Overview

• TIFF will screen the first two episodes on Tuesday, with all eight episodes scheduled to release on Netflix on Sept. 25.
• Creator and star Mae Martin portrays small-town cop Alex Dempsey, who investigates a contentious teen reform program.
• The series blends thriller elements with teen humor, which Martin frames as Booksmart meets One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
• The cast features Toni Collette as Evelyn Wade, with Sarah Gadon, Patrick J. Adams, Brandon Jay McLaren, Sydney Topliffe, Alyvia Alyn Lind, and Joshua Close.
• Shot in Toronto and identified as one of Netflix’s first Canadian originals, the show draws on Martin’s real teen experiences and spotlights a “billion-dollar” industry with limited oversight alongside calls for stronger streamer investment tied to CRTC accountability efforts.