The Waterfront is bringing family drama to Netflix. The show, which stars Holt McCallany, Maria Bello, Melissa Benoist, Jake Weary, and Topher Grace has just premiered on Netflix, and the Ozark meets Yellowstone vibes are not the only thing people have instantly been latching onto. Another one of the perennial questions about new TV shows keeps being asked about this one: where exactly does the show take place, and where was it filmed?
As is often the case on TV, the answer to both questions is different.
The Waterfront is set in a fictional town
The Netflix family saga, which follows the Buckley family, is set in the coastal city of Haventown, North Carolina. Wondering if you can visit? The answer is sadly no. Haventown isn’t a real place. But that doesn’t mean creator Kevin Williamson didn’t pull from what he knows. He only has one rule when it comes to TV writing, as he told Tudum: “I always write about what I know.”
If Dawson’s Creek was about “growing up in a small town on the creek in North Carolina” and The Vampire Diaries was about his childhood passion for Dark Shadows, then The Waterfront is “a little more adult Kevin. It’s me looking back on my life growing up. It’s reflection, it’s nostalgic, it’s a little bit of a memory piece,” he explained to Netflix. “But it’s also set in today’s world, it’s current, and it’s a story about a broken family trying to fix themselves and not really knowing how.”
MORE: Here’s where you recognize the cast of The Waterfront from
Where was The Waterfront filmed?
As is often the case for Williamson, who was born in New Bern, North Carolina, and has filmed shows like Dawson’s Creek and movies like I Know What You Did Last Summer in the state, The Waterfront was also filmed in North Carolina. In fact, it was filmed in Wilmington and Southport, with several recognizable spots for both featured prominently in the show.
The Waterfront synopsis reads. “For decades, the Buckley family has ruled Havenport, North Carolina, dominating everything from the local fishing industry to the town’s restaurant scene. But their fishing empire has started to crumble as patriarch Harlan Buckley (Holt McCallany) recovers from two heart attacks, and his wife Belle (Maria Bello) and son Cane (Jake Weary) venture into the deep end to keep the family businesses afloat. As their attempts spiral out of control and into treacherous waters, Harlan steps back in to take command. Facing her own demons, Buckley daughter Bree (Melissa Benoist) — an addict in recovery who’s lost custody of her son Diller (Brady Hepner) — finds herself entangled in a complicated relationship that could threaten the family’s future forever.”
Will you be watching The Waterfront? Share with us in the comments below!
Netflix’s The Waterfront is now available to stream.
