‘The Waterfront’ Canceled By Netflix After Just One Season

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Netflix has pulled the plug on ‘The Waterfront‘, Kevin Williamson’s (Scream, Dawson’s Creek) crime-family drama, after only one season.

The series dropped on the streamer in June and, on paper, looked like a strong contender for renewal. It followed the wealthy and ruthless Buckley clan of Havenport, North Carolina, with Holt McCallany (Mindhunter) as patriarch Harlan Buckley, Maria Bello (NCIS) as his wife Belle, Jake Weary (Animal Kingdom) as their ambitious son Cane, and Melissa Benoist (Supergirl) as their troubled daughter Bree. Supporting cast included Rafael L. Silva, Humberly González, Danielle Campbell, Brady Hepner, and a guest appearance from Topher Grace (That ‘70s Show).

Despite strong viewership in its opening weeks, including three consecutive weeks at the top of Netflix’s global Top 10 for English-language series, the streamer decided not to move forward with Season 2. According to Deadline, the show peaked at 11.6 million views in its first full week, outperforming other Netflix newcomers such as Ransom Canyon and Forever, which both went on to be renewed.

Performance alone, however, is not always enough. Netflix’s renewal decisions weigh cost, audience demographics, and completion rate (how many people actually finish a season). While insiders reported The Waterfront had a good completion rate, the numbers were not high enough to keep the Buckleys in business.

The cancellation places The Waterfront alongside other recent one-season casualties at Netflix, such as Pulse and The Residence. Meanwhile, the streamer has greenlit second seasons for around 20 scripted shows this year, including Dept. Q, Untamed, Ransom Canyon, Forever, Running Point, Nobody Wants This, Beauty In Black, and the animated Devil May Cry.

For Williamson, the series was still a highlight of his career. Following the news, he shared on Instagram:

“While I’m sad the Buckleys won’t be back for Season 2, I’m celebrating the joy that was Season 1. It was one of the best experiences of my life!”

The series was produced by Universal Television and Outerbanks Entertainment, with Kevin Williamson and Ben Fast executive producing for Outerbanks alongside Michael Narducci and Marcos Siega.

‘The Waterfront’ is available to stream on Netflix UK.