It is unreal that Toni Collette hasn’t won an Oscar. Nominated only once (for 1999’s “THE SIXTH SENSE”), the actress has yet to take home the gold. Collette is an intense and dedicated performer who gives everything to each new role. While she hasn’t always chosen great films, the actress is the embodiment of complete dedication to her characters and the craft. For her work in Showtime’s The United States of Tara, the Emmys rightly awarded her the Best Lead Actress prize. With her playfully vicious turn in Netflix’s latest limited series “WAYWARD,” Collette is coming in for another.

“WAYWARD” stars Collette as the suspect head of an even more suspect school in a rural community known as Tall Pines. Created by star Mae Martin (also the series’ co-showrunner with Ryan Scott), the series’s eight episodes are quite chilling in their depiction of the warm and welcoming facade of a small town that hides something sinister. The David Lynch and Stephen King vibe here is undeniable, but Martin has nonetheless created a tale of sustained interest and originality.

Martin stars as Alex Dempsey, a Detroit cop who relocates to Tall Pines with their pregnant partner Laura (Sarah Gadon), who grew up in the deceptively idyllic town. After an incident that nearly ruined Alex’s law enforcement career, the couple looks forward to a fresh start in quieter surroundings. The couple is visited by Evelyn Wade (Collette). Alex discovers that Laura used to be a student at Evelyn’s academy.

Soon, Alex encounters Abby (Sydney Topliffe) and Leila (Alyvia Alyn Lind), two best friends who find themselves trapped in the Tall Pines Academy. The school paints itself as a place for “WAYWARD” teens to reclaim their lives and purge themselves from society’s pull. The mission statement of helping kids to find their best selves couldn’t be more untrue.

The audience sees everything unfold through Alex and their discoveries of the ever-revealing layers of communal deceit. Their personal investigation into the town’s secrets takes them down a dark and dangerous path.

A significant portion of the series centers on the teenagers trapped within Evelyn’s grasp. Most depictions of today’s youth are either exaggerated (HBO’s Euphoria) or milquetoast cliché. “WAYWARD” portrays its teenage characters respectfully. Mae Martin and Ryan Scott share writing credits along with Mohamad El Masri, Alex Eldridge, Kayla Lorette, Evangeline Ordaze, Misha Osherovich, and Kim Steele. In most cases, teams of writers are a cause of uneven structure. The scripts never deviate from their intent to craft well-drawn and relatable characters. The teenagers are handled with respect, and the actors who inhabit them find layered roles in which to create. On paper, there is the “druggie”, “the snob”, “the outlaw,” but Martin and her team of writers aren’t going for symbolism. These kids are drawn realistically and the performances by the young cast remarkable.

Abbie and Leila do their best to survive the days inside the academy until they can figure out an escape plan. Still, Evelyn’s almost otherworldly ability to manipulate minds is beginning to drive a wedge between the young friends. All of the kids who find themselves caught in the academy’s web are robbed of their clothes, phones, and any personal items; all in the name of stripping them of their identities. They must be molded into the obedient human servants Evelyn desires.

“WAYWARD” finds dramatic strength in its details. To delve any further into the deeper parts of the plot would be unfair to the viewer, but one will not feel slighted by any episode. The reveals are handled in an unhurried manner, allowing the audience to savor the nuances of the more profound mysteries. There are heavy metaphors and allegories found in the arcs of the series’ characters, while the “hive-mind” and authoritarianism get a sharp and crafty skewering.

Mae Martin keeps focus on the dark events of the piece, but all is not gruesome. There is an undercurrent of humor throughout.  A significant portion of it stems from Martin’s performance. It is a delight to watch Alex’s reactions to some of the more peculiar aspects of the community. The actor has a way of using their expressive eyes and monotone speech to convey a myriad of emotions. Sometimes serious or frightened by what they see, Martin’s reactions are occasionally used to humorous effect.

Toni Collette’s Evelyn is a good source of a few wicked laughs. The boldness of the character’s actions and her occasional annoyance with Alex give a humanity to a role that (in the wrong hands) could have fallen prey to overacting. Colette keeps Evelyn grounded, showing only the slightest hint that something is “rotten in Denmark.” This is another skilled and excitingly intoxicating performance from one of the best actresses of her generation.

“WAYWARD” has a lot going for it. Many films and series have been down this type of mysterious road. Still, Mae Martin and their team work hard to ensure all eight episodes stand out through good writing, a great cast, and a story that will continuously involve viewers without letting them down in the finale.

Come for the mystery. Stay for the dead-on portrayals and emotional heft. “WAYWARD” is a winner.