As it touches on hotly debated topics, from trans identity to the troubled teen industry, the show distinguishes itself by contextualizing and complicating them rather than devolving into polemic.

The show is elevated by Martin, who is best known as a comedian but fully commits to a serious role. Alex is an immensely likeable character, earnest and empathetic, and gets the audience fully onside.

It’s ultimately a show about an unsettling town with a dangerous secret, another in a long lineage of precursors that seem content with drawing from the same communal pot and doing little to alter the recipe. Were one to venture into the world of ‘Wayward,’ the greatest takeaways come from its cast, characters, and outstanding screenplay, with enough gas left in the tank by the end to pique the right amount of curiosity into what the future might hold.

While its conclusion is more frustrating than you might expect, Wayward’s stellar performances and propulsive pacing make the journey worth more than the destination.

While it may not go down as one of the stronger cult stories sweeping television, “Wayward” has fewer problems than peculiarities. Just keep an open mind.

I was never bored and, despite the evasiveness, never exactly frustrated. I think Martin is incredibly talented and this series shows the expansive potential of their voice, albeit not the fully realized potential. Viewers craving something more concrete are less likely to remain tolerant for the full journey.

There are interesting lingering threads in Wayward to parse about collectivism versus individualism, and how pursuits of the perfect nuclear, neurotypical family can wreak intergenerational havoc, regardless of ideology or identity. The trouble is, fascinating ideas aren’t enough to prop up a several-hour TV series without a clear sense of self.