Is The Waterfront based on true events? Explained in depth

Created by Kevin Williamson, Netflix's The Waterfront, a criminal drama series, will premiere on June 19, 2025. It follows the Buckley family in the fictional town of Havenport, North Carolina, as they attempt to save their fishing company by entering the drug trade.

Holt McCallany, Maria Bello, and Melissa Benoist make up the core cast ensemble, with eight episodes dropping for season 1. The filming took place in Wilmington and Southport, North Carolina.

It is reported that The Waterfront is a fictional drama based on Kevin Williamson's true life. Set in coastal North Carolina, the story recounts the Buckley family's battle to live after turning to crime, and the novel is based on Williamson's own youth, which included his father's work as a fisherman and involvement in drug trafficking. Despite being fictitious, the feelings and concepts are based on real-life personal experiences.

More details about The Waterfront

The last episode of The Waterfront's first season is poignant and dramatic. Bree is abducted by their adversary, Grady, putting the Buckley family in jeopardy. He intends to murder both Harlan and Bree, and he asks that they meet in the middle of the ocean.

But Harlan and his sons, Shawn and Cane, devise a scheme. They ambush Grady and his guys by hiding in their boat. They learn during the rescue that Bree was shot and abandoned and that Grady has taken Diller, Bree's kid, in her place. The Buckleys successfully repel Grady's soldiers and rescue Diller.

The most critical event occurs when Cane, who has battled with the family's illegal path, is forced to choose whether to murder Grady. Grady's taunting drove him over the brink, despite his first hesitant response. Cane shoots and murders Grady, demonstrating that he is not the same guy he was at the start of the season. This act transforms him and paves the way for more character development in subsequent seasons.

Despite not being a straightforward factual narrative, Kevin Williamson's real-life experiences served as a major inspiration for The Waterfront. Williamson is the author of The Vampire Diaries and Dawson's Creek and was born and raised in North Carolina, and his family struggled financially in the 1980s as the fishing sector started to wane, and his father was a fisherman.

Williamson's life was significantly impacted by his father's involvement in drug trafficking during a trying period, which ultimately served as the inspiration for this series.

Williamson has stated that the series is a blend of fiction and recollection and the characters and events are not accurate depictions of real people or circumstances. However, the emotions and family dynamics are based on his personal experiences. The show's primary character is Harlan Buckley and is partially based on Williamson's father, while Belle Buckley mirrors his mother's tenacity and resolve.

So, The Waterfront is based on real events but is not a genuine narrative. This fictitious drama, which has its origins in actual family history, is an intimate and poignant examination of loyalty, survival, and the price of making tough decisions.

Trending

Stay tuned to Soap Central for regular updates on daily soaps, TV shows, and movies.

Read More: The Lincoln Lawyer Season 4 wraps filming, revealing BTS images of a brand new character

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback