History Series / TheWilds

* ImportantHaircut: Downplayed. While Shelby is seen with a very short buzzcut post-island, it's not a reflection of embracing her newfound sexual identity. The cut is instead just her starting over due a pair of bad haircuts she gave herself.

* DisposablePilot: The plane’s pilot Michael Crane. [[spoiler: [[SubvertedTrope However, since the plane crash was staged, this man likely never existed.]]]]

* {{Hypocrite}}: Gretchen claims to be a feminist, but the entire premise of the series is that she's using the girls as unknowing lab rats. It's basically the opposite of feminist to run an experiment on people without their consent, even if it wasn't also regularly putting them in mortal danger.
** While preparing a speech, Gretchen [[HighHeelHurt gripes about her heels]], giving a diatribe about how patriarchy has told women to fit into narrow fashion standards in order to oppress them and the negative effects they have on the body. When asked why she still wears them, Gretchen replies that her legs look good in them.
** By the end of Season Two, she’s also [[spoiler:still choosing to work with Seth, even putting him in a position of control over the two groups, despite knowing that Seth physically abused his ex-girlfriend and sexually assaulted Josh.]]
* InnocentlyInsensitive: Shelby pushes Toni’s buttons by saying some unintentionally offensive things (including asking Martha "How do you say 'thank you' in Native American?"), which drives their conflict for the first half of the season.

* MissingWhiteWomanSyndrome: Toni (who's Native American) says that as there are several wealthy white girls on the island, a rescue is certain.

** Shelby is relentlessly optimistic about their situation, more than once miraculously discovers things that they need (such as Jeanette’s suitcase), and goes off on her own a lot.
** Dot takes on a leadership role, is said by Gretchen to be her ‘favorite’, is shown asking Gretchen what is expected from her, and even Jeanette suspected Dot of being the other Operative.

* SpearCounterpart: [[spoiler: “The Twilight of Adam” evidently functions as one to “The Dawn of Eve” as revealed in the first season finale.]]

* UncertainDoom: [[spoiler: While most of the girls are seen in off-island interviews, Nora and Martha are noticeably missing from these scenes. In episode 2, the way Rachel and the “agents” talk about Nora indicates ''something'' happened to her, but it’s currently unclear ''what''.]] Then the second season subverts this [[spoiler:by revealing that both are still alive—Nora is revealed to have faked her death with the help of Dawn of Eve and Martha was rescued off the island in a catatonic state]].

* WhamEpisode:
** Episode Fourteen ends with [[spoiler:Seth violently attacking and then sexually assaulting Josh,]] an event which completely changes the relationships between everyone.

** The final scene of Season Two has ''three'' of these, in rapid succession. First, after Gretchen assures her cohorts that [[spoiler:she now has two Operatives still involved,]] and the show then cuts to a close up of [[spoiler:Shelby Goodkind,]] implying that [[spoiler:Shelby]] is now [[spoiler:working for Gretchen.]] Second, the group seemingly escapes to the roof of the bunker only to see that [[spoiler:they’ve been on yet another island the entire time.]] Third and finally, an offscreen person starts a tape of music that begins playing on speakers next to the group, quickly revealed to be [[spoiler:Seth]] who is visibly reveling in [[spoiler:his new position of control over the group now at his mercy.]]

* NobodyPoops: Played with. Obviously relieving yourself outdoors is a reality of being castaways but Fatin promises herself she won't shit until they return to civilization. Needless to say, she does not keep this promise.

* ADateWithRosiePalms: Almost all of the girls confess they'd done this while on the island or sometime past.

* TheyDo: After much {{belligerent sexual tension}}, Shelby kisses Toni, and then has sex with her offscreen. Later it's shown the pair are a couple.

* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: Realistically averted, with the girls having mussy hair, sunburns and grimy skin after days living on the island. The lack of shampoo is even discussed at one point. They DO still have smoothed, shaved legs, however.

* NeverMyFault: Fatin's parents were more angry with her for revealing her dad was cheating than his doing it. She's aghast, clearing feeling like they have this attitude. Her mom says marriages are more than one indiscretion though. It does hurt her business too, and the family's reputation. Even so, she gets all of the blame, though it was bound to get out sooner or later.

** The final scene of Season Two has ''three'' of these, in rapid succession. First, after Gretchen assures her cohorts that [[spoiler:she now has two Operatives still involved,]] and the show then cuts to a close up of [[spoiler:Shelby Goodkind,]] implying that [[spoiler:Shelby]] is now [[spoiler:working for Gretchen.]] Second, the group seemingly escapes for the bunker only to see that [[spoiler:they’ve been on yet another island the entire time.]] Third and finally, an offscreen person starts a tape of music that begins playing on speakers next to the group, quickly revealed to be [[spoiler:Seth]] who is visibly reveling in [[spoiler:his new position of control over the group now at his mercy.]]

* MasculineFeminineGayCouple: Mildly {{butch lesbian}} Toni and feminine Shelby officially get together in Season 2 once Shelby's admitted her attraction to women.

The show was renewed for a second season on December 19, 2020, eight days after its premiere. It began airing on May 6, 2022.

* AlwaysIdenticalTwins: Averted for Rachel and Nora, fraternal twin sisters who look quite distinct.

* {{Cliffhanger}}: Season 2 ends on one: [[spoiler:most of the girls and boys unite and try to escape to the roof, only to find themselves still stuck on an island miles away from civilization. Additionally, it is revealed that Gretchen and her team has yet another group lined up for their experiments with the implication that one of the previous group members (seemingly implied to be either Shelby or Josh) is still in on the whole thing]].

* RedOniBlueOni: The twins Rachel and Nora and also childhood friends Toni and Martha, Nora and Martha being the calm and cool-headed counterpart to Toni's and Rachel's hothead behavior

** Dott takes on a leadership role, is said by Gretchen to be her ‘favorite’, is shown asking Gretchen what is expected from her, and even Jeanette suspected Dott of being the other Operative.

* AnArmAndALeg: Rachel has lost a hand in the future ([[spoiler:it's later revealed this was the result of a shark attack]]). Shelby has lost a foot.