mirrors real institutions, such as The Academy at Ivy Ridge, Okeechobee School, and the Dozier School for Boys, many of which are connected to the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools (WWASPS). Survivors of these programs described eerily similar rules: teens forbidden from touching each other, stripped of personal items, monitored constantly, and punished harshly for minor disobedience.
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And Wayward recreates those rules. Abbie’s head is shaved, mattresses are removed as punishment, and students are forced into a hierarchy of four levels: burrow, break, build, and ascend. Each level brings privileges, but only for those who obey. Survivors of Ivy Ridge told identical stories, where small rewards like candy bars or rare phone calls were used to keep teens compliant, while higher levels meant taking on the role of policing others.
How The Story Becomes More Disturbing
The resemblance between drama and reality becomes even more disturbing when the series depicts tragedy. In Wayward, two students, Daniel and Riley, die inside the academy, while others mysteriously vanish. Unfortunately, this is not purely fiction. A U.S. government report highlighted multiple deaths linked to residential programs. And Rolling Stone uncovered at least 86 child deaths in troubled teen facilities over 15 years.
Many occurred in wilderness programs where teens faced starvation, exposure, or untreated illnesses. One of the show’s most harrowing sequences is when students are abandoned in the wilderness. Next, they’re left to survive brutal conditions. Evelyn’s psychological manipulation in the series is also drawn from real practices. She uses Repressed Memory Therapy (RMT) on Laura and Leila, convincing them that they killed family members.
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While the show leaves it ambiguous, the technique itself is very real. Once popular in the 1980s and 1990s, RMT has since been discredited and condemned by medical bodies. It also includes the American Medical Association, for creating false memories and causing serious harm.
In the end, the truth behind Netflix’s Wayward lies somewhere in between. No, it’s not a direct retelling of one person’s life. But yes, it is heavily inspired by real accounts, real cults, and real abuses. Mae Martin’s teenage years, their best friend Nicole’s traumatic experience, and the survivors’ testimonies. All these fed into creating a show that feels frighteningly authentic.
