M. Night Shyamalan, the famous filmmaker, also has a few television projects under his belt. He’s particularly known for his stories with surprising twists, and an older sci-fi series he worked on really showcases his style. Despite being cancelled after only two seasons, the show managed to wrap up its story in a satisfying way right before it ended.
Originally airing from 2015 to 2016, Wayward Pines was a television series based on a book trilogy by Blake Crouch, who also helped write and produce the show. It began as a suspenseful psychological thriller, but quickly evolved into a science fiction story – which isn’t surprising considering M. Night Shyamalan’s involvement. Although the show started strong and closely followed the books, Fox cancelled Wayward Pines after just two seasons and 20 episodes. However, the show did have a positive outcome despite its early ending.
M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Wayward Pines’ Connection Explained
Fox
Despite having a strong background in film, directing the pilot for Fox’s Wayward Pines was M. Night Shyamalan’s first time directing a television show. In a 2015 interview with Collider, Shyamalan said he’d always wanted to work in TV, but wanted to find the right project. While he’d been approached about directing other shows before, it was the Wayward Pines pilot script, and the quality of the original story, that ultimately convinced him to take on the project.
Before launching Stranger Things in 2016, the Duffer Brothers wrote for four episodes of Season 1 of Wayward Pines.
I was so excited when I heard M. Night Shyamalan was directing the first episode of Wayward Pines! It really set the tone for the whole show, visually and stylistically. He didn’t direct any other episodes, but he stayed on as an executive producer for both seasons, which was cool. Honestly, that first episode was a big deal because TV was starting to look more and more like a movie back then, and getting a director like Shyamalan showed just how much things were changing. It felt like a real turning point!
‘Wayward Pines’ Adopted a Strange Approach to Adapting the Book Trilogy
Fox
As a fan of the Wayward Pines books, I was really impressed with Season 1! It mostly stuck to the story I loved, and when changes were made, they felt true to the spirit of the books – even adding a little something new. My only real issue? The writers tried to fit all three books into just ten episodes. Because of that, some important storylines were left out entirely, and others just didn’t make it into the show at all. It was a bit disappointing to miss those parts, even though the season was still good!
Some plotlines and characters were saved for the second season, but they ended up in completely new stories. While a major cast change fit the overall plan, it ultimately caused Wayward Pines to lose focus. By the end of Season 2, the show had used up most of the original book’s material, and since the second season wasn’t as popular as the first, Fox cancelled it. Surprisingly, this cancellation was actually a good thing for the show‘s legacy.
Warning: Spoilers ahead for the Wayward Pines books and TV show
Abandoning ‘Wayward Pines’ After Season 2 Restored the Show’s Faithfulness to the Books
Fox
The TV series Wayward Pines is set in what seems to be the last town on Earth, a refuge for the remnants of humanity 2,000 years in the future. Outside the town’s electric fence, the planet is overrun by terrifying creatures – the evolved descendants of humans, often called ‘abbys’ – who are essentially flesh-eating monsters. Both versions of the story show that Wayward Pines eventually becomes unsustainable. Facing dwindling food supplies and constant attacks from the abbys, the town’s residents are forced to take drastic action. They all return to cryogenic sleep, hoping to wake up to a safer world where the abbys are either gone or no longer a danger.
MovieWeb Report: Subscribe and never miss what matters
Immerse yourself in the cinematic universe with the latest movie news, reviews, and exclusive content from MovieWeb.
The book series ends with an uncertain fate for the townspeople, who awaken 70,000 years in the future, leaving the reader to wonder if their plan succeeded and what awaits them. While the second season of Wayward Pines deviates from the books, the characters still return to their cryogenic sleep. The season finale leaves many questions unanswered, clearly intending to set up a third season that was never made. Although we don’t see the residents wake up on screen, given the source material, it’s likely they eventually do.
Had a third season of Wayward Pines been created, it would have ruined the clever mystery established in Blake Crouch’s books. There wouldn’t have been much left of the original story to use for future seasons either. A third season would have unnecessarily extended a show that had likely already run its course. It’s puzzling that Fox didn’t instead dedicate a full season to adapting each of the three novels in Crouch’s series.
Read More
- Exclusive: First Look At PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie Toys
- Hell Let Loose: Vietnam Gameplay Trailer Released
- LINK PREDICTION. LINK cryptocurrency
- Ragnarok X Next Generation Class Tier List (January 2026)
- Decoding Cause and Effect: AI Predicts Traffic with Human-Like Reasoning
- Will there be a Wicked 3? Wicked for Good stars have conflicting opinions
- The 1 Scene That Haunts Game of Thrones 6 Years Later Isn’t What You Think
- My Favorite Coen Brothers Movie Is Probably Their Most Overlooked, And It’s The Only One That Has Won The Palme d’Or!
- Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment version 1.0.2 is now available bringing in new challenges, quests, & more
- 27 Battlefield Redsec Tips to Win Your Next Match
2026-02-15 23:03