If Dynasty Had a Shipwreck Baby with Ozark—It’d Be This Netflix Series
Netflix just dropped the trailer for The Waterfront, and Twitter is already pointing fingers—and flipping tables. “If you touch my husband, I will come for you,” snarls Maria Bello’s Belle Buckley, with the ferocity of a woman who’s watched Succession on loop and decided she, too, deserves an empire… or a body count.
Here’s the kicker: it’s all inspired by true events. And that’s not the wildest part.
This Isn’t Just Another Family Drama—It’s Kevin Williamson Going Full Soap-noir
For those still wondering if The Waterfront is worth streaming, consider this: creator Kevin Williamson—yep, the man who made Scream scary and Dawson’s Creek tragic—has now birthed a Southern Gothic beast that reeks of salt, secrets, and generational sabotage. Set in the crumbling coastal kingdom of Havenport, North Carolina, this eight-episode series pits the Buckley family against bankruptcy, betrayal, and probably each other.
The insane detail? This once-mighty fishing dynasty is now one icebox away from full-blown chaos. Harlan Buckley (played with stony gravitas by Holt McCallany) is recovering from two heart attacks. Meanwhile, his wife Belle and son Cane are cutting shark-sized deals to save what’s left of the family’s grip on Havenport’s docks, diners, and dignity.
Think Bloodline meets Yellowstone—but hold the cowboys, add more cocaine and boat fuel.
Why It Feels Familiar—And That’s the Problem
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: The Waterfront looks incredible, but smells recycled. The trailer’s aesthetic—a dreamy haze of Carolina coasts, sun-drenched corruption, and silken betrayals—has all the polish of Netflix’s prestige thrillers. But beneath the gloss lies something eerily reminiscent of primetime soap operas with a criminally large budget.
Remember Outer Banks? Or Revenge? This is their morally compromised cousin with a Marlboro habit and a probate lawyer on speed dial.
Also, what is it with Holt McCallany always looking like he’s about to arrest his own family?
The Real Story? It’s America’s Love Affair with Decaying Dynasties
Beneath the dramatics lies a darker cultural current—America’s obsession with legacy at any cost. The Buckleys’ downfall isn’t just melodrama. It echoes real-world power shifts in legacy industries, like the slow death of coastal fisheries and the rise of corporate consolidation. You could even compare Harlan Buckley to real-life figures clinging to generational wealth in failing sectors.
In that sense, The Waterfront isn’t just Southern noir—it’s a funeral dirge for the American Dream, played with a country fiddle and a silencer.
A Wilmington crew member (who requested anonymity) allegedly whispered on set: “This isn’t fiction—it’s just North Carolina with better lighting.”
Hot Take: The Trailer Tries Too Hard, But That’s the Point
Look, The Waterfront trailer doesn’t pretend to be subtle. It tosses everything at the viewer—addiction arcs, forbidden affairs, custody battles, power plays, and maybe a murder or two—then dares you not to binge it. Melissa Benoist’s Bree, the recovering addict fighting for custody, practically screams for a redemption arc that ends in handcuffs or a TED Talk.
But here’s the thing: that overload is the appeal. It’s camp, it’s catharsis, it’s Kevin Williamson unshackled.
Would you watch this or burn $20 in a lobster trap? No judgment. (…Okay, some judgment.)
