“The Waterfront” Season 1, created by Kevin Williamson, plunges the powerful but debt-ridden Buckley family into the treacherous world of drug smuggling, a legacy that eerily mirrors the showrunner’s own family history. Over eight episodes, the Netflix crime drama explores themes of family loyalty, the corrupting influence of power, the weight of inherited trauma, and the desperate measures people will take to preserve their way of life.
The series opens with the Buckley family in Havenport, North Carolina, seemingly prosperous owners of a fishing company and restaurant. However, it’s quickly revealed they are deeply in debt. Youngest son, Cane Buckley (Jake Weary), a former high school football star tethered to his father’s business, initiates a scheme to smuggle drugs using the family’s fishing boat, “Miss Glory,” as a quick fix for their financial woes. This attempt goes disastrously wrong when the boat is grounded, and two of his crew members are killed, drawing the attention of the DEA and a mysterious boss named Owen, who is later revealed to be Sheriff Clyde Porter.
This initial blunder forces patriarch Harlan Buckley (Holt McCallany), who had previously stepped back from the family’s illicit activities after suffering two heart attacks, to re-enter the dangerous game. Harlan’s experience and hardened demeanor are a stark contrast to Cane’s initial naivety, as he coolly navigates the criminal underworld he once knew. The show highlights the cyclical nature of their family’s involvement in crime, with Harlan’s own father having been a drug runner.
The season quickly escalates the stakes, pitting the Buckleys against two major criminal factions: the cunning and unpredictable drug kingpin Grady (Topher Grace) and the powerful Parker family, a dynasty with a long-standing and complex history with the Buckleys. The dynamic between Harlan and Grady is a central tension, with Grady’s sociopathic tendencies and love for violence clashing with Harlan’s more disciplined, pragmatic approach to crime.
Amidst the escalating violence, personal dramas unfold within the Buckley clan. Belle Buckley (Maria Bello), Harlan’s pragmatic and impeccably dressed wife, attempts to save the family’s legitimate businesses by striking a land deal with real estate developer Wes Benson (Dave Annable), with whom she is also having an affair. Her efforts to work outside Harlan’s direct knowledge eventually lead to more complications and reveal her own ambition for power within the family.
Bree Buckley (Melissa Benoist), the intelligent but hot-tempered eldest daughter, is a recovering addict struggling to regain custody of her son, Diller (Brady Hepner). Her addiction is deeply rooted in childhood trauma, specifically witnessing her grandfather’s murder by Emmett Parker (Terry Sarpico), a member of the rival Parker family. Throughout the season, Bree grapples with her past and her efforts to reconnect with Diller, who idolizes his grandfather Harlan. Her journey is fraught with setbacks, including a near-fatal kidnapping by Grady.
Cane’s personal life is also on a rocky path. His marriage to Peyton (Danielle Campbell) is strained by his secret drug activities and, more directly, by his rekindled romance with high school sweetheart, journalist Jenna Tate (Humberly González). The show explores the parallels between Cane and Peyton’s marital issues and those of Harlan and Belle, suggesting a recurring pattern of infidelity and quiet endurance within the family.
A significant reveal comes with the introduction of Shawn West (Rafael L. Silva), a new bartender at the Buckley’s restaurant, who is eventually revealed to be Harlan’s illegitimate son from a past affair. Shawn, initially an outsider, gradually gets drawn into the family’s criminal world, undergoing his own “Buckley-fication” as the season progresses.
The final episodes see the Buckleys’ situation become increasingly dire. With their loan deadline looming and Grady becoming more dangerous, they are forced to align with the Parker family, their long-time rivals, to take down Grady. This culminates in a violent confrontation where Harlan and Cane, with an unexpected assist from Diller, rescue Bree from Grady’s clutches. Cane is forced to kill Grady in a brutal act, marking a significant moral turning point for his character and solidifying his deeper commitment to the family’s criminal legacy.
The season concludes with a major power shift: Belle, after being instrumental in navigating the family’s financial woes and the dangerous landscape, accepts a deal with Emmett Parker. Emmett offers to help with their crippling debt, but only if Belle takes over leadership of the Buckley businesses, believing Harlan’s leadership has failed. Belle accepts, even orchestrating a beating for Wes to ensure his compliance. This alliance with the very family responsible for her father-in-law’s death positions Belle as a formidable and perhaps ruthless new matriarch, leaving Harlan’s reaction and the future of the Buckley empire hanging in the balance.
“The Waterfront” Season 1 effectively builds a world of deep-seated family secrets, moral compromises, and relentless pressure. While some narrative beats felt repetitive, the strong performances, particularly from Holt McCallany and Maria Bello, and the show’s exploration of inherited trauma and the corrupting nature of power made for a compelling watch, leaving viewers eager to see the consequences of the Buckleys’ actions and Belle’s audacious power grab.
