Abby (Sydney Topriff, left) and Leila (Aribia Allin Lind)
Netflix
Whimper
May Martin, Netflix
Like many, I prefer not to revisit my teenage years. However, despite the persistent embarrassment they cause, I’ve never viewed adolescence as a mistake to be eradicated.
This perspective doesn’t hold for many characters in Whimper, a mystery series authored by comedian May Martin. The story unfolds in a fictional small-town academy in Vermont, aiming to tame unruly teens and tame the chaos of adolescence. Evelyn Wade (Toni Collett), a commanding figure, oversees the “progressive and intentional community” nestled among saccharine pines, embodying New Age ideals. Yet beneath the surface, there’s a darker undertone to this seemingly blissful place.
Through the eyes of Abby (Sydney Topriff), a Canadian stoner tomboy struggling to meet her father’s expectations, we explore Tall Pines Academy. After sneaking out to meet her best friend Leila (Arivia Allin Lind), Abby is portrayed as a troubled influence, leading to her enforced enrollment under Evelyn’s watchful eye. Upon her arrival, she is stripped of her belongings and encouraged to spy on fellow students for any offenses.
Meanwhile, newcomer police officer Alex Dempsey (played by Martin) and his pregnant wife Laura (Sara Gadon) navigate their new town, with Laura being a cherished alum of the academy, gifted their home by Evelyn. When Alex encounters a frantic runaway student in the woods, he begins to suspect something is amiss with the school.
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The most frightening part is Therapis Peak, with cruelty disguised as a way to protect mental health
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Tall Pines Academy, surrounded by eerie forests, seems to harbor an unsettling interest in Alex and Laura’s unborn child. Mysterious elements emerge, including a peculiar door hidden underground and Laura’s fixation on an odd toad. A former student, now an employee under Evelyn, breathlessly speaks of the academy’s transformative effects.
However, the core terror of Whimper lies in its therapy culture. The series examines how weaponized mental health jargon disguises real cruelty, cloaked as concern for well-being.
Poor Abby is the subject of attempts to reshape her into someone else, with accusations of harm and efforts to suppress her identity separating her from supportive friends like Leila.
Everyone at the academy is a skilled manipulator, but none compare to Evelyn. She turns the adage “integrity is the best policy” into a twisted form of “treatment,” where students are subjected to peer scrutiny armed with harsh “truths,” ultimately breaking them down. “It’s a way to hold yourself accountable,” Evelyn insists at dinner.
While Whimper presents many intriguing concepts, it evokes more thought than engagement. Unfortunately, after an enticing pilot, it devolves into mediocrity, leaving only fleeting moments of brilliance in character revelations.
If you’re brave enough to relive adolescence, Whimper may be worth a watch. Otherwise, your time might be better spent elsewhere.
I also recommend…
Hereditary
Ali Aster
Toni Collette delivers a standout performance in this haunting tale of intergenerational trauma, where uncanny events unfold after the family’s matriarch passes away.
Abolish the Family
Sophie Lewis
This book traces the 200-year movement to dismantle familial structures, urging alternative child-rearing methods beyond privatized units, offering insightful perspectives whether or not you fully embrace its arguments.
Bethan Ackerley is an assistant culture editor for New Scientist. She has a passion for science fiction, sitcoms, and unsettling stories. x Follow her at @inkerley
Source: www.newscientist.com
