Does Harlan die in The Waterfront? Character’s fate explored

Created by Kevin Williamson, The Waterfront, is a crime drama series featuring Holt McCallany, Melissa Benoist, and others. The show has one season and it premiered on Netflix on June 19, 2025. The show focuses on the wealthy Buckley family and its patriarch, Harlan Buckley (McCallany).

Harlan is the owner of a local restaurant and port, but his past catches up to him as his father ran a cartel. Other important characters on The Waterfront include Bree, who is Harlan’s alcoholic daughter, Cane, who is Harlan’s son, Belle, who is Harlan’s wife.

Even though Netflix cancelled the show after one season, The Waterfront had plenty of twists and turns and made for an interesting watch. Over the course of eight episodes, viewers saw the Buckley family navigating challenges and coming to terms with their own past secrets.

Here are some details about the show’s final episode and whether Harlan died in The Waterfront.

Details about the ending of The Waterfront

Towards the end of the show, the Buckleys are trying to take out Grady. Harlan and Cane make a deal with the Parkers, who have a drug-smuggling operation and want them to kill the drug supplier for the Buckleys. But the plan does not work and Grady’s men abduct Bree.

Bree is in Grady’s yacht and her son Diller also comes to her by secretively sneaking into the boat. Diller is found out by Grady and shoots Bree in the leg as he only needs one Buckley as hostage. Bree is thrown overboard but Diller throws a raft for his mom.

Harlan comes with Cane and Shawn to tackle Grady and even ambush Grady. They get Diller but get to know that Bree has been thrown into the waters. A gunfight and chase on the yacht continues and ultimately, Grady taunts Cane that he can never kill him and he is a coward. However, Cane kills Grady and Harlan moves to rescue Bree.

Bree gets a flashback about not being able to help her grandpa when he was killed and forgives herself. She uses a flare gun to send a signal and the Buckleys find her. Diller is happy that his mother is out of danger and tells her that he wants to stay in Havenport with her.

On the other hand, Peyton goes to confront Jenna about Cane’s infidelity but Jenna mentions that her father has just passed away. Peyton does not get angry on Jenna and helps her with the funeral. When Cane comes to Jenna’s house, she does not allow him inside and tells him about Peyton’s helpful nature, even though Jenna cheated on her husband.

When Cane goes to Peyton, they discuss their relationship and Cane mentions that he wants to do everything right for his family. Peyton also agrees and wants to keep her family intact. On the other hand, Shawn is Harlan’s son from an affair he had with Bebe West. And the family accept him as their own.

Does Harlan die in The Waterfront? More details about the show

No, Harlan does not die in the show. Even though Grady tries to take him out, Cane steps in between and kills Grady instead. Even though he suffers from two heart attacks, which makes him step away from the family business, Harlan slowly recovers.

On the other hand, Harlan and Belle try to appear united, even though they have secrets of their own and are still going through problems. Towards the end of the show, Belle’s deal with Wes does not go through and Emmett tries to offer a deal to Belle. Emmett brings a bloody Wes to Belle and makes her the boss of him. Therefore, if the show had a new season, it would have focused on Belle’s new plan and her double-crossing her husband.

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The Waterfront is available on Netflix.

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