The Wilds is a modern reimagining of the novel Lord of the Flies. While it isn’t a direct adaptation, the show expands on themes explored in the novel. The show focuses on a group of girls who are stranded on an island and are forced to survive its elements. The island will test the girl’s resilience as well as a lot of their resolve. Will they survive this strange new world, or will it be too much?
I liked this show more than I thought I would. The acting is great, the story is fun, and the suspense is killer. The series is structured as interviews recounting the girls’ time on the island. Each girl represents an archetype of the female identity, but each is unique enough that they are more than the personality trait they represent. It was interesting to see each girl overcome their own hurdle as they adapted to life on the island.
The show will jump between different narratives as it pieces together what happened on the island. The show constantly jumps between the present, the island, and each character’s backstory in an almost formula. You get a scene of the interview that will cut to an event on the island which will further cut to the back story. I liked this structure, but it does get a bit tedious towards the end. The back stories are fine, but it definitely feels as if they are pandering for sympathy. As a result, pacing can become an issue, but it is never unwatchable.
The Wilds explores themes like gender roles, mental illness, personality, and ethics as it shows the complications of building a functioning society. For the most part, it is well done, but there are moments where the show reaches for explanations. The show is a bit cheesy and it leans more on the fantasy side, but it makes for a good story. I found great difficulty pulling myself away from this series because of how invested I was in the narrative. You should watch this show. Check it out on Amazon if you have a Prime membership.
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