July 12, 2025

The Waterfront: Here is what happens to everyone at the end of Season One

We have made it to the end of season one of “The Waterfront”, and the Buckleys found themselves in a bind at the end of the pentultimate episode.

Let’s sort out what happens to everyone at the end.

Setting the table: Grady has taken Bree hostage on his yacht, leaving Harlan, Cane, and Shawn tasked with rescuing her.

Harlan Buckley: Harlan rescues his daughter at sea and manages to keep his family in one piece. The last we see of him, he’s reconciled with his wife, made peace with his son and daughter, and hasn’t seemed like he’s learned his lesson, smiling and drinking like he would do it all over again. Folks, Holt McCallany is 61 years old. I hope I’m still in a fraction of the kind of shape he is. Dude, can still do entertaining action.

Belle Buckley: Well, someone has to clean up the bodies. Belle was the only member of the immediate Buckley family not on the yacht during the shootout. She does broker a deal with the Parkers to save the empire and gets revenge on Wes. The last shot of the season is her considering what to do with her ex lover, bloodied and at her mercy. Maria Bello still doing it after decades of solid work.

Cane Buckley: Cane puts a bullet in Grady’s head during the boat standoff. And manages to save his marriage. He’s still not the killer his dad is, but I think that is the point. He turns over the reigns to Peyton and is shocked at his wife’s aggressiveness the last time we see him.

Bree Buckley: Bree took a bullet from Grady and fell overboard. While in a lifeboat Diller was able to throw her, she hallucinated and made peace with her younger self who witnessed her grandfather’s death. Harlan rescues her and gets her medical attention. She’s last seen hugging her son after turning down pain meds that could make her relapse again. Melissa Benoist has successfully gotten us to turn away from Supergirl.

Shawn: The feel-good character of the show fights alongside his dad and half brother on the yacht, and is in a good place with both of them in the hospital when we last see him. I love the dynamic he has with Belle. With no blood between them, there is no reason for them to be such good teammates but it works really well.

Diller: After sneaking on Grady’s boat, Diller survives the shootout and throws his mom a life raft. He’s last seen finally hugging his mom. Diller needs a lot of work creatively. You never want to be frustrated when someone shows up on screen but he really made things worse every step of the way. He doesn’t deserve the love he’s given.

Peyton: Cane was right. She was the stronger one. Peyton came back with a vengeance in the finale. She not only forgave Jenna but helped her mourn with funeral arrangements, and took control of her marriage. If “The Waterfront” continues, I’d like to see more of this kind of Peyton. The finale saved her character.

Jenna: Is last seen shooing away Cane while mourning her father. Her arc appears to be finished and that’s not a bad thing. Peyton is a far more intriguing match for Cane if we get more of this show.

Grady: You know, it’s possible all this drug kingpin really wanted was a dad. Nevertheless after taking Bree and Diller hostage on his boat, he lost the standoff and spent his last moments talking trash until Cane shot him in the mouth and he fell overboard. We last saw his body floating lifelessly in the ocean. You could argue Topher Grace breathed some much needed life into this stoic drama with his ridiculousness.

What did you think of The Waterfront? Do you want a second season? Let me know in the comments.

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