Let's all confess it. "When we saw the premise for The Wilds YA series, we all thought LOST, but with women only. The byline does a disservice to the new Amazon series because the plot itself is uniquely different, despite the protagonists being stranded on an island.
There are parallels that we can not ignore; conspiracies surround the series, and each episode leaves more questions than answers for the viewer. Audiences will leave season 1 of The Wilds with plenty to chew on; disappointed but excited at the possibility of a continuation as well.
The tale is bizarre yet compelling; it follows a group of adolescent girls who have all been persuaded by their parents to go to a retreat. Their plane crashes en route, and they are trapped on an island.
It’s flagrantly apparent from the first episode that there is something more sinister at play. The situation is too ideal and comfortable — the story has a purpose involving all the characters.
And the story is the characters more than the actual conspiracy at play. The story structure is purely character development. Each episode smartly delves into each teenage girl; their background, their past, and reasons why being on this island were not by clumsy coincidence.
It could be argued that the conspiracy surrounding these characters is hammed in, and it’s weaker than their actual stories. Audiences will not enter this story caring for the island, and what the objective is. They will only care about the personal stories that drive a character’s personality and ambition. This series will undoubtedly create many hashtags and fan adoration for certain characters.
The Wilds is a series that gets stronger with each episode — season 1 can be forgiven for the cheesy and convoluted pilot; once the cast beds in and the chemistry lights up, the story becomes easily binge-able. Each character represents something different, and with the wide-ranging approach of personalities, teenagers from different backgrounds will be able to it relate warmly.
There is a running theme that is present in Amazon’s The Wilds — there’s this idea that these women are being challenged for the greater good. It ties in feminist themes, with the women all wanting to be a true version of themselves. As the story unfolds, that theme grows stronger. Season 1 is also heavy on the escapism; each teenage girl has a reason to escape — they have all been victims of something traumatic in their lives; whether it be at the hands of men or heartbreaks when the characters begin to show an element of togetherness, their issues meld together well, complementing each other rather than being separate.
With that being said, it’s difficult to deep-dive into The Wilds without spoiling the story — from the first episode, everything is a reveal; everything is a hint at what’s to come. With the story having many elements at play, the creators could easily ruin the concept with a continuation, but let’s hope they can keep audiences engaged and happy. Suspend your disbelief and allow the character development to consume you — The Wilds is an addictive teenage thriller that will leave audiences provoked.
