Netflix drops ‘The Waterfront’, inspired by creator’s real-life family drug ties

Netflix’s new drama The Waterfront, which premiered on June 19, takes viewers deep into a coastal town torn apart by secrets, legacy, and survival—and it’s rooted in real life. The eight-episode series comes from Kevin Williamson, the mind behind Scream, Dawson’s Creek, and The Vampire Diaries. This time, Williamson delivers a raw, personal story inspired by his own father’s descent into drug smuggling in the 1980s.

The series stars Holt McCallany, Maria Bello, Melissa Benoist, and Jake Weary as members of the Buckley family, who were once-respected figures in the fictional town of Havenport, North Carolina. Once dominant in the local fishing industry, the Buckleys are now unraveling amid addiction, financial hardship, and long-buried betrayals. Behind the family’s polished public image is a messy tangle of secrets and a willingness to do whatever it takes to maintain control—even if it means turning on one another.

While the Buckleys are fictional, the emotional core of the story is deeply personal to Williamson. In recent interviews, the showrunner shared that his father, a fisherman by trade, began smuggling drugs during hard times to support the family. The consequences of that decision left a mark on Williamson’s childhood and have stayed with him since.

“This is the story I’ve been circling for decades,” he said, referencing how the themes of loss, identity, and buried secrets have been present throughout his career—from slasher films like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer to coming-of-age dramas.

The Waterfront offers a gritty, emotionally charged look at the cost of survival and legacy—with Williamson finally confronting a story he’s been carrying most of his life.