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1st July 2025
04:39pm BST

Netflix has added The Waterfront, a new eight-part crime drama show from creator Kevin Williamson (Dawson's Creek, Scream).
Loosely inspired by Williamson's own family, the series follows the Buckleys, a clan that has essentially run the seaside town of Havenport, North Carolina, for decades, thanks to their fishing and restaurant businesses.
This empire has started to collapse, however, since patriarch Harlan (Holt McCallany, Mindhunter) suffered two heart attacks and stepped back from day-to-day operations.
In response, his wife Belle (Maria Bello, A History of Violence) and son Cane (Jake Weary, Animal Kingdom) turned to drug dealing to keep themselves afloat financially.
However, when Jake gets into trouble in the course of this criminal work, putting the Buckleys at risk in the process, a recovering Harlan returns to seize control of the family's affairs and steer them to safety.
Also featuring as part of its cast Melissa Benoist (Whiplash), Michael Gaston (The Leftovers) and Topher Grace (That '70s Show), JOE checked out the first episode of The Waterfront.
As such, we can confirm that it mixes the picturesque coastal setting of Bloodline, the criminal plots of Ozark and the family dynamics of Yellowstone to addictive effect.
The series is also very good at delivering shocking twists and violence when you least expect them (it is from the writer of Scream after all), even if sometimes these moments clash with the often soap opera-style tone.
You can read some other positive reviews for The Waterfront below:
Pajiba: "This show writes itself into corners and then blows the walls out. It’s gloriously over-the-top yet grounded on the Buckleys, and an absolute blast."
Screenrant: "The Waterfront has some thrilling scenes propelled by Topher Grace's infectious, much-needed villain, who single-handedly makes the show worthwhile."
Variety: "The Netflix equivalent of a beach read, but it’s highly entertaining."
Vulture: "There’s nothing quite like sensational, just-this-side-of-campy organised crime to buoy you through the sticky, grimy days of summer."
The Waterfront season one is streaming on Netflix now in its entirety. A season two has not yet been confirmed, though Williamson has said he has plans for more of the series.
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