The Waterfront Season 2: What to Expect?

Netflix’s ‘The Waterfront’ centers on the Buckley family, who fall into a criminal spiral in an effort to protect themselves. Over the course of eight episodes, we watch each member of the family struggle for survival, plagued by their own problems that aggravate the overall challenges for the family. The season ends with the Buckleys doing away with a major problem, but that doesn’t mean that they can walk away from all the bad things they have done. The ending points towards even bigger challenges for them, which promises exciting plot lines for the following season. As of now, Netflix has not renewed the show, but should that happen, the expected timeline of production would lead ‘The Waterfront’ Season 2 to air sometime in late 2026. SPOILERS AHEAD.

The Waterfront Season 2 Might Focus on a Civil War Within the Family

‘The Waterfront’ Season 1 ends with Grady’s death and the Buckleys recovering from the damage he inflicted. Still, the Parkers have entered the picture, and while Harlan is preoccupied with other things at the moment, his wife is already making moves that could lead to a conflict that the Buckleys might not be able to survive. A major point of dispute between Harlan and Belle is her decision to sell his mother’s land even when she knew he would never approve of it. She tries to broker a deal with Wes Benson, but when she decides to walk away from it, he decides to use the family’s destitute finances to lay his claim on the land.

With the Buckleys forming a professional alliance with the Parkers, there is no need to sell anything anymore, as, according to the deal, they will have the money to pay off their debts. However, Wes remains a problem, and Emmett Parker offers to solve it for Belle, under the condition that she takes over the business from Harlan. Considering that her husband is entirely unaware of this scheme, it is clear that once this secret alliance between Belle and the Parkers comes to light, he will not be happy about it.

Another thing that needs to be considered is that the Parkers killed Harlan’s father, and while he may have agreed to let bygones be bygones, one cannot expect him to completely forget about what was done to his father. It is possible that he may have been biding his time to get his family out of trouble, and then stab the Parkers where it hurts them to get his revenge. If his wife shakes hands with them, it will put the couple in conflict while also creating division, forcing their children and other allies to choose sides.

The Waterfront Season 2 Will Delve Deeper Into the Buckleys’ Past

In the first season of ‘The Waterfront,’ we discover that this is not the first time the Buckley family has run drugs for criminals. Harlan’s father, Beau Buckley, used to be a drug runner for the Parkers, but when things ended brutally for them, Harlan decided not to walk down that road anymore, until Belle and Cane opened that door again. The first season entirely focuses on the family trying to solve their current problems, but it also hints at the conflicts of the past that have led them here. The second season is expected to build upon that, especially when it comes to Beau and Harlan’s prior dealings with the Parkers.

At the same time, the second season is also expected to give more space to the characters who have been on the sidelines so far. While Bree is a Buckley, her struggle with addiction leads her family to keep her out of the loop with their problems. Now, however, she is up to date on most of the stuff, especially after she helps her mother get rid of two dead bodies and is almost killed by Grady. She asked for more involvement in Season 1, and it seems that she might just get it in Season 2. However, she won’t be the only Buckley to expand their role in the family business.

The ending suggests that Cane’s wife, Peyton, is also fed up with sitting on the sidelines, especially now that her husband has come clean about all the mess that he made and the problems that have been generated from it. Seeing that he is not able to handle stuff on his own, Peyton might step up and assume a more influential role in what happens next for the family. At the same time, Shawn will also become instrumental in how things turn out for the family, especially if he is forced to choose sides.

The Waterfront Season 2 Will Introduce New Villains for the Buckleys

The first season of ‘The Waterfront’ ends with Grady’s death, which means that Topher Grace’s villain is out of the picture now. However, this doesn’t mean that his family will let things slide, which opens the possibility of Grady’s family and friends coming out of the woodwork to get revenge on the Buckleys. At the same time, we expect to see an expanded cast and learn more about the Parkers. Terry Serpico and Gerry Bamman are expected to reprise their roles as Emmett and Jeb Parker, with more actors joining the cast to give a better insight into who the Parkers really are and what threat they pose to the protagonists.

Because ‘The Waterfront’ would be nothing without the Buckleys, the entire main cast (Holt McCallany, Maria Bello, Jake Weary, and Melissa Benoist) is expected to reprise their roles. We will also see Danielle Campbell’s Peyton assuming a bigger role, along with Brady Hepner, who plays Diller, Bree’s son. Rafael L. Silva’s Shawn will also be pushed out of the sidelines and into the action. Dave Annable’s Wes Benson might also return in a recurring role, but characters like Humberly González’s Jenna might not return, given that her storyline with Cane has already been resolved.