Netflix Cancels Crime Drama “The Waterfront” After One Season

August 26, 2025 (UPI) - Netflix has officially canceled its family crime drama The Waterfront after just one season, the streamer confirmed Tuesday. The eight-episode series, which debuted on June 19 and centered on the Buckley family’s turn to illicit activities to save their North Carolina fishing and restaurant empire, failed to attract sufficient viewership to justify renewal.

Created by veteran writer-producer Kevin Williamson, known for Dawson’s Creek and Scream, The Waterfront starred Melissa Benoist, Holt McCallany, Maria Bello, Jake Weary and Topher Grace. Despite strong critical anticipation and five weeks in Netflix’s global Top 10, including a peak of 11.6 million views in its first full week, the show’s audience numbers ultimately fell short of renewal thresholds.

In a statement shared on Instagram, Williamson thanked viewers and collaborators, writing, “A big thank you to everyone who watched The Waterfront. While I’m sad the Buckleys won’t be back for a Season 2, I’m celebrating the joy that was Season 1. My heart is full of gratitude for all the people who brought their talents to the show both in NC and LA”.

Netflix’s decision follows similar cancellations earlier this year but marks one of its more surprising drops, given the series’ strong initial streaming performance and comparison to hits like Ozark and Bloodline.

The cancellation underscores Netflix’s increasingly data-driven approach to renewals, where only series with sustained high viewership and strong retention metrics secure additional seasons. With The Waterfront now off the slate, subscribers can speculate whether the Buckleys’ story-and Williamson’s vision of a “broken family trying to fix itself”-might find life elsewhere.