Hooked on drama: 'The Waterfront' reels in streamers with a gripping crime family saga

If you enjoyed “Ozark”, then “The Waterfront” is a must-see. 

My curiosity was piqued after seeing countless binge-watchers rave about it on social media, and I can confirm: it did not disappoint.

Interestingly, the eight-part series is inspired by real-life events.

The dysfunctional Buckley family is at the heart of the narrative. The Buckleys are an influential family that dominates the local fishing industry in Havenport, North Carolina. 

Aside from their fishing empire, they run a restaurant, which has been in the family for a long time. 

Unfortunately, the health setback of patriarch Harlan (Holt McCallany), who has survived two heart attacks and is not entirely out of the woods, has seen him step back from operations, leaving the business in a precarious financial position.

As such, his wife Belle (Maria Bello) and their son Cane (Jake Weary) agreed to do a few drug runs with their fleet of fishing boats to keep the debt collectors at bay. 

Of course, the family isn’t unfamiliar with criminal activity. Harlan’s father ran a cartel before he was executed by rivals. 

Meanwhile, their recovering drug addict daughter Bree (Melissa Benoist) is fighting her own battle, having lost custody of her teenage son Diller Hopkins (Brady Hepner).

The first episode kicks off on a tense note when the family’s sold boat, the Miss Glory, is found beached, the heat is on them. With allegations of drug-running swirling around, especially with the dirty local sheriff Clyde Porter (Michael Gaston) sniffing around. 

Clyde has his own side drug business going, and he blackmails the Buckleys into working for him. 

Having grown up watching his father navigate this world, Harlan, supported by Cane, takes the reins in getting the family out of the current mess. 

However, the situation is compounded by Bree’s relationship with DEA agent Marcus Sanchez (Gerardo Celasco), who is a recovering heroin addict looking to cement his career by taking down the Buckleys.

To settle a score with her brother Cane, who testified against her and cost her her son, Bree feeds Marcus information until she realises the ramifications of her actions. 

Amid Harlan and Cane attempting to put out fires, Belle tries to save the family legacy by getting into bed, literally, with Wes Benson (Dave Annable).

Harlan attempts to outsmart Clyde by directly approaching his supplier, Grady (Topher Grace). This decision leaves him in a difficult position, caught between safeguarding his family and appeasing his new psychopathic boss's excessive demands. 

“The Waterfront” is laden with plenty of tense moments and curveballs. And it is compounded by the arrival of Shawn West (Rafael L. Silva), the new bartender who also happens to be Harlan’s illegitimate son.

That’s not forgetting Cane’s high school sweetheart Jenna Tate (Humberly González) moving back to town to take care of her ailing father. 

Despite both of them being married, the chemistry is unmistakable, especially to Cane’s wife, Peyton (Danielle Campbell).

The casting is phenomenal in this series. McCallany’s commanding presence is wonderfully offset by Bello as his take-charge wife. 

Confident, unfazed and ambitious, she brings a forward-thinking dynamic to the family. 

Weary initially comes across as endearingly naive, but streamers quickly warm to him. He proves his mettle and demonstrates he is his father's son through his sacrifices and occasional blunders.

Benoist commendably portrays her conflicted character, balancing her role as a mother striving to reconcile with her rebellious son and her duty to her family. Despite being the black sheep of the family, she’s as tough as nails and doesn’t buckle under pressure. 

Grace wields his ruthless side with wild abandon and commendable dexterity, all while maintaining a dangerously calm disposition and an undeniable charm.

“The Waterfront” seamlessly blends the gritty intensity of “Ozark” with the compelling drama of “The Sopranos”. Its script is a taut, engaging, and adrenaline-fuelled, masterfully navigating between danger and drama.

It can get a bit soap-esque at times, but you will lap up every bit of mayhem and victory, especially with a sequel hinted at the end.

∎ Rating: 4/5 **** a standout series with exceptional qualities.