Square Eyes: One of the Best TV Shows of the Decade is on Netflix

I first fell in love with Wayne in 2019 after it launched as part of the now defunct Youtube Originals line of TV shows alongside (now) Netflix stalwart, Cobra Kai. But when Youtube Originals went under, Wayne didn't instantly find a new home. So I started to yell about it online, which eventually connected me with the show's creator Shawn Simmons. Our shared passion for these fictional characters he created grew into a very modern online friendship, and so it was with disbelief that I learned that the dream we'd always hoped for: Wayne on Netflix was happening.

So what was it that made me love it so much? Well, as I put it in my Nerdist article back in 2019:

"The story centers on Wayne (Mark McKenna), a teenage boy who after the death of his father decides that he’s going to reclaim his dad’s beloved Trans Am from the man who stole it from him. Before he leaves, he meets Del (Ciara Bravo), a young girl who lives with her abusive dad and annoying brothers. By the time the credits roll at the end of the first episode, the two have left their hometown of Brockton, MA and are on the road to a lot of very violent and often hilarious adventures.

Despite that the series struggled to find the audience its fans knew it deserved.

Although Wayne is currently 100% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and the first episode has been watched 27 million times, the extremely niche platform of YouTube Originals meant that the show was rarely spoken about outside of those who’d seen it—even though practically anyone who watched it immediately became a fan. Wayne is a show that seems brilliantly suited for 2019; it’s a series about violence, class, poverty, love, hope, and friendship. At every turn, the series subverts the idea of what a show about a violent man can be, as Wayne only fights when he needs to, and writer Simmons uses the seemingly routine story to explore the effects of violence against women and the ways that people survive all kinds of abuse, neglect, and grief."

Now that the series is finally on Netflix though, I immediately hit up Shawn to see if he wanted to share some feelings on the series finally reaching the streaming peak. He was kind enough to respond with just a lil on this huge moment, how the cast are feeling, and what his biggest dreams are for Wayne next.

"It’s funny seeing the response when people discover that we’re getting on Netflix." Simmons shares. "They act as if you got picked up for another season or something believe me. It’s a thrill to be there and have more people see it. Netflix seems to legitimize things in a way that other places doesn’t — I mean maybe HBO Max — but otherwise it feels like you’re getting a platinum record or something. We’ve always had such a beautifully passionate fan base and it’s grown substantially over the years as people found it. We started off at YouTube premium and that network disappeared for premium content then we were picked up by Amazon who really did adopted us their own and put it out as Amazon presents. Then we went to Tubi and now it feels like we’ve completed the levels of the video game to the final boss."

And how were the shows' stars Mark McKenna and Ciara Bravo feeling about this potentially break out moment... seven years later? "I’m very close to Mark and Ciara. I’ve seen Mark like four times this month we went and saw Drag Me to Hell last night. We talk music a lot as he’s incredible songwriter and producer." He says of the young man who brings Wayne to life.

He continues. "Ciara is off doing reacher, which is just incredible. I’m so glad she’s gonna get so many eyes on her talent. She’s really deserving of this. We talk on the phone all the time and I’ve written new stuff for her the pilot Director Iain MacDonald became my best friend after we made Wayne. We talk on FaceTime like every two days as he’s off working and I’m very close to Michael O’Malley. I always put them in stuff I do, you might’ve seen him in Eenie Meanie."

So as the fan in me cannot help but ask, does Simmons dream of a Netflix pickup ala Cobra Kai?

"Listen, miracles happen but I have to be realistic," he says. "The show is seven years old, I want more than anything to wrap it up. I wrote the first episode for Season Two back when we were in consideration at Amazon I know a lot of what I would do. I had a great thing where Michael O’Malley's character becomes Wayne’s legal guardian, and it’s kind of a horse breaking story with a kid who doesn’t not live with people. I was really excited to do it, but I don’t think there’s any way we’re gonna get a chance to wrap it up."

All is not lost though Wayne lovers as there are plans to keep the legacy of the series alive. "I hope to do some sort of Wayne screening fest thing soon," Simmons says. "We’ll bring the cast in the car and play a couple episodes. I know everybody wants to do it. I’ve also been talking to the Conan guys about doing barbarian fest where they would play some episodes and Eenie Meanie. Sounds fun to me."

Wayne is on Netflix now and you can catch Shawn's badass Samara Weaving led driving flick Eenie Meanie on Hulu!