Wayne, John Hughes Meets John Wick

Realistically, Wayne can be compared to a myriad of other shows/movies because it has a lot of different elements to it. Freaks and Geeks, True Romance, The End of the F***ing World, The Wizard of Oz, The Hobbit, Baby Driver, Road Trip, any many more. However, my favorite comparison has been “John Wick meets John Hughes.” It seems to sum it up perfectly. Wayne, a young Dirty Harry, who is literally unable to stand for what he deems as injustice is quick to put himself in harm's way to make things right.

Although ultra violent and sometimes crude, the violence is always either comical or necessary for the plot. Such as Wayne hitting a bully with a trombone after he sees said bully beating on a helpless kid. Then that same bully in the next scene, refusing to give Wayne up stating, “that dude will come to my house, you won’t,” to the principal.

Early on Wayne meets Del, the awkward puppy love interest- as the two are bonded by a crappy home life.

They have such a charming on screen chemistry it’ll have you thinking about the first time you had a crush on someone. In a happy way. After Wayne’s father dies, Del quickly becomes invested in Wayne’s main goal… to drive a motorcycle from Brockton Mass, to Florida to find his mother and take back the Gold Trans Am that belonged to his late father.

Most episodes are spent with Wayne and Del traveling down the East Coast and getting into some sort of trouble or adventure. Each episode has a new adventure, with the overall plot progressing at the same time.

Leaving a trail of breadcrumbs, usually in the form of some sort of fight or confrontation they are being easily tracked by three sets of concerned people. The first group being Principal Cole and Wayne’s best… only, friend Orlando. They set off in hopes of getting Wayne home safe.

The second group is Del’s father and her twin brothers. They want Del back and to put Wayne in the ground… after their last interaction when Wayne bites off a chunk of Del’s fathers nose, no I’m not kidding.

The third group is Sergeant Keller and Officer Ganetti, they want to bring Wayne in and process him into the system. Each group has their own dynamic but this is where most of the light hearted comic relief comes from but they each have their own true motivation to go on this trip.

Sergeant Geller has one of the most unexpected, yet awesome back stories I have seen in a show that sneaks up on you at the perfect time. He wants to help Wayne because he’s fighting his own demons and truly wants to help a troubled kid. Del’s father wants her back because she is the last reminder of his wife… a full episode is dedicated to Del and her mother and it’s truly devastating. Principal Cole. Who we find out was friends with Wayne’s parents when he was a kid, wants to help Wayne but also wants to be respected more as an educator, so with the help of Orlando encouraging him, he learns how to do that.

Although it seems like there are a lot of elements, it really all comes back to the original goal of finding Wayne’s mother and in turn the car he feels should be his. However, the closer they get to the car, the more Del sees that Wayne isn’t only looking for a piece of his father, he’s looking for family. Something he’s never really had. It’s easy to forget that he’s only 16 and just a kid.

Without giving too much away, toward the end of the season, everything catches up with them. Geller, who at first thinks Wayne is a monster who kidnapped Del, learns (talking to the people that came into their path) that Wayne isn’t a bad guy. In fact, quite the opposite, he just has a strict code of honor that we find out he gets from his father. There is no gray area, everything is black and white to him, you’re either good or you’re bad.

Wayne Season 1 has a little bit of everything. It’s action packed yet doesn’t rely only on its fight scenes. It’s violent yet lighthearted at times. It’s laugh out loud funny yet some scenes will have you tearing up. On the outside the show seems very one dimensional but there is depth to it.

When the first season released on YouTube, alongside Cobra Kai, it didn’t get the views it deserved. I highly recommend watching the first 2 episodes at least, if it doesn't grab you at least they’re only half hour eps. Like a Hughes film it has a band of outcast characters with heart, and like John Wick, it has a badass protagonist that is out to right a wrong committed against him. If you like those styles then you’ll love Wayne.