Kevin Williamson's Twisted Family Past Inspired Netflix's Hottest Show
But what sets it apart from other prestige dramas is its foundation in real life.
The series follows the Buckleys, a once-powerful family in fictional Havenport, North Carolina, who built their fortune on the local fishing industry. Now, they're barely holding on.
Patriarch Harlan is recovering from a series of heart attacks. His son Cane is struggling to salvage the family's restaurant empire, while his daughter Bree fights her way back from addiction, custody loss, and a risky romance that could detonate the family's already fragile legacy.
But The Waterfront isn't just a fictional saga. It's rooted in creator Kevin Williamson's own childhood in New Bern, North Carolina.
Best known for Scream and Dawson's Creek, Williamson drew directly from his own family's past, including the shocking decision his father made in the 1980s: turning to drug smuggling when the fishing economy dried up.
"They didn't just arrest my dad," Williamson told Time. "They arrested a whole bunch of people. It was part of a cartel. They were the low men in the operation."
Williamson said he always planned to tell this story, but waited out of respect.
"I always told my dad I was going to write the story," he said. "He said, 'Wait until I'm dead.'"
Now, decades later, The Waterfront delivers that long-awaited dramatization, infused with small-town power plays, generational damage, and themes of survival.
Critics have compared the show to Yellowstone, but with a sharper emotional edge and a distinctly Southern flavor. It's been talked about as a bingeable family soap that is a bold blend of fact and fiction.
The cast includes Maria Bello, Rafael L. Silva, Danielle Campbell, Humberly González, and Topher Grace in a surprising guest role.
All eight episodes are now available to stream on Netflix, and early buzz suggests a second season is likely.
If you're looking for a summer binge that's steeped in both grit and authenticity, The Waterfront might be your next obsession. Just don't be surprised if it leaves you wondering how much of the drama is real and how much Williamson still hasn't told.Kevin Williamson's Twisted Family Past Inspired Netflix's Hottest Show first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 24, 2025
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