Netflix’s latest drama, The Waterfront, premiered on June 19, 2025, aiming to blend the allure of Southern gothic crime sagas with the high-stakes family drama of primetime soaps. Created by Kevin Williamson, known for hits like Dawson’s Creek and The Vampire Diaries, the eight-episode series is set in the fictional coastal town of Havenport, North Carolina. It chronicles the turbulent lives of the Buckley family, who have long dominated the local fishing industry but are now grappling with financial ruin, betrayal, and a return to criminality.
The show draws inspiration from Williamson’s own family history. His father was a fisherman who began smuggling drugs in the 1980s to make ends meet, a thread woven into the series’ narrative fabric. The opening scene is a violent and gripping introduction: two men smuggling heroin on a Buckley-owned fishing boat are ambushed, their shipment stolen, and their lives taken in the dark waters off Havenport. This event sets off a chain reaction that unravels the Buckley family’s already fragile empire.
At the center is patriarch Harlan Buckley, portrayed by Holt McCallany, a whiskey-loving, philandering man who built the family’s fortune by skirting the law. Despite suffering two near-fatal heart attacks, Harlan refuses to step away from his reckless lifestyle. His wife, Belle (Maria Bello), quietly wields influence, running the family’s restaurant and striving to keep their crumbling businesses afloat. Their son Cane (Jake Weary) is caught in a downward spiral, having reintroduced the family to the drug trade his father once tried to escape. Cane’s personal life is equally fraught, torn between his marriage to Peyton (Danielle Campbell), a prim and proper woman with secrets of her own, and lingering feelings for his high school sweetheart Jenna (Humberly González).
Cane’s sister Bree (Melissa Benoist) adds another layer of complexity. A recovering addict, Bree struggles to regain custody of her teenage son, Diller (Brady Hepner), after a relapse led to her losing custody. Her attempts to reconnect with Diller are complicated by his growing involvement in the family’s illicit activities and his idolization of his grandfather, which only deepens the familial tensions.
The series also introduces a host of other characters that enrich the narrative. DEA Agent Marcus Sanchez (Gerardo Celasco) and Sheriff Clyde Porter (Michael Gaston) are hot on the Buckleys’ trail, intensifying the pressure on the family. One of the show’s standout figures is Grady, a sociopathic drug kingpin played by Topher Grace, whose unpredictable and wild presence injects a fresh, if unsettling, energy into the series. Grace’s portrayal is a highlight, with his character’s brutal methods and chaotic temperament offering some of the most memorable moments, including a chillingly inventive torture scene that has drawn particular attention.
Visually, The Waterfront is polished and cinematic, showcasing the sun-drenched yet shadowy coastal town with a glossy veneer that belies the darkness beneath. The first two episodes, directed by Marcos Siega, and the third by Liz Friedlander, capture the contrast between the Buckleys’ outward respectability and the violent, secretive world they inhabit. However, some critics have noted that the setting feels artificial at times, with a fictional town that seems more like a backdrop for soap opera theatrics than a living, breathing community.
Critics have been divided on the show’s merits. Some praise its soapy, melodramatic qualities and the complex, flawed characters that Williamson is known for crafting. The tangled web of secrets, lies, and betrayals, coupled with the family’s toxic dynamics, offer plenty of drama for viewers who enjoy shows like Yellowstone, Ozark, or classic nighttime soaps such as Dallas and Falcon Crest. The series' pacing, with episodes averaging 40 to 50 minutes, keeps the story moving briskly, avoiding unnecessary filler.
On the flip side, others find the dialogue laughably bad and the characters thinly sketched, lacking the depth and nuance that make similar family dramas addictive. The show’s attempt to channel the spirit of Yellowstone falls short for some, with criticism aimed at its overly familiar plotlines and artificial settings. The romantic subplots, in particular, have been described as bland and unconvincing, with some questioning the casting choices, such as Melissa Benoist playing a mother to a teenage son despite apparent age discrepancies.
Despite these criticisms, the series offers moments of genuine tension and intrigue, especially when the family’s criminal activities come to the forefront. The violent encounters, including the initial drug smuggling hijacking and the ensuing drug war, are choreographed with a flair that keeps viewers on edge. The show’s willingness to embrace its soap opera roots, complete with over-the-top twists and dramatic music cues, may appeal to audiences looking for escapist entertainment.
Ultimately, The Waterfront is a mixed bag. It combines the trappings of a traditional family crime drama with the glossy production values of modern streaming television. While it sometimes feels like a calculated attempt to appeal to a broad audience with mindless, binge-worthy content, it also contains enough character conflict and plot twists to maintain interest. Topher Grace’s unpredictable Grady offers a particularly compelling reason to stick around, injecting unpredictability into an otherwise familiar narrative.
For viewers seeking a soap opera with a Southern twist, a touch of crime drama, and a cast of flawed, often unlikeable characters, The Waterfront might just hit the spot. But for those hoping for something groundbreaking or deeply nuanced, it may fall short of expectations. As one critic put it, it’s “as pretty as a dish served at one of those Southern chain restaurants, where everything is fried up golden brown, dripping in butter, and generous in sides, but while it looks good, it doesn’t have a lot of flavor.”
Whether The Waterfront will find a loyal audience or fade into the crowded landscape of streaming dramas remains to be seen. But for now, it offers a glossy, if somewhat soapy, glimpse into a family’s desperate fight to hold onto their legacy amid dark secrets and dangerous choices.
