Crime
Wayward
Wayward tries to make a statement about intergenerational trauma, but it comes with a lot of content issues that will make the show a nonstarter for many.
On Shape Island, everyone is a shape! Circle, Triangle and Square are some of the nicest geometrically-oriented folks you’ll ever meet. But they still get into some light shenanigans.
Whether they’re sharing delicious bananas with their friends or discovering the secrets of lunar eclipses, these shapes always find something to occupy their time.
There are virtually no content concerns—though parents should note a few uses of “oh my gosh” and “darn,” a few lightly spiritual nods and some lying. Season 1 was a bit bland, without many big takeaways. However, Season 2 warms up with some nice lessons about enjoying the little things and dealing with disappointment.
(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at letters@pluggedin.com, or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)
When Circle, Square and Triangle fail to get into any sort of shenanigans, Shape Island’s Narrator takes the opportunity to follow a beetle around the island. Elsewhere, Circle and Triangle help Square brainstorm ideas to get a large square-shaped boulder out of a cave for a time capsule.
Narrator realizes that just because the shapes aren’t doing anything interesting doesn’t mean she should take her job for granted. She decides to observe and narrate the life of a beetle. It proves to be quite exciting, since the beetle nearly gets crushed by pinecones and eaten by birds. But the story ends happily after the narrator orders the aforementioned birds to let go of her buggy friend.
Square’s friends encourage him not to give up on his dream, even when the boulder he wants to move squishes him and rips his baby blanket. However, when things finally become truly impossible, Square laughs, realizing how silly the idea was to begin with. And he realizes that the adventure he had with his friends is far more valuable.
We hear one use of “darn.”
Square is disappointed when Circle misunderstands his kind gesture. Then the group struggles when they all try to keep secrets from each other.
Square shares a rare fruit in the hopes that he will be praised for his kind gesture. When he isn’t (and his friends eat all the fruit to boot), he becomes upset and tries to find a way to ensure he can have his banana and eat it too.
After witnessing a lunar eclipse, Triangle and Square imagine it’s something mystical. They lie to Circle about it because they fear she’ll spoil the fun with her know-it-all attitude. They eventually spill the beans, and Circle, gratified to know her friends are envious of her intellect, lies to them that the eclipse is mystical and that they are special for having witnessed it.
Characters chuck carrots at each other. Square screams dramatically to vent his anger. Circle starts to glow and grow larger when her friends frustrate her. We hear the phrases “oh my gosh” and “what in the world” as well as “bonker balls.” Triangle says, “You only live once, as far as I know.”
Emily studied film and writing when she was in college. And when she isn’t being way too competitive while playing board games, she enjoys food, sleep, and geeking out with her husband indulging in their “nerdoms,” which is the collective fan cultures of everything they love, such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate and Lord of the Rings.
Wayward tries to make a statement about intergenerational trauma, but it comes with a lot of content issues that will make the show a nonstarter for many.
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