Netflix’s latest crime series, The Waterfront, created by Kevin Williamson, debuted on June 19, 2025 and quickly rose to #1 in multiple countries :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}. Set in the small North Carolina fishing town of Havenport, this eight‑episode drama blends family dynamics, drug smuggling, and coastal noir.

🔍 Premise

The show follows the Buckley family—patriarch Harlan (Holt McCallany), his wife Belle (Maria Bello), son Cane (Jake Weary), and daughter Bree (Melissa Benoist)—who run a small fisheries empire that’s nearing collapse. To stay afloat, they turn to drug smuggling, triggering a spiral of violence, betrayal, and moral decay :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.

🎭 Cast & Crew

• Holt McCallany as Harlan Buckley – the patriarch battling health and desperation :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
• Maria Bello as Belle Buckley – a strong matriarch forced into hard choices :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
• Melissa Benoist as Bree – a daughter struggling with addiction and recovery :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
• Jake Weary as Cane – torn between family loyalty and criminal risk :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
• Topher Grace as Grady – a dangerous new player in town :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}

📺 Behind the Scenes

Developed and showrun by Kevin Williamson of *Dawson’s Creek*, *Scream*, and *The Vampire Diaries* fame, this season draws loosely from his own family’s history in the 1980s fishing-and-drug trade :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}. It was filmed in North Carolina (Wilmington, Southport) and produced by Universal Television and Outerbanks Entertainment :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}.

⭐ Critical Reception

Early reviews have been mixed:

• The Daily Beast calls it “*Yellowstone* with seafood,” but notes uneven tone and melodrama :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}.
• EW highlights Williamson’s personal ties and the strong ensemble cast :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}.
• Netflix Tudum praises its family drama with a drug-smuggling twist :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}.
• The Guardian describes it as “perfect summer nonsense,” likening it to grown‑up soap opera :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}.

📌 Why Watch?

• Powerful cast driving a morally-ambiguous crime drama
• Unique fishing-community setting adds fresh tension
• Williamson’s personal connection brings depth and authenticity