Have you ever been deep into a Netflix binge and totally hooked on a show that seems to be everywhere, only to find out it’s getting the axe? Yeah, you know that sinking feeling. Well, brace yourself, because that dreaded moment has arrived once again. Netflix has just swung the cancellation hammer on what looked to be one of its most recent hits, leaving fans stunned and scrambling for answers.
According to Deadline, The Waterfront has been canceled after just one season. The news outlet also reports that they've learned from insiders that series creator Kevin Williamson has already informed the cast and crew that the show will not be returning with an additional installment. The new crime drama series premiered on Netflix in June 2025 and quickly became the talk of the town. It also seemed to have performed pretty well on the streaming platform, which is why it’s so surprising that Netflix decided not to move forward with a second season.
It reportedly spent five weeks in Netflix’s global top 10 for English-language shows, even hitting the No. 1 spot for three weeks in a row, with strong viewership (11.6M views in its first week). That’s better than some other new Netflix shows that were released this year, like Ransom Canyon or Forever, which have both received season 2 renewals.
Why was The Waterfront canceled?
While Netflix has not given an official reason for The Waterfront's cancellation, Deadline reports that they've learned from sources that the streamer didn’t feel the combination of viewership and completion rate was strong enough to justify a second season. So although the show’s performance appeared solid, it wasn’t quite up to Netflix's internal standards for renewal.
We've seen in the past that Netflix evaluates shows differently depending on the series, rather than using one uniform standard for all. Some shows might be renewed even with modest performance because they’re cheaper to produce. On the other hand, others must meet much higher benchmarks to justify their costs for another season because they are more expensive to make, rely on big-name talent, or come from external studios that share in the profits. This could've been the case for The Waterfront, but we don't know that for sure.
Overall, it's unfortunate that The Waterfront will not be returning with a second season on Netflix because the season 1 finale left off on a jaw-dropping cliffhanger. Now fans are left with no closure and are stuck wondering how the Buckley family story would have continued to unfold if there had been a season 2.
After news broke of The Waterfront being axed, fans were quick to express their disappointment via Deadline's official page on X, where the news outlet shared a post about the show's cancellation. One fan shared in the comment section of the post, "Really?! So disappointing. It's a great show." Another fan chimed in, "Makes zero sense to cancel it!" Overall, the comment section quickly filled with outrage and disbelief, as viewers shared their sadness over The Waterfront getting the boot.
The Waterfront revolves around the influential Buckley family and their struggling fishing empire. Holt McCallany, Melissa Benoist, Jake Weary, Rafael L. Silva, Humberly González, Danielle Campbell, Brady Hepner, Maria Bello, and many others make up the cast.
All eight episodes of The Waterfront season 1 are available to stream on Netflix right now.