Netflxi has canceled a fan-favorite Netflix series from the creator of Dawson’s Creek and the Scream franchise.
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Kevin Williamson’s crime drama series The Waterfront will not return for a second season, according to Deadline. Sources say Williamson has informed the cast and crew about the streamer’s decision to end the show.
Deadline reports that the news is surprising, as The Waterfront performed well after its June 19 release. The series, a family drama starring Holt McCallany, Jake Weary, Melissa Benoist, and Maria Bello, follows North Carolina’s influential Buckley family. It spent five weeks in Netflix’s global Top 10 for English-language series, including three weeks at No. 1, with 11.6 million views in its first full week.
This surpasses the performance of another new drama series recently renewed by Netflix, Ransom Canyon. The show spent four weeks in the Top 10, reaching a peak position at No. 2 with 9.4 million views during its first full week. Similarly, another renewed freshman drama, Forever (set for 2025), also enjoyed a four-week run in the Top 10, climbing to No. 3 with 6.7 million views.
The Waterfront Had Much Better Numbers Than Two Other New Dramas Canceled by Netflix
The Waterfront performed much better than Netflix’s other two canceled freshman dramas this year, Pulse and The Residence. Both shows spent four weeks in the Top 10, with Pulse peaking at No. 3 with 8.5M views and The Residence at No. 2 with 8.8M views.
Netflix renewal decisions focus on performance versus cost, factoring in views, completion rates, awards, social media buzz, and audience type. Sources told Deadline in August that the rate for The Waterfront was good, but Netflix decided not to renew it due to low viewership and completion rates.
The Waterfront is produced by Universal Television. Netflix may have stricter renewal criteria for external productions. Universal TV recently secured quick renewals for its Netflix shows The Man On Inside and Four Seasons.
Meanwhile, creator Kevin Williamson shared his thoughts on social media, reflecting on the series’ cancellation after Deadline‘s report.
“While I’m sad the Buckleys won’t be back for Season 2, I’m celebrating the joy that was Season 1,” Williamson wrote on his Instagram stories on August 25. “It was one of the best experiences of my life!”