The Waterfront begins with the Buckley family struggling to maintain control over their fishing empire in the coastal town of Havenport, North Carolina. Patriarch Harlan Buckley is recovering from two heart attacks, which weakens his direct control over the family business. His wife Belle and son Cane take on more responsibility, but the family is deeply in debt and their fishing operations are failing. To keep their business afloat, the Buckleys resort to using their fishing boats to smuggle drugs, a dangerous move that entangles them with local criminal elements.

Grady, a local drug enforcer, attempts to strong-arm Harlan into compliance with his demands, but Harlan resists, sparking a violent turf war. This conflict results in several casualties among Grady's men, escalating tensions between the Buckleys and the local drug families. Unable to handle the situation alone, the Buckleys strike a deal with a larger drug family, the Parkers, to protect their interests. However, Grady retaliates by killing two of the Parkers' men, further complicating the power struggle.

Grady then kidnaps Bree Buckley, Harlan's daughter, and accidentally also takes her young son Diller hostage on his yacht. This act is meant to force Harlan's hand in the ongoing conflict. Diller had stowed away in the bow of the yacht and is discovered during the kidnapping. Bree attempts to escape by jumping overboard but is shot in the leg and thrown into the sea. Despite her injury, Diller helps her survive by tossing her a lifeboat. Meanwhile, Cane and Shawn, another family member, secretly hide on the yacht and launch a surprise attack on Grady and his men.

During the confrontation on the yacht, Grady taunts Cane, calling him weak. In response, Cane kills Grady with a bullet to the head, causing Grady to fall into the sea and die. This violent showdown ends the immediate threat posed by Grady and his faction.

Following Grady's death, the Buckleys negotiate a deal with Emmett Parker, the head of the Parker drug family. They agree to run drugs for the Parkers for one year to settle their debts and prevent foreclosure on their land and business assets. Emmett appoints Belle Buckley to oversee the Buckley operations, a move that she keeps secret from Harlan. This arrangement secures the family's business but places them under the Parkers' control.

Sheriff Sawyer aligns himself with Harlan and the Buckleys, helping to cover up the violent altercation by disposing of all evidence related to the yacht confrontation. This ensures that the Buckleys avoid legal repercussions and can continue their operations without police interference.

In the aftermath, the Buckley family begins to heal and reorganize. Bree survives her ordeal and starts to mend her fractured relationship with the family. Shawn earns the family's trust and is fully embraced as a Buckley. Cane returns to his partner Peyton, signaling a return to some semblance of normalcy. However, the season ends with Belle secretly running the Buckley operation under the Parkers' influence, setting the stage for future conflicts and power struggles within the family and the criminal underworld.

The Waterfront ends with the Buckley family surviving a brutal conflict with their rival, Grady, but deeply scarred and changed by the violence and betrayals they endured. Grady is killed in a final confrontation, Bree is rescued, and the Buckleys remain alive but fractured, their family and business forever altered by their descent into crime.

The finale of The Waterfront unfolds in a tense, scene-by-scene progression:

The episode opens with Bree regaining consciousness after being kidnapped by Grady's men. She is disoriented but determined, setting the stage for the Buckleys' desperate efforts to save her. Meanwhile, Harlan and Cane are reeling from the failed attempt to eliminate Grady through a deal with the Parker cartel, which only escalated the danger to their family.

Grady, seeking leverage, has abducted Bree to force Harlan to betray the Parkers. The Buckleys, with help from allies Tim and Reggie, launch a rescue mission. This mission is fraught with peril, as they navigate the treacherous waters of Havenport's criminal underworld. The Buckleys manage to destroy Grady's drug stash, striking a blow to his operation.

The climax occurs on Grady's boat, where Harlan and Cane confront him. Grady tries to negotiate, attempting to manipulate Harlan with words, but the confrontation quickly turns violent. In a bloody showdown, Grady is killed, ending his reign of terror.

Bree is rescued, physically and emotionally shaken but alive. The family is reunited, but the cost is evident. Harlan, Cane, Belle, and Bree are no longer the same people who started the season. They have killed enemies, defended themselves fiercely, and gained strength, but at the expense of their innocence and unity.

The final scenes emphasize survival over justice. The Buckleys remain in Havenport, their fishing business now a front for their criminal dealings. The show closes on a somber note, with the family bound together by blood and hardship, facing an uncertain future.

In terms of character fates:

• Harlan Buckley survives but is physically weakened and emotionally burdened by the violence and betrayals.
• Cane Buckley emerges as a hardened leader, having taken ruthless actions to protect the family.
• Bree Buckley is rescued from captivity but carries the trauma of her ordeal.
• Belle Buckley remains with the family, her role more subdued but integral to their survival.

The ending leaves some questions unanswered, hinting at ongoing struggles and the possibility of future conflicts, but firmly establishes that the Buckleys have transformed from a struggling fishing family into a formidable criminal enterprise, shaped by the brutal realities of their world.

Yes, several characters die in the 2025 TV show The Waterfront, and their deaths are significant to the plot and character development.

1. Curtis and Troy
   They are the first to die, killed in the very first episode during an ambush on the fishing trawler Miss Glory, which belongs to Cane Buckley. Armed thugs attack the vessel, and Curtis and Troy, crew members, are killed in this violent opening scene. Their deaths set the tone for the series' high-stakes and dangerous maritime crime environment.

2. Clyde
   Clyde's death is covered up by Harlan and Belle to look like an accident. Harlan then plans to get close to his sons to cover up the murder. This death is part of the family's dark secrets and the lengths they go to protect their business and reputation.

3. Grady
   Grady, a villainous drug supplier desperate for Harlan's approval, dies in a dramatic climax. During a gunfight and chase on his yacht, Grady is cornered by Harlan and Cane. After taunting Cane about his courage, Cane shoots Grady multiple times in the head, killing him instantly. This moment is pivotal, showing Cane stepping into a more ruthless role within the family business.

4. Harlan's Grandfather (mentioned in Bree's flashback)
   Bree has a traumatic flashback to when her grandfather was tortured and killed in his own home. This event deeply affects her character and motivations throughout the series, including her struggles with addiction and custody battles.

Additional deaths and violent events occur throughout the series, reflecting the dangerous and violent world the Buckley family inhabits, but these are the main named characters whose deaths are explicitly detailed and significant to the storyline.

The deaths are mostly violent, tied to the crime and drug smuggling operations central to the plot, and serve to escalate tensions and character arcs within the Buckley family and their adversaries.

The TV show "The Waterfront" (2025) does not have a traditional post-credit scene. The series ends with the final episode resolving major plot points, including Cane shooting Grady and Bree surviving her ordeal, followed by the end credits accompanied by a soundtrack piece titled "The Waterfront End Credits" by John Frizzell.

There is no indication from available sources of an additional scene after the credits that would serve as a post-credit teaser or extra content. The final episode's conclusion and the subsequent credits appear to be the last narrative elements presented.

In the episode 'Hunting Season,' Bree Buckley is kidnapped by Grady, who sails out to sea to exchange her for Harlan Buckley. Diller, Bree's son, stows away in the bow and is discovered. Bree attempts to escape but is shot in the leg and thrown into the sea. Harlan, who was supposed to come out alone, hides Cane and Shawn, who then overtake Grady and his men. They rescue Bree and Diller. During the confrontation, Cane kills Grady, who falls into the sea.

With patriarch Harlan Buckley recovering from two heart attacks, his wife Belle and son Cane venture into risky and illegal activities to keep the family businesses afloat. They eventually make a deal with Emmett to run drugs for one year to settle debts and retain their land assets, with Belle put in charge to oversee the Buckley operations.

Bree Buckley is an addict in recovery who has lost custody of her son Diller. She faces her own demons and becomes entangled in a complicated relationship that threatens the family's future. Bree also struggles with feeling like an outcast within the family, which is a key emotional dynamic explored in the series.

Cane Buckley is the son who stayed behind in the family fishing business and never sought a bigger life. He is involved in the dangerous activities the family undertakes to keep their empire afloat, including the violent rescue of Bree during her kidnapping. Cane is portrayed as a complex character who is both loyal and capable of violence to protect the family.

Sheriff Sawyer aligns with Harlan Buckley and helps dispose of all evidence related to the altercation involving Grady and the Buckleys, effectively covering up the violent events to protect the family and their interests.

The Waterfront (2025) is not family friendly and contains several elements that may be objectionable or upsetting for children and sensitive viewers.

Key potentially upsetting content includes:

• Drug-related themes and violence: The show centers on a family involved in drug smuggling and the criminal underworld, featuring drug addiction references (heroin, pills, alcoholism) and drug-related violence that can be bloody and graphic, including a close-range shooting with blood and brain matter splatter.

• Moderate violence and gore: There are scenes of moderate violence, including shootings and physical confrontations, some with graphic blood effects.

• Mild sexual content and nudity: There are a few scenes with mild sexual content, including a couple having sex and brief male nudity showing backside and pubic hair.

• Moderate profanity: The series contains moderate use of strong language, including multiple uses of the F-word and other profanities.

• Alcohol, drugs, and smoking: These are heavily featured throughout the series, with severe depiction of substance abuse and addiction issues.

• Frightening and intense scenes: The show includes moderate levels of intense and suspenseful moments, including kidnapping and life-threatening situations.

Given these elements, The Waterfront is intended for mature audiences and is unsuitable for children or viewers sensitive to drug use, violence, sexual content, and strong language.