Before Servant, M. Night Shyamalan Worked On An Underrated Fox Sci-Fi Series

Science fiction thriller shows are having a moment across multiple streaming platforms. "Servant" is one of those current favorites, and M. Night Shyamalan's involvement is a big reason for that success. The director is no stranger to thrillers with supernatural elements, as evidenced by multiple movies he's made with killer hooks. Some viewers might not know that Shyamalan worked on an underrated sci-fi series at Fox long before "Servant" premiered on Apple TV+. Broadcast TV fans may want to revisit "Wayward Pines'" mystifying run, as the show is now being rediscovered on streaming services.

"Wayward Pines" is a TV show based on Blake Crouch's "Wayward Pines" novels. Chad Hodge and M. Night Shyamalan served as executive producers on the Fox series. "Wayward Pines" lasted two seasons and 20 episodes from 2015 to 2018, with its mysteries growing more tangled with each entry. Over those two seasons, several big names appeared on "Wayward Pines," led by Matt Dillon as Ethan Burke, who investigates a missing person case. Toby Jones, Carla Gugino, Juliette Lewis, Terrence Howard, Nimrat Kaur, and Djimon Hounsou all played a part in the expanding whodunit.

Like many pop culture footnotes, "Wayward Pines" also features a television writing debut for the Duffer Brothers. The "Stranger Things" creative leads cut their teeth on television during the Fox series. "Wayward Pines" has four different episodes written by the duo, including "The Truth," "Choices," "Cycle," and "A Reckoning." In an interview with Rolling Stone, the brothers credited Shyamalan for being a massive force in their early careers. Ross Duffer said, "That became our training ground, and M. Night Shyamalan became a great mentor to us. By the time we came out of that show, we were like, 'OK, we know how to put together a show.' And that's when we wrote 'Stranger Things.'"

There are certain expectations that often come with an M. Night Shyamalan project. And, because of that, the director is well aware of the kinds of movies and shows that get thrown his way. Speaking with E! News before "Wayward Pines" aired, Shyamalan made it clear he would not be treading familiar ground. "I called them and I said, as long as everyone isn't dead, I'll do it." So viewers should not expect a retread of "The Sixth Sense," though the filmmaker still delivers the occasional wild curve. Shyamalan also got the luxury of having that stacked cast along for the "Wayward Pines" ride.

He told E!, "I was very lucky. There was a lot of world-class actors that joined on. I basically just casted as if I was casting an independent film." That's a luxury afforded to very few directors out there, but to be fair, none of them are Shyamalan working in his chosen genre. Matt Dillon explained how the filmmaker put the cast at ease early in the process, which translated into a compact, gripping series.

"What he reassured me is that the characters would be grounded and the story would flow out of the characters, even though there is this big structure," Dillon recalled. "We get to learn this through the character's journey." One of the strongest aspects of "Wayward Pines" is that its two seasons tell a complete story. Yes, there are some loose threads, as there always are. However, the main narrative is resolved by the time the credits roll. The show is currently streaming on Disney+ for viewers in the mood for a mystery.