This series was inspired by the cult of Synanon and the troubled teen industry. I found out about it when watching a YouTube video and jumped right into it. Although a mini series, cast have expressed interest in it continuing, with the ending, I don’t blame anyone, I want more.

The season takes place between Canada and fictional town, Tall Pines. It started by establishing its main protagonists, Leila and Abbie as unhinged reckless teens who are essentially destined for hell due to their behaviour and failure at school. The root cause is that their home life is a mess and they’ve suffered because of it.

Meanwhile couple Alex & Laura move to Tall Pines, Alex is a cop and Laura is pregnant. Laura is from Tall Pines so she’s essentially going home. The town isn’t what it seems to be. The biggest thing going on in the town is a student from the school, Riley managed to escape. Nobody will help him, they want to send him back.

Alex however, he decides to help him and soon discovers the truths that are buried around the place. It’s too late for Riley though, he’s brainwashed beyond reality and dies in an accident.

Abbie gets kidnapped in the middle of the night and is taken to the Tall Pines facility. Leila was the one threatened to be taken there, turns out that Abbie’s parents caved first. Leila then makes it her mission to get there, crossing the border into the USA. She does it and makes it all the way there, breaking into the school, which ultimately ends with her trapped too.

Abbie already has a friend in boy, Rory. She doesn’t want Leila messing things up and putting them in a worse situation. There’s a lot of friction. The facility tries to turn them against one another by brainwashing and then doing “therapy.” It honestly is insane because over time, Leila starts to change and falls for the brainwashing. Abbie finds a way to resist and decides to essentially work to get out. Somehow it’s working but she decides to escape.

Alex figures out that there’s no children born in the town, they’re all former students from the facility who are banned from having kids and have to take in a kid form the facility once they leave to essentially protect the cycle.

I think one of the most surprising things was that when Abbie escapes with Rory & Leila. Leila wanted to go back to the facility, she felt she had to return.