James Diemert

really wanted to like Wayward, but honestly, this show veered way off track (pun intended—it felt more Way-Weird than Wayward). The plot was painfully predictable, with little suspense or originality. Instead of drawing us into a fresh story, it leaned heavily on clichés, which left me more frustrated than entertained. The soundtrack was another huge letdown. Taking a Nirvana classic, tweaking it slightly, and then presenting it as something new didn’t feel like homage—it felt like a downgrade. Music is supposed to enhance the experience, not make you wish you were listening to the original song instead. Finally, the show went out of its way to hammer home certain identity angles in a way that felt more forced than natural. Representation is important, but when it’s written without subtlety or creativity, it comes across as redundant and distracting. Instead of weaving it seamlessly into the narrative, it felt like the writers stopped the story just to make sure you didn’t miss the point. In the end, Wayward had the potential to be something special but strayed far from what audiences were expecting. If it had stuck closer to a stronger storyline—and trusted viewers to pick up on themes without being spoon-fed—it might not have gone so “wayward.”