Warning! Spoilers for The Waterfront season 1 ahead!
The Waterfrontseason 1 introduced us to the Buckleys, and the ending effectively set up an intriguing continued story for each family member. The eight-episode-long Netflix series picked up with a drug transport gone wrong, placing the Buckleys' fishery in hot water. It’s revealed that Cane and his mother, Belle, had started using their fishing boats as part of a heroin operation, something Harlan Buckley used to do with his dad back in the day. However, Cane quickly realized that he was in over his head and that Harlan would have to get back involved.
The primary issue for the Buckleys inThe Waterfrontseason 1 was their crippled finances. Getting back into the heroin business was a way to patch things up temporarily, but Belle came up with a larger plan to develop several parcels of land owned by the Buckleys—something Harlan knew nothing about. However, after Belle’s guilt led her to drop the deal with Wes, the man bought up their debt from the bank to leverage the land anyway.It took more dirty business to take care of Wes, while Cane and Harlan handled the unpredictableGrady inThe Waterfrontseason 1’s ending.
Is Belle Taking Over The Buckley Empire After The Waterfront’s Season 1 Ending?
The Parkers Want Mrs. Buckley In Charge
After Cane and Harlan handled Grady, the only thing standing in the Buckleys' way was Wes. Since the family couldn’t pay off the debt he had purchased from the bank, he stood to essentially take ownership of the Buckleys' entire empire. Out of desperation, Belle turned to request help from the Parkers. This powerful familyagreed to step in and take care of Wes and the land deal, but only if Belle were to take over the Buckley business. The final scene ofThe Waterfrontseason 1 sees Belle introduced as the “new boss"to a battered and bloodied Wes.
With the land deal taken care of, the Parkers will surely hold Belle to their agreement. However, she was supposed to discuss this with Harlan before coming to the fish house to meet Emmett. Belle didn’t say a word about it to her husband, which means this marriage is only going to get more complicated asThe Waterfrontseason 2 unfolds. Perhaps Belle has another plan, butit certainly seems as if she has no choice but to usurp her husband’s position in the Buckley Empire.
The Buckley Family’s Partnership With Emmett Parker Explained
The Buckleys Chose The Lesser Of Two Evils
It’s made perfectly clear inThe Waterfrontthat the Parkers shouldn’t be taken lightly. Years ago, when Harlan and his father were running the Buckley business together, they teamed up with the Parkers' drug cartel to develop massive amounts of wealth. A great deal of the influence the Buckleys still have in Havenport is thanks to the Parkers, and they haven’t forgotten that fact. However, things went sour between the two families.
It’s ultimately revealed inThe Waterfrontseason 1 that Harlan’s father betrayed the Parkers, and this ultimately got the man killed. Still,when stuck between Grady and the Parkers, the choice was clear. Harlan has a dirty history with Jeb and Emmett, but they are far less unpredictable than the Buckleys' new supplier. So, he and Cane got back into bed with the Parkers with a long-term deal. Of course, they have no idea that Belle has her own arrangement with this dangerous family.
How Harlan & Cane Got Away With Killing Grady
The Whole Thing Was Quickly Cleaned Up
Though the Parkers are dangerous, they are at least predictably savvy businessmen. Grady, on the other hand, was a completely loose cannon. There was no way that the Buckleys could continue working with the man, so they swallowed their pride and asked the Parkers to take care of him. Unfortunately, the assassination attempt failed. In response, Grady kidnapped Bree and brought her out to the middle of the ocean. Harlan and Cane ultimately came to her rescue, andthe intense conflict ended with Grady taking several bullets to the head.
Later, Harlan reminded his son that it had been necessary to shoot Grady. This was Cane’s first kill, and it had been a difficult deed to carry out. However, it was likely the only way to save Bree, and Cane knew it. Of course, there was still the law to worry about, but Harlan handled this fairly easily.The new interim sheriff, Drew, is deeply loyal to Harlan, so he scrubbed and destroyed all the evidence. As far as anyone could tell, Grady had left town or simply disappeared without a trace.
Is Cane Done With Jenna? His Future With Peyton Explained
Peyton’s Ready To Pretend That Nothing Happened
It was pretty clear early on inThe Waterfrontthat Cane and Jenna have a lot of leftover chemistry. Peyton picked up on it, too, which is precisely why she took off for her mom’s early on in season 1. After her suspicions were confirmed, Peyton attempted to confront Jenna about sleeping with her husband. However, she couldn’t bring herself to treat the woman poorly since Jenna’s father had just passed away.Peyton’s kindness inspired Jenna to put an end to her relationship with Canein the finale ofThe Waterfrontseason 1.
With Jenna’s new boundary in place, Cane returned home to Peyton to apologize. During this scene,we see a profound similarity between Cane and Peyton’s marriage and that of Harlan and Belle. Peyton forgave the infidelity and decided to plow ahead with their lives, while Cane made low-effort apologies and agreed to do whatever she told him to. Their marriage may not be healthy, but it seems it will at least continue intoThe Waterfrontseason 2.
Bree’s Survival & What Her Trauma Means For The Waterfront Season 2
Bree’s Tragic Story Explained
Grady shot Bree in the leg inThe Waterfrontseason 1 and tossed her into the water. She surely would have died had Diller not tossed a rescue pack toward her, allowing Bree to climb aboard the raft, slow the bleeding from her leg, and await rescue.Harlan, Cane, and Shawn got to her just in time, and after an operation at the hospital, Bree came out alive. This near-death experience helped Bree process her childhood trauma, but she still has a difficult journey ahead of her.
While Bree lay dying in the raft, she imagined herself comforting and soothing her child self in the closet all those years prior. This symbolized Bree’s own self-acceptance and forgiveness.
Bree is a recovering addict and, prior to the start ofThe Waterfront, she lost custody of her son Diller when she set fire to the house while he was inside. Bree’s addiction is linked to her experience as a child when her grandfather was murdered in front of her. She hid in the closet while Emmett Parker committed the crime, and when she came out,she watched Beau Buckley take his final breaths. Years later, the experience still haunts Bree, and it has impacted nearly all her relationships. Now, however, Bree may stand a better chance at healing.
Will Shawn Really Stay In Havenport?
Shawn Must Decide If He Really Wants To Be A Buckley
Shawn may not have the name Buckley, but it was established inThe Waterfrontseason 1 that he is Harlan’s son. He came to Havenport after his mother’s death, hoping to get to know his father, butShawn got far more than he had bargained for. Harlan tried to keep his son out of the mess with Grady, but he got dragged in nonetheless. Ultimately, Shawn helped in the efforts to save Bree and proved himself quite resilient. Still,it’s clear that thisThe Waterfrontcharacter is uncomfortable with what it really means to be a Buckley.
Shawn will have to make a decision about whether he is all in or if he’d be better off walking away from Havenport forever.
It appeared as if Shawn was going to stay in Havenport, but his hesitancy at the end ofThe Waterfrontseason 1 hints that this won’t be so simple. Things are only going to get more complicated with this family going forward, so Shawn will have to make a decision about whether he is all in or if he’d be better off walking away from Havenport forever.
How The Waterfront’s Ending Sets Up Season 2
There’s More Left To The Buckleys' Story
The Waterfrontseason 1 left things all lined up to continue into further episodes. A potential season 2 will have to answer for Belle’s cliffhanger, which is all the more intriguing sinceHarlan still has no idea that the land deal and Wes have been dealt with(or that his wife is now in charge in the eyes of the Parkers). Additionally,The Waterfront’s sophomore season must carry Cane and Peyton’s story forward and answer whether things are really all good between this couple. Then there is Bree, who is far from out of the woods regarding her recovery. In all, there’s a lot to look forward to.
