The Waterfront, a new original Netflix series premiering June 19, 2025, delivers a tense and emotionally layered story of family, legacy, and survival. Created by Kevin Williamson (Dawson’s Creek, The Vampire Diaries), the eight-episode drama is set in the fictional town of Havenport, North Carolina — a once-thriving coastal community now in slow economic decline.
At the center of the series is the Buckley family, longtime owners of a powerful but struggling fishing empire. Harlan Buckley (Holt McCallany), the family patriarch, is recovering from a second heart attack and must step back from day-to-day operations. His wife Belle (Maria Bello) attempts to hold both the business and family together, while their son Cane (Jake Weary) grapples with the impossible pressure of stepping into his father’s shoes.
Complicating the family dynamic is the return of Bree Buckley (Melissa Benoist), the estranged daughter and recovering addict, whose presence threatens to unravel long-buried secrets. The series also stars Danielle Campbell, Rafael L. Silva, Humberly González, and Brady Hepner, with notable guest appearances from Topher Grace and Dave Annable.
Filmed on location in Wilmington and Southport, North Carolina, The Waterfront captures the gritty realism of small-town America with cinematic visuals and emotionally driven storytelling. The show explores timely themes such as generational responsibility, environmental change, addiction, and the personal cost of pride and loyalty.
With its sharp writing, compelling performances, and atmospheric setting, The Waterfront is a strong entry into Netflix’s growing catalogue of prestige dramas. It’s not only a story about a family in crisis, but a mirror held up to communities fighting to preserve their way of life in the face of unstoppable change.
