Netflix has canceled The Waterfront after only one season, despite the series achieving strong viewership and spending five weeks in the platform’s global Top 10. The show premiered on June 19 and focused on the Buckley family in North Carolina, earning a 68% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This decision surprised many, given the crime drama led by Holt McCallany’s character, Harlan Buckley, was among Netflix’s most-watched shows during its run.
The Waterfront stood out for its gritty portrayal of family loyalty, desperation, and legacy. It maintained the top spot globally for three consecutive weeks, delivering more than 11.6 million views during that time. Compared to other recently canceled Netflix dramas like Pulse and The Residence, The Waterfront’s strong performance made its cancellation particularly unexpected.
Harlan Buckley: A Character Who Embodies the Taylor Sheridan Ethos
Harlan Buckley, portrayed by Holt McCallany, is a deeply nuanced figure whose moral complexity sets him apart from typical television patriarchs. As the head of a fishing and restaurant empire, Harlan navigates loyalty and ruthlessness with a careful balance, driven by a fierce commitment to protecting his family legacy. His character’s layers of quiet menace and gravitas create a compelling figure in storytelling.
This complexity resonates with the style of Taylor Sheridan, known for creating protagonists who exist in the space between honor and corruption, such as John Dutton in Yellowstone. Harlan fits this mold perfectly, offering a character ready to inhabit a Sheridan universe. Observers noted that Harlan belongs to the same storytelling sphere as characters like John Dutton or Jacob Dutton from the 1923 series, reflecting a potent blend of vulnerability and toughness.
Netflix’s cancellation halted the opportunity to explore Harlan’s full potential and sidelined a storyline that seemed tailor-made for expansion under Sheridan’s narrative approach. This development is viewed not only as a lost chance for the show but also as a missed opportunity to develop a richly complex protagonist.
Kevin Williamson’s Vision for The Waterfront’s Future
Creator Kevin Williamson had concrete plans to deepen the series’ drama and character relationships in potential future seasons. One of the central arcs was the evolving father-son dynamic between Harlan and his son Cane, especially following the dramatic season finale where Cane kills Grady. Williamson intended to use this relationship to explore questions of identity, loyalty, and family legacy much further.
In addition to focusing on the Buckley family, Williamson also envisioned Belle rising to prominence, shifting from a background character to a powerful player potentially overtaking Harlan’s position. The show was set to introduce the Parker family, another key element already intertwined with the Buckley story, to broaden the narrative’s scope and intensity.
Unfortunately, these plot developments will now remain unexplored, leaving several dramatic threads unresolved and denying audiences the chance to see how these stories might have unfolded.
Significance of The Waterfront’s Cancellation and What Lies Ahead
The removal of The Waterfront from Netflix after such a brief but intense run highlights the challenges streaming platforms face in balancing viewership metrics and storytelling potential. For fans of complex, morally ambiguous characters, Holt McCallany’s Harlan Buckley remains a figure deserving of further exploration. The character’s alignment with the themes and tone typical of Taylor Sheridan’s work suggests a natural direction for future creators looking to expand on the Buckley saga or develop a similar protagonist.
While Netflix’s decision closes the door on The Waterfront for now, the critical reception and dedicated fanbase may inspire other networks or streaming services to consider picking up or rebooting such content with a Sheridan-style focus. Such a continuation could satisfy viewers eager to see the father-son tensions and broader family power struggles brought to full fruition.
