If you haven’t been keeping up with new streaming releases over the last few months, it’s very likely that you’ve been missing out on one of 2020’s best releases. Released on Amazon Prime, The Wilds is a captivating survival drama series centered around a group of teenage girls from radically different backgrounds.
On the surface, the premise is simple: after charting a private plane to Hawaii for an all-girls retreat, nine young women find themselves stranded on a desert island after their plane crashes into the ocean. With no sign of life from the crew, the girls are forced to fend for their lives together. Each episode centers on one of the girls, shedding light on their backstories while cutting back and forth between their time on the island and after their rescue. As the show progresses, the plot reveals that there may be more to the island and the girls’ situation than meets the eye. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep viewers on their toes throughout the 10 episodes of the first season. It’s such a binge-able show (I personally binged it in a day) that will leave you screaming at the screen begging for more.
If you’re not convinced by plot alone, here are five more *spoiler-free* reasons why you should make The Wilds your next binge-watch.
The show is actually female-focused
Unlike many shows that claim to revolve around issues that young women face (Looking At You, 13 Reasons Why), The Wilds is truly entirely female-focused. All nine of the passengers that end up on the island are women, meaning that every main character in the ensemble identifies as female. The show also features a prominent female villain. That’s not to say that men are not present or cause any tension – they are featured, but often in the orbit of the central characters pre and post-island. Some of the girls have been deeply affected by their relationships with men, like Leah (played by Sarah Pigeon), the skeptical and deadpan humoured “protagonist” whose relationship with an older man leaves her in emotional shambles before arriving on the island. On the other hand, others, like the headstrong and obsessive Rachel (Reign Edwards), have backstories barely marred by men. Regardless of how men have affected their past lives, on the island, it’s just the girls. It’s really refreshing to watch a show about survival without men thrown into the mix, that still explores the effects men can have on women’s inner lives.
It’s critical of girlboss culture and white feminism
Without giving too much away, this show is a direct critique of white feminism and its many counterproductive facets, like the much-maligned concept of girlboss culture. The show makes a villain out of Gretchen (Rachel Griffiths), who will do anything to prove her hypotheses about women’s capacity for power, even if it means sacrificing the safety and wellbeing of other women to prove said point. It’s safe to say she is representative of how feminism means nothing if other women are suffering at the hands of “feminist” progress.
The characters are given the space to explore their grief and trauma
Because all nine of the main characters on the island get their own feature episodes, they are each given fully fleshed-out backstories to help explain their reactions, roles, and personalities on the island. Some of the situations that the characters are put through, both on and off the island, are extremely traumatizing for them, whether they recognize it or not. Each character gets the opportunity to work through their complicated feelings towards their shame, obsessions, anger, and guilt, even if they do not come to a firm resolution by the end of season one. The show takes a very black and white stance on many of the issues faced by the girls, but it still allows them to parse through the complicated web of guilt that can often be associated with abuse and trauma. The girls are not painted as victims who know they are victims but instead are given the space to conclude that they are not at fault. It’s simultaneously beautiful and heartbreaking, but will hopefully allow younger viewers to relate with it and identify the messy processing of unearthing trauma and piecing oneself back together.
They actually look like they’re on a desert island
This might be a bit of a silly reason to watch the show, but I like that the girls actually look like they are stranded on an island. There’s no glamour here–- they are sunbaked and dirty the entire time. There are no perfectly tousled curls or Instagram-worthy outfits being pulled during their time on the island, although you can make a strong case that every Fatin (Sophia Ali) look deserves a grid post. Instead, they’re exactly how they would be if they were stranded on an island with only one suitcase of clean clothing. They’ve got messy, matted hair, sun-damaged faces, and are more often than not covered in either sand or mud. Gotta give them points for realism here.
The bonds between characters are beautifully complicated
The best parts of the show are the bonds formed between the girls on the island. All, except for one of the girls, is initially headed to the retreat with someone from their high school. Other than Martha (Jenna Clause) and Toni (Erana James), who love each other like sisters, and the twins Nora (Helena Howard) and Rachel, the other pairs barely know each other when they first board the plane. Over the course of their time on the island, their relationships morph and develop with each challenge they’re put through. An electric feud is formed almost instantly between Bible-loving southerner Shelby (Mia Healey) and easy to anger Toni, while other rivalries ripple to the surface as some characters begin to pick up on clues that the island may hold more secrets than they initially thought. Female relationships are at times complex, and the show does not shy away from depicting the nuances of female friendship. It’s not all sunshine, but it’s not all rain either; there are wonderful scenes where the group gets to have fun despite their circumstances, leaving all of their issues with each other behind for a bit. Regardless of their initial feelings towards each other, they all have one thing in common: the drive to survive. They often sacrifice themselves or take huge risks to keep each other safe. By the end of the season, I got the sense that they would be willing to risk their lives for each other.
Give The Wilds a chance. I promise it won’t disappoint. It’s best watched with a group of friends (using Amazon watch party of course – no breaking COVID protocol here) since you’ll most likely want to theorize for hours after the final episode ends. If you’re worried about wanting more once you finish the first season, have no fear as season two is on its way. You can find the first season on Amazon Prime.