If your signals somehow got crossed and you were hoping that Netflix's The Waterfront would be a peaceful comfort show set on an idyllic locale like Virgin River, then the newly released trailer certainly uncrossed those wires. From the looks of the trailer, the series looks to be the gritty, addictive drama series that we will all be hooked on this summer.
Netflix finally dropped the official trailer on May 22, about one month ahead of the show's premiere on Thursday, June 19. The Waterfront centers on the Buckley family, whose fishing empire in North Carolina has been experiencing some downswings as patriarch Harlan (Holt McCallany) takes a step back. Before long, the family finds themselves in over their heads with drug kingpins.
In the trailer, one of the dangerous potential enemies barking up the Buckley family tree comes in the form of That '70s Show alum Topher Grace. He's a menacing opioid distributor who seems like an easygoing guy (he cracks jokes!), but in the end, the erstwhile Eric Forman isn't to be messed with. You wouldn't expect Grace to play that kind of character, which is exactly why it works.
The trailer also previews explosions, punches, guns, threats, and feeding enemies to sharks. The stakes must be incredibly high if the Buckley are teaming up with sharks as a scare tactic for people who owe them. But it's not all drugs and crime in The Waterfront. The series also features the sexy romance and soapy drama we crave from a good escapist binge-watch.
Watch the full official trailer for Netflix's The Waterfront in the video below!
The Waterfront could be Netflix's next big hit
The trailer successfully makes you want to tune in, because who doesn't love watching some real mess go down with a fictional family that just can't get it together? The show looks fun, absolutely wild, and the best summer treat. Plus, the cast couldn't be better! There are so many familiar faces, like Maria Bello, Supergirl herself Melissa Benoist, and 9-1-1: Lone Star's Rafael Silva.
Since the series was announced, Netflix has hinted that The Waterfront borrows its premise from true events without sharing exactly what true story might have inspired Kevin Williamson to create the series. The Hollywood Reporter learned from the streamer that the creator pulled from "his own real-life upbringing" in North Carolina, and it's not a "1:1 adaptation," just loose inspiration.
The new Netflix series comes from Williamson, who created Dawson's Creek and the Scream movies, as well as helped develop The Vampire Diaries for The CW. That's how you know the drama will be juicy and unmissable! We're going to see a few alums from The Vampire Diaries franchise pop up in The Waterfront, which is just another added incentive to add it to your watch list.
After watching the trailer, the series already looks like the next popular guilty pleasure series on Netflix. While it might not have as much potential to win awards like Netflix's other dark family drama with a drug twist Ozark, it's got some of the same ingredients as the Emmy winner, along with other Netflix hits like Bloodline and Ransom Canyon. If you love those shows, The Waterfront is just for you!
The Waterfront premieres Thursday, June 19 on Netflix.