There’s something about coastal towns that makes them feel timeless—quaint on the outside, messy behind closed doors. Netflix’s The Waterfront leans into that tension and then blows it wide open. Created by Dawson’s Creek and The Vampire Diaries mastermind Kevin Williamson, this new series isn’t your average sun-drenched family saga. It’s personal. It’s scandalous. And it’s inspired by Williamson’s own father, a fisherman-turned-smuggler in the 1980s.
Set in the fictional North Carolina town of Havenport, The Waterfront introduces the Buckleys. They’re a dynasty that built its fortune off the ocean but now fights to stay afloat—financially, emotionally, and legally. The opening scene sets the tone: a nighttime drug run gone wrong, bodies overboard, and a family name once again linked to crime.
Harlan Buckley (Holt McCallany), the hard-drinking patriarch, is both dangerous and distracted. With two heart attacks behind him, he’s no longer in control. That leaves the family business in the hands of his sharp-witted wife Belle (Maria Bello) and impulsive son Cane (Jake Weary). Craving more than just power, Cane dives into heroin smuggling—repeating the past Harlan tried to escape. Meanwhile, Belle is secretly brokering a land deal to save the family legacy, hiding it from both the authorities and her own children.
At the same time, Cane’s sister Bree (Melissa Benoist) is clawing her way back from addiction. She’s determined to rejoin the Buckley fold after losing custody of her son. Her journey is raw and unpredictable, fueled by trauma and sibling tension. Then there’s Peyton (Danielle Campbell), Cane’s picture-perfect Southern wife. She seems like the moral compass—until she proves otherwise.
Across eight episodes, the series delivers betrayal, backroom deals, double-crosses, and the kind of generational toxicity that makes you grateful not to share their last name. With the DEA circling and law enforcement closing in, alliances crack under pressure. The show doesn’t hold back—there’s blood, heartbreak, and more than one twist that lands like a punch.
Williamson knows how to make melodrama sing, and The Waterfront does exactly that. It’s a high-gloss soap with real grit—a Southern noir that never slows down. But what makes it addictive isn’t just the chaos. It’s the characters. Each one is layered, broken, and driven by legacy, love, and pride. Even at their worst, they feel heartbreakingly human.
You’ll find echoes of Revenge and Brothers and Sisters, but this series charts its own course. Just when you think someone’s arc is clear, the next scene twists everything. And Topher Grace? Unhinged, hilarious, and brilliant in a standout supporting role.
The Waterfront doesn’t reinvent the family drama—it supercharges it. With Kevin Williamson’s razor-sharp writing and a cast that leans into every messy moment, this is one of Netflix’s boldest dramas this year. Havenport may be fictional, but its secrets, betrayals, and heartbreaks feel painfully real. If you’re into high-stakes family sagas with bite, The Waterfront is worth the binge.
