Netflix’s latest No. 1 series, “Wayward,” has clearly caught the attention of viewers with its suspenseful story of a mysterious small town and its dark secrets. Set in the fictional town of Tall Pines, Vermont, the show follows a local cop and a group of teenagers as they uncover the sinister truths behind a reform school for troubled teens.
Fellow colleague Rory Mellon described it in his review as a “Netflix series that you won’t soon forget. Even if its narrative setup is within a familiar genre framework, it’s so compelling that you’re likely to tear through the eight-episode run in just a few sittings.”
“Wayward” is a gripping binge, largely thanks to the talents of Toni Collette, that keeps viewers glued to their screens. If you’ve been caught up in the eerie mysteries of the show and are already craving your next suspenseful fix, you’re in luck because we’ve rounded up five other series that deliver a similar mix of tension and gripping drama.
‘Wayward Pines’
“Wayward Pines” follows Secret Service agent Ethan Burke (Matt Dillon), who travels to the small Idaho town of Wayward Pines in search of two missing federal agents. At first, it seems like a simple case, but Ethan soon discovers he’s unable to leave the town or connect with anyone beyond its borders.
The residents also seem oddly controlled, following strict rules with severe consequences for disobedience. Ethan reunites with his former partner, Kate (Carla Gugino), one of the agents he was sent to find, but she’s living as though she belongs there. As Ethan continues to investigate, he discovers the town is hiding extraordinary secrets, and his own family is soon drawn into its grip.
Stream it on Hulu
‘Shelter’
Harlan Coben’s “Shelter” follows teenager Mickey Bolitar (Jaden Michael) as he tries to start fresh after the sudden death of his father and his mother’s stint in rehab. Moving in with his aunt in New Jersey, Mickey is determined to settle into a new school, but his life is quickly thrown off course when a fellow student he’s growing close to mysteriously disappears.
Teaming up with two unlikely friends, the witty Spoon (Adrian Greensmith) and the sharp-witted Ema (Abigale Corrigan), Mickey sets out to uncover what really happened. Their search leads them into a string of buried secrets, strange figures, and unexpected dangers tied to both their town and Mickey’s own family history.
Stream it on Prime Video
‘The Institute’
“The Institute” centers on Luke Ellis (Joe Freeman), a teenage prodigy who is kidnapped in the dead of night and wakes up in a sinister facility where children with extraordinary abilities are held against their will. Like Luke, none of them arrived by choice, and the staff push the kids through grueling experiments and tests that grow more dangerous by the day.
Meanwhile, in a nearby town, Tim Jamieson (Ben Barnes), a former police officer trying to escape his past, settles in with the hope of a quiet life. But peace is short-lived, as Tim’s path gradually edges closer to Luke’s desperate struggle inside the Institute. As Luke bonds with other children and hatches a risky plan to break free, the story builds toward the moment when his fate and Tim’s inevitably converge.
Stream it on MGM Plus
‘The Wilds’
In “The Wilds,” a group of teenage girls from very different backgrounds find themselves stranded on a remote island after their plane crashes. Struggling to survive, they must contend with hunger, injuries, clashing personalities, and the uncertainty of rescue. Caught between moments of unity and conflict, each girl’s backstory gradually comes to light, revealing the personal struggles they faced before the crash.
What the girls don’t know is that their predicament is no accident, as it’s part of a carefully orchestrated social experiment with hidden observers watching their every move. As trust breaks down, survival becomes as much about navigating each other as enduring the wilderness.
Stream it on Prime Video
‘Pieces of Her’
On an ordinary day in a quiet Georgia town, a violent incident shatters the calm and changes everything for Andy Oliver (Bella Heathcote) and her mother, Laura (Toni Collette). When Andy witnesses her mother take down an attacker with shocking skill, she begins to realize she knows very little about the woman who raised her.
Andy is soon forced to go on the run, piecing together fragments of Laura’s mysterious past while trying to stay one step ahead of danger. Each discovery only raises more questions about who Laura really is and why so many people want to keep the truth buried. “Pieces of Her” unravels a gripping mystery, weaving together tense action and deeply personal revelations as Andy struggles to redefine everything she thought she knew.
Stream it on Netflix
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