“The Waterfront” took Netflix by storm in the summer of 2025, mixing crime drama, family soap opera, and mystery-thriller elements to become one of the most talked-about streaming shows of the season. But in late August, the streamer made the shocking decision to axe the series after just one season. And while Netflix hasn’t said precisely why it canceled “The Waterfront,” it’s pretty clear by now that Netflix’s cancellation decisions are usually the result of disappointing numbers — either low viewership or unsustainably large budgets.

“The Watefront” debuted with a strong 8.3 million viewers in its first few days of release. In just two weeks the series became a bona fide hit, coming in at No. 1 on the Netflix ratings chart at the end of June with 11.6 million views, which accounted for 74.2 million hours viewed. While the cancellation did come as a surprise to many, including those watching the charts, the series did see a noticeable decline in viewership later on. It dropped to 5.6 million views after a few weeks, though even that fall was mostly attributed to the release of a new season of “Squid Game.”

Nevertheless, series creator Kevin Williamson — whose own life inspired the series — didn’t let the cancellation get him down. “While I’m sad the Buckleys won’t be back for Season 2, I’m celebrating the joy that was Season 1,” Williams said on social media (via Deadline). “Thank you to Netflix for taking a chance on a very personal story.”

“The Waterfront” centers on the Buckley family, who begin working for a local drug cartel to make ends meet and save their legacy as their fishing business starts to falter. At its heart, “The Waterfront” is a family drama, with relationships that are fractured by the Buckleys’ dirty dealings. The biggest split comes between father and son over the killing of drug runner Grady (Topher Grace) at the hands of Cane (Jake Weary), much to the dismay of his dad Harlan (Holt McCallany). 

As to whether they would have mended that fence in Season 2, creator Kevin Williamson hinted at what we might have seen as Cane struggled with revelations about his father. “I don’t think they’ve gotten to the core answer of who they are to each other as father and son, but I do think Cane got an answer that he wanted,” Williamson told TV Line about the potential of the father-son rift continuing into Season 2. “He has always wondered why his father treated him a certain way and why that dynamic was what it was. Cane is wrestling with the roads not taken.”

A potential second season could have seen that familial split widen further, or at least hit more speed bumps before any possible reconciliation. “There’s going to be more stumbling for them to do as father and son before they fully repair that relationship,” Williamson added. Unfortunately, with Netflix’s abrupt cancellation, we may never know if they do.