This Crime Drama Was Netflix's No. 1 Show For 3 Weeks — and It's Just Been Canceled After Just One Season

(L-R) Holt McCallany as Harlan Buckley, Maria Bello as Belle Buckley in "The Waterfront" — (Image credit: Dana Hawley / Netflix)

Bad news, "The Waterfront" fans: it looks like Kevin Williamson's soapy Netflix crime drama is the latest show to be axed by the streaming service. That's according to a report from Deadline, which today claimed that Netflix "won't be proceeding with a second season" of the soapy crime drama.

This news comes roughly two months on from the series' debut in June 2025, and in spite of the fact that "The Waterfront" was at one point the streamer's top watch. Following its Netflix premiere on June 19, 2025, the Netflix original spent three weeks as the streamer's No. 1 show, globally (according to Netflix's Top 10 chart on Tudum).

The Waterfront | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube

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"My heart is full of gratitude for all the people who brought their talents to the show both in NC and LA. You were all amazing. Thank you to my partners at Universal TV.

"And thank you to Netflix for taking a chance on a very personal story. You were truly a joy to work with! It was one of the best experiences of my life! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you", Williamson added.

Holt McCallany as Harlan Buckley "The Waterfront" — (Image credit: Netflix / Dana Hawley)

"The Waterfront" was a family crime drama that revolved around the Buckley family as they worked to retain control of their North Carolina fishing empire.

The Buckleys ruled over Havenport for decades, but that empire started to crumble, and members of the family ventured into more dangerous waters to try and keep things afloat. The series starred Holt McCallany, Maria Bello, Jake Weary, Melissa Benoist, and Brady Hepner, among others.

Critically, "The Waterfront" performed reasonably well; it's currently Certified Fresh and sitting at a 68% on the review aggregate site, Rotten Tomatoes (from over 40 reviews), with a consensus that reads: "Grim and pulpy, "The Waterfront" traffics in clichés but injects them with enough bravado to make for a gripping binge."

If this news has you on the hunt for your next Netflix watch, check out our round-up of the best Netflix shows for tons more streaming recommendations worthy of a spot on your watchlist.

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Martin is a Streaming Writer at Tom’s Guide, covering all things movies and TV. If it’s in the theaters or available to stream somewhere, he’s probably watched it… especially if it has a dragon in it. Before joining the team, he was a Staff Writer at What To Watch where he wrote about a broad range of shows that stretched from "Doctor Who" and "The Witcher" to "Bridgerton" and "Love Island". When he’s not watching the next must-see movie or show, he’s probably still in front of a screen playing massive RPGs, reading, spending a fortune on TCGs, or watching the NFL.

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