Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s ‘The Waterfront’ follows the turbulence in the lives of the Buckley family as they find themselves at the crossroads of how to deal with their financial situation. When Cane Buckley makes a wrong move and leads his family into a territory that they had hoped to stay away from, his father, Harlan, steps back into the game to reclaim the leadership and steer things the right way, no matter what path they must now follow. These events unfold in the small town of Havenport, which becomes a character unto itself as we delve deeper into the Buckleys’ bloodstained family history and their uncertain future.
Wilmington and Southport Stand in For the Fictional Town of Havenport
‘The Waterfront’ and its setting of Havenport are entirely fictional. The series is created by Kevin Williamson, who hails from North Carolina and often sets his stories there because of the love he holds for the place. The show runner, who has now made five projects in his native state, said that he loves North Carolina and what it has to offer so much that he wishes he could film everything there. He is particularly fond of Southport, which he calls a gorgeous coastal destination that often inspires him. This is also why Southport serves as one of the major filming locations for the Netflix series. Another town that stands in for Havenport is Wilmington, which is one of the best-known coastal towns in North Carolina. It has also emerged as a major filming location for several Hollywood productions.
While ‘The Waterfront’ is about the fictional Buckley family, Williamson was inspired by his own father’s journey from a fisherman to a small-time drug runner. Apart from influencing the characters and storyline of the show, it has also had an impact on how certain things are presented. For example, the Buckleys are fishermen by business, which means that they have a proper fish house. For this, the show’s crew created a two-story set that has all the essentials for a real fishing operation.
When Williamson arrived at the set for the first time, he was overwhelmed by how real it all looked. The show uses such intricately built sets to exhibit different sides of the Buckley family’s operations, but real life locations are also used to give a more realistic and aesthetic touch to the story. For example, for the Buckley family restaurant, a real seafood restaurant named Fishy Fishy in Wilmington was used.
Havenport’s Duality Represents the Chaos of the Buckley Family
While the drama revolves around drugs and boats, Havenport remains the soul of the story and an important plot point for the Buckleys, who are one of the most influential families in town. Instead of keeping it a passive thing in the background, Williamson intended to use it to display the duality of the characters. He wanted the place to appear as picture-perfect and idyllic to an outsider, but chaotic and bloody to someone who has seen all of its nooks and crannies. This would also be reflected in how the world sees the Buckleys as wealthy and popular ones who seem to have it all, but inside, they are hollowed out and are desperately fighting for their survival, ready to do anything to keep each other safe and alive.
Williamson wanted this to be reflected in Havenport, saying: “The worst things can happen during the day, and the best things can happen at night. We can have a beautiful walk along the moonlit ocean, and then, of course, someone can also get their face blown off.” Above all, however, using a coastal setting and placing the characters in North Carolina was a conscious move on the writer’s part because, despite the fictional nature of the town and the characters, he wanted the story to be about North Carolina, his roots, and his family’s legacy.
Read More: The Waterfront Ending Explained: Does Belle Betray Harlan?
