In The Waterfront, the latest drama created by Kevin Williamson (Dawson’s Creek, The Vampire Diaries, and Scream) we see a grounded portrayal of a family-run business on the verge of collapse. The eight-episode Netflix series is set in the fictional town of Havenport, North Carolina, and follows the Buckley family, owners of a large fishing business whose control over the town is tested after the family’s patriarch suffers a major health setback. Netflix has said the show is “inspired by a true story,” though no specific events or people have been named.

Harlan Buckley (Holt McCallany, Mindhunter), is the head of the family and the founder of their fishing empire. After surviving two heart attacks, Harlan’s grip on the family business weakens. His wife Belle (Maria Bello) and son Cane (Jake Weary) take charge, attempting to hold the family’s interests together, both in the fishing industry and other local enterprises. But, as tensions rise between family members and one of their boats running aground revealing contraband leads to the interest of police their unity begins to fracture.

The plot unfolds steadily, without melodrama, as the contraband incident sets off a chain of conflicts, with the Buckleys forced to confront their business practices and their loyalties.

The show is filmed in South Carolina, primarily in the towns of Wilmington and Southport, which double as the fictional Havenport. The locations give a believable sense of place, with fishing docks, small-town streets, and waterfront homes. Cinematography by Julie Kirkwood makes use of natural light and steady, wide shots to capture the slow pace and stillness of coastal life. Interior scenes often use tight framing to convey the emotional and personal pressure characters face within the family.

The cast includes Melissa Benoist as Bree Buckley, Harlan’s daughter, who is recovering from addiction and struggling to regain custody of her son. Her character is written with sensitivity, and Benoist delivers a restrained, grounded performance. Bree’s journey runs parallel to the business turmoil, and her growing relationship with another character, kept vague for most of the series, adds further tension without dominating the story.

Other family members include Peyton Buckley (Danielle Campbell), who keeps a lower profile but becomes more involved as conflicts grow, and Cane, who sees himself as the heir apparent but whose decisions often backfire. Meanwhile, DEA Agent Marcus Sanchez (Gerardo Celasco) and Sheriff Clyde Porter (Michael Gaston) represent the outside world pushing in, their roles expanding as the Buckleys’ legal and financial issues deepen.

There are thematic similarities to Succession and Ozark, but The Waterfront is more subdued. It does not aim for satire or criminal spectacle. Instead, it presents a fictional but plausible family drama, where power is tied to business, local reputation and private pain.

The Waterfront is a carefully made drama with believable characters, a realistic setting, and a measured story arc. It doesn’t offer surprises or high-concept storytelling, but it delivers an honest depiction of a family holding on to power in changing times. It is strongest when focusing on personal struggles, such as Bree’s recovery, and weakest when pushing business conflicts that feel too familiar. Still, its grounded tone and solid performances make it worth watching.