“The Waterfront” is the latest crime drama to premiere on Netflix, one that was inspired by creator Kevin Williamson’s real life.
The eight-episode drama follows the Buckley family, who see their business empire crumble in a fictional North Carolina town, leading them to turn to criminal activity to stay afloat. The show is a return to more personal fare for Williamson, having previously filmed the YA drama “Dawson’s Creek” in his home state drawing storylines from his teenage years.
But this time, “I went crazy with it,” Williamson told TheWrap. “I drew on my dad’s experience growing up. He had a bit of a run-in with the law and drug smuggling when he was younger, so I lived through that. So I fictionalized it.”
“The Waterfront” sees Buckley family patriarch Harlan (Holt McCallany), who had been in recovery after two heart attacks, take back control of the family fishing and restaurant business to help his son Cane (Jake Weary) as they descend into a different kind of fishy activity — running drugs through their fishing boats for dangerous smugglers.
In real life, Williamson’s father became a runner for a period in the ‘80s, transporting drugs as the fishing industry took a hit on the East Coast. He recalled referencing that period in his family’s life in “Dawson’s Creek,” when Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) revealed her father was in prison for conspiracy to traffic marijuana in excess of 20,000 pounds.
“Things were bad. Times got tough. The bills weren’t being paid. He made a bad decision, and he ended up paying for it,” Williamson said, having previously revealed his father was in prison while he was in college and getting out by the time he graduated.
“The Waterfront” is now streaming on Netflix.
