EXCLUSIVE: Netflix will not be proceeding with a second season of Kevin Williamson‘s crime drama series The Waterfront, Deadline has learned. According to sources, Williamson has told the cast about the streamer’s decision, and crew members also have been informed that there would be no Season 2, sources said.

The news, which comes about two months after The Waterfront‘s June 19 release, is surprising because the twisted tale about North Carolina’s influential Buckley family did solid business, spending five weeks in Netflix’s global Top 10 for English-language series, including a rare three-peat at No.1, peaking at 11.6M views for its first full week of release.

That is above the delivery of another freshman drama series, which was recently renewed by Netflix, Ransom Canyon, which spent four weeks in the Top 10, peaking at No. 2 with 9.4M views for its first full week. (Fellow renewed freshman 2025 drama Forever also was in the Top 10 for four weeks, rising to No.3 with 6.7M views.)

The Waterfront did significantly better than the two other dramas Netflix has canceled so far this year after one season, Pulse and The Residence, which both spent four weeks in the Top 10, peaking at No. 3 with 8.5M views and No. 2 with 8.8M views, respectively.

n their renewal decisions, Netflix executives typically lean into performance vs. cost, with other factors, like awards recognition, social media buzz and the type of audience tuning in, also taken into account. In addition to number of views, performance includes completion rate, which is not made public. Sources close to the production told Deadline earlier this month that the rate for The Waterfront was good. I hear that Netflix didn’t feel that the viewership and the completion rate were high enough to secure a renewal.

Like Ransom Canyon, headlined by Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly, The Waterfront, starring Holt McCallany, Jake Weary, Melissa Benoist and Maria Bello, is a character-driven family drama.

Unlike Ransom Canyon, which is a Netflix production — as is Forever — The Waterfront comes from Universal Television. It is unclear whether the streamer’s renewal threshold is higher for outside series; Universal TV scored quick renewals for its two most recent new scripted shows at Netflix, The Man On Inside and Four Seasons.

They are among the string of new Netflix scripted series to get a second season over the past eight months, along with the Warner Bros. TV-produced Untamed and Running Point, 20th Television’s Nobody Wants This as well as Dept. Q, Beauty In Black, Ransom Canyon, Forever, North of North, The Vince Staples Show, the animated Devil May Cry and Canadian entries Bet and Geek Girl. Overall, Netflix has renewed almost 20 scripted shows over that period.

The Waterfront‘s first season scored 68% on Rotten Tomatoes. Its premise: For decades, the Buckley family has ruled Havenport, North Carolina, dominating everything from the local fishing industry to the town’s restaurant scene. But their fishing empire has started to crumble as patriarch Harlan Buckley (McCallany) recovers from two heart attacks, and his wife Belle (Bello) and son Cane (Weary) venture into the deep end to keep the family businesses afloat. As their attempts spiral out of control and into treacherous waters, Harlan steps back in to take command. Facing her own demons, Buckley daughter Bree (Benoist) — an addict in recovery who’s lost custody of her son — finds herself entangled in a complicated relationship that could threaten the family’s future forever.

“While I’m say the Buckleys won’t be back for Season 2, I’m celebrating the joy that was Season 1,” Williamson wrote on IG following Deadline’s report. “It was one of the best experiences of my life!”

Rafael L. Silva, Humberly González, Danielle Campbell, and Brady Hepner also star in the series, executive produced by Williamson and Ben Fast for Outerbanks Entertainment, Michael Narducci, and Marcos Siega. Topher Grace guest stars.

I have finally gotten to uploading the screencaptures of Rafael in Netflix’s The Waterfront. I am really hoping for a second season and I really enjoyed binging it all in one day. Sadly I’ve had these on my PC for a while so forgive me on the lateness.

I have finally been able to add all the missing screencaptures from Rafael’s last appearance as Carlos Reyes. Am I the only one who is suffering from withdraws? It also has been announced that Rafael’s next adventure will hit Netflix June 19th, 2025.

I have finally added screencaptures from last Monday’s night episode of Kiddos. We are almost completely done with 9-11 Lone Star!

This week we got amazing scenes of Tarlos and Carlos in general. Enjoy over the 300 + screencaptures added to the gallery of this weeks episode. Remember, 9-11 Lone Star returns in 2 weeks.

Sadly again, we didn’t get much of Rafael from last night on 9-11 Lone Star but I managed to add a little over 100 screencaptures of Rafael! With Hurricane Milton approaching Florida I wanted to get these caps up in the gallery as there may be a delay in the next few weeks depending on how long we are without power.

Sadly, we didn’t get much of Rafael from last night on 9-11 Lone Star but I managed to add at least 47 screencaptures of Rafael!

Finally the moment is here and we officially have started season five of 9-1-1: Lone Star. I’ve added numerous captures of Rafael playing Texas Ranger Carlos Reyes in the series premiere of season 5.

Jake Weary (Oh, Canada), Melissa Benoist (Supergirl), Rafael L. Silva (9-1-1: Lone Star), Humberly González (Ginny & Georgia), Danielle Campbell (Tell Me a Story) and Brady Hepner (The Holdovers) have joined Holt McCallany and Maria Bello in the cast of Netflix‘s The Waterfront, written and executive produced by Kevin Williamson.

Inspired by true events, the 8-episode series dives into the flawed Buckley family, led by McCallany’s Harlan Buckley and Bello’s Mae Buckley, as their attempts to retain control of their crumbling North Carolina fishing empire drive them to increasingly dangerous means to keep themselves afloat.

Gerardo Celasco (The Devil in Ohio) and Michael Gaston (Daredevil: Born Again) have been set in recurring roles. Zach Roerig (Vampire Diaries) will appear as a guest star.

Weary will play Cane Buckley, Harlan’s only son who has a complicated relationship with his father but never stops trying to do the right thing by his dad and can’t seem to say no to him. Married to Peyton (Campbell) and the father of a young daughter, Cane likes the money his family business affords him, a Band-Aid for the life he got instead of the life he wanted.

Benoist will play Bree Buckley, the intelligent and hot-tempered Buckley who formerly oversaw the fishery’s finances and, like her father, has allowed alcohol to ruin her bright future. After losing custody of her son, Bree struggles to maintain a relationship with him while maintaining her sobriety.

Silva will play Shawn Wilson, a newly employed bartender for the Buckleys who is intrigued by the family and carries a secret that could upend the family forever.

González will play Jenna Tate, a journalist who leaves the city to return to Beaufort to tend to her ailing father. Returning to her hometown, she is confronted with past relationships, including her high school sweetheart Cane, who still holds a flame for her.

Campbell’s Peyton Buckle is a proper Southern woman, built to sparkle. The wife of Cane and mother of an 8-year-old, she loves Cane and understands his complex relationship with his dad.

Hepner will play Diller Hopkins, Bree’s son who now lives with her ex-husband. Diller is a resentful teenager, a product of having an alcoholic mother. Although Bree is looking to mend their relationship, Diller treats her with hostility and turns to his grandfather Harlan, whom he idolizes.

Celasco will play DEA Agent Marcus Sanchez; Gaston will play Sheriff Clyde Porter; and Roerig will play Troy.

Williamson and Ben Fast executive produce for Outerbanks Entertainment. Marcos Siega (You, Dexter: New Blood) will direct the first two episodes and serve as executive producer for the pilot. Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, where Williamson is under an overall deal, is the studio.