2020–2022 · Based on 2 seasons through May 5, 2022 ·
The Wilds follows eight teenage girls after their plane crashes near a remote island. They clash, build a camp, and share painful stories from home while adults question them after a supposed rescue. The girls learn that Gretchen, a researcher, set up their crash as part of a secret test. Season two follows a separate group of teen boys in a matching test while Leah tries to expose Gretchen. The tests make the story a direct comparison of how girls and boys act in groups. Gretchen says girls can build a better society, but her cruel plan makes that claim hard to trust. Shelby's coming-out story and her relationship with Toni make queer identity and a harsh Christian family a major part of the drama. The girls' fights, friendships, and choices show that they can be selfish, violent, and brave, so the series does not present them as perfect.
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Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for The Wilds.
Woke representation / casting
The first season centers eight teen girls with different backgrounds and puts women in every leading survival role. Cast and creator interviews describe the series as a story about diverse young women and queer representation. Season two adds a separate group of boys, while keeping the girls' stories in the main cast.
66%
Woke political dialogue
Gretchen says girls can build a better society than boys, and she uses that claim to guide the Dawn of Eve test. The show returns to women holding power and compares how the girls and boys act together. The girls call out Shelby's homophobic words, and Shelby and Toni speak about sexuality and family pressure.
52%
Identity-driven story themes
Gretchen's test asks whether girls can lead a society better than boys, and that question drives both seasons. Season two adds the boys' island to test the same idea, then brings both groups into a new phase. Shelby accepts her queer identity and begins a serious relationship with Toni, an important story across the series.
57%
Western institutional / cultural critique
Shelby's strict Christian father rejects her sexuality and pressures her to fit his rules. Her coming-out story shows the harm those family expectations cause her. The show treats her move toward accepting herself and dating Toni as a positive step.
35%
Woke character or canon changes
Not present in this title.
0%
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
A Reddit commenter said the show catered to the "woke crowd." Another Reddit commenter later blamed "woke themes" for the story's decline. These remarks stayed within fan discussions and did not become a wide public campaign.
8%
Creator track record context
Sarah Streicher's stored record describes her work as focused on women and queer people, and she has praised LGBTQ writers. Writer Shalisha Francis has discussed gender and race in writers' rooms, while Tonya Kong's work includes prominent queer relationships. Director Aurora Guerrero has an activist background and advocates for BIPOC and LGBTQ representation.
68%
Production
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