Wayne (TV series)
Genre
CreatorShawn Simmons
Starring
Open theme"Apple Tree"
by Wolfmother
ComposerSteven Argila
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Num seasons1
Num episodes10
Executive producer
Producer
  • John Ryan
  • Daniel Hank (pilot)
LocationHamilton, Ontario
CinematographyD. Gregor Hagey
Editor
  • Michael S. Stern
  • Les Butler
  • Omar Hassan-Reep
  • Tom Lewis
CameraSingle-camera
Runtime30–35 minutes
Company
NetworkYouTube Premium
First airedJanuary 16, 2019

Wayne is an American action comedy television series created by Shawn Simmons that premiered on January 16, 2019, on YouTube Premium. The series stars Mark McKenna, Ciara Bravo, and Joshua J. Williams and it follows Wayne, "a 16-year-old Dirty Harry with a heart of gold", as he sets out to retrieve his late father's stolen car with the help of Del, a girl he has a crush on.

On August 16, 2019, the series was cancelled after one season.[1] The show was added to Amazon Prime Video on November 6, 2020 but has since been removed,[2] and is available officially via the Wayne YouTube channel to users with a Premium subscription.[3][4]

Premise

Wayne starts in Brockton, Massachusetts in present day. The titular character "sets out on a dirt bike with his new crush Del to take back the 1979 Pontiac Trans Am that was stolen from his father before he died." The car is in Ocala, Florida. Wayne, Del, and a host of oddball characters go on a road trip to get it back. "It is Wayne and Del against the world."[5]

Cast and characters

Main

  • Mark McKenna as Wayne McCullough Jr.,[6] a teenage boy who attempts to retrieve his late father's stolen car.
  • Ciara Bravo as Delilah "Del" Luccetti,[6][7] a girl from Brockton for whom Wayne develops feelings.
  • Joshua J. Williams as Orlando Hikes, Wayne's best friend[a]

Recurring

  • Stephen Kearin as Sergeant Stephen Geller[8]
  • James Earl as Officer Jay Ganetti, aka "Cop a' Soup"[9]
  • Dean Winters as Bobby Luccetti,[8] Del's father
  • Jon Champagne as Carl Lucetti, Del's brother
  • Jamie Champagne as Teddy Lucetti, Del's brother
  • Mike O'Malley as Principal Tom Cole from Hagler High
  • Francesco Antonio as Reggie, Wayne's stepbrother
  • Kirk Ward as Calvin Clay,[6] Wayne's stepfather
  • Michaela Watkins as Maureen McNulty,[6] Wayne's mother
  • Sean Patrick Dolan as Darren
  • Thomas Mitchell Barnet as Scott
  • Patrick Gallagher as Mr. Hernandez, Wayne's landlord
  • Maxwell McCabe-Lokos as Eric
  • Zoé De Grand'Maison as Jenny
  • Odessa Adlon as Trish
  • Akiel Julien as Gill
  • Jack Foley as Orande
  • Harrison Tanner as Stick

Guest

"Chapter One: Get Some Then"

"Chapter Two: No Priests"

"Chapter Three: The Goddamned Beacon of Truth"

"Chapter Five: Del"

"Chapter Six: Who Even Are We Now?"

"Chapter Seven: It'll Last Forever"

"Chapter Eight: Musta Burned Like Hell"

"Chapter Ten: Buckle the F**k Up"

Production

Development

On December 7, 2017, it was announced that YouTube had given the production a pilot order. The series was created by Shawn Simmons and executive produced by Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Greg Coolidge, and Kirk Ward. The pilot episode was set to be written by Simmons and directed by Iain B. MacDonald. Production companies involved with the series were slated to consist of Endeavor Content.[10][11]

On April 23, 2018, it was announced that YouTube had given the production a series order for a first season consisting of ten episodes.[5] On November 19, 2018, it was announced that the series would premiere on January 16, 2019.[12]

Casting

Alongside the pilot order announcement, it was confirmed that Mark McKenna and Ciara Bravo would star in the series.[10] Alongside the announcement of the series order, it was reported that Joshua J. Williams had been cast in a recurring role and that Dean Winters and Mike O'Malley would make guest appearances in the pilot episode.[5]

Filming

Principal photography for the pilot episode took place in Ontario, Canada, and lasted until December 12, 2017.[13] Filming for the rest of the series began on June 11, 2018, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and was scheduled to last until August 16, 2018.[14]

Release

Marketing

On September 21, 2018, a teaser trailer for the series was released.[15] On November 19, 2018, the official trailer for the series was released.[12]

Premiere

On September 23, 2018, the series held its world premiere during the second annual Tribeca TV Festival in New York City. Following the screening, a conversation was held featuring members of the cast and crew, including creator Shawn Simmons, actors Mark McKenna and Ciara Bravo, director Iain B. MacDonald, and writers and executive producers Greg Coolidge, Kirk Ward, Rhett Reese, and Paul Wernick.[16]

Reception

Critical response

The series has been met with a positive response from critics since its premiere. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 8/10 based on 13 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "The most thoughtfully violent series you'll see all year, Wayne is a home run."[17]

In a positive review, IndieWire's Ben Travers awarded the series a grade of "A−" and praised it saying, "Wayne may feel familiar to other stories, Bonnie and Clyde included. But Simmons' thoughtful, engrossing, and altogether joyful new series carves its own path on the cold roads of America’s eastern seaboard."[18] In another encouraging criticism, Screen Rants Kevin Yeoman commended the series saying, "With its varying tones, stellar lead performances, and great supporting cast, Wayne is much more than the foul-mouthed action-comedy it makes itself out to be. The laughs may be pitch black at times, and the violence is occasionally shocking, but there’s a fascinating and entertaining sweetness woven into every scene that’ll hit you like a blast of rock salt to the heart."[19] In an additional acclamatory critique, Rolling Stones Alan Sepinwall gave the series a rating of 3½ out of 5 stars and was similarly approving saying, "Both the show and Wayne’s attempts to right the world’s wrongs don’t always work, but they mean well and are rarely dull."[20]

Viewership

Within five days of the series premiere, the first episode had accumulated over 10 million views.[21]

Notes

  1. ^ Williams is only credited in episodes he appears in.

References

  1. ^ "Series 'Step Up: High Water' & 'Wayne', Pilot 'Dark Cargo' Seek New Homes As YouTube Steps Up Scripted Pullback". Deadline Hollywood. August 16, 2019. Archived August 17, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  2. ^ "'Wayne' Amazon Prime Review: Stream It or Skip It?". Decider. November 8, 2020. Archived November 12, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  3. ^ "Wayne | Ep 1: "Get Some Then"". Wayne. January 16, 2019. Retrieved January 16, 2019. – via YouTube Wayne, a 16 year-old Dirty Harry with a heart of gold, sets out on his dirt-bike from Boston to Florida with his new crush Del, to get back a s*** hot '79 Trans Am that was stolen from his father before he died.
  4. ^ "Wayne | Ep 2: "Get Some Then"". Wayne. January 16, 2019. Retrieved 2025-05-19. – via YouTube When Wayne fails to do one simple task for Del, she questions her choice to leave Brockton. The consequences of this small failure have life-threatening results when Wayne crosses paths with a dangerous local.
  5. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (April 23, 2018). "YouTube Orders 'Wayne' Action Comedy Series Produced By 'Deadpool' Writers". Deadline Hollywood. Archived April 23, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  6. ^ "Chapter Nine: Thought We Was Friends". No. 9. Wayne. Episode 9. YouTube Originals. January 16, 2019. pp. 20:50, 22:01, 22:48, 24:24, 24:38. Archived July 9, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 11, 2019. McNulty! That's Wayne's mom's name. Maureen McNulty!" "They can't, you know… Del Luccetti?" "Your momma, she starts sucking on that box of wine and all the sudden it's the fucking Legend of Wayne McCullough hour." "You must be Calvin Clay." "We're looking for a boy named Wayne McCullough.
  7. ^ "Chapter Six: Who Even Are We Now?". No. 6. Wayne. Episode 6. YouTube Originals. January 16, 2019. pp. 12:11, 25:37, 30:06. Archived July 9, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 11, 2019. This is Vice Principal Walsh from Alabaster High." "I'm Tom Cole, from Hagler High in Brockton, Massachusetts. It's named after Marvelous Marvin Hagler." "Shut your fucking mouth, Delilah!
  8. ^ "Chapter Seven: It'll Last Forever". No. 7. Wayne. Episode 7. YouTube Originals. January 16, 2019. pp. 10:42, 27:48. Archived June 24, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 11, 2019. …what role the victim, one Bobby Luccetti, played in the incident,…" "My name is Sergeant Stephen Geller.
  9. ^ "Chapter Four: Find Something Black to Wear". No. 4. Wayne. Episode 4. YouTube Originals. January 16, 2019. pp. 2:36. Archived June 24, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 11, 2019. It's Jay Ganetti, aka 'Cop a' Soup' and I'm heading down south.
  10. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (December 7, 2017). "YouTube Red Orders 'Wayne' Comedy Pilot Starring Mark McKenna & Ciara Bravo". Deadline Hollywood. Archived April 24, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  11. ^ Larocque, Marc (December 16, 2017). "Brockton native is creator of new show made for YouTube Red". The Enterprise. Archived April 24, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  12. ^ Holub, Christian (November 19, 2018). "Watch the exclusive trailer for 'Deadpool' writers' new show 'Wayne'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived November 19, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  13. ^ "YouTube Red orders 'Wayne' comedy pilot starring Mark McKenna & Ciara Bravo. Currently filming in Hamilton Ontario until December 12th.". No. 939159148633128960. December 8, 2017. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  14. ^ "In Production: Toronto and Ontario". ACTRA Toronto. February 9, 2018. Archived July 28, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  15. ^ Weiss, Geoff (September 21, 2018). "YouTube Premium Drops Trailer For 'Wayne', A Dark Comedy From Writers Of 'Deadpool'". Tubefilter. Archived September 23, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 23, 2018.
  16. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (August 22, 2018). "Bryan Cranston, 'Ray Donovan,' 'Shark Tank' and 'Law & Order: SVU' Set for Tribeca TV Fest". Variety. Archived August 22, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  17. ^ "Wayne: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Archived October 16, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  18. ^ Travers, Ben (January 16, 2019). "'Wayne' Review: It's 'The End of the F***ing World,' But This YouTube Original Is Better Than Fine". IndieWire. Archived January 20, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  19. ^ Yeoman, Kevin (January 16, 2019). "Review: YouTube's Wayne Is the Action-Comedy You Should Be Watching". Screen Rant. Archived October 23, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  20. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (January 18, 2019). "'Wayne' Review: A Fast And Furious Road-Trip Story That Sometimes Skids Out". Rolling Stone. Archived July 30, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  21. ^ Haring, Bruce (January 24, 2019). "'Wayne' YouTube Original Series Tops 10 Million Views For Pilot Episode". Deadline Hollywood. Archived January 25, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 24, 2019.