One of Netflix's newest arrivals is The Waterfront, already dubbed 'Dawson's Creek for adults', which sounds like perfect weekend viewing to us. It's even created by the same person: Kevin Williamson.
Starring Jake Weary, Melissa Benoist, Danielle Campbell, Mario Bello and Holt McCallany, this drama is bound to introduce you to some new faces too.
But is the new show worth watching? Is it genuinely gripping or just a good comfort watch? Read below to find out.
What is The Waterfront about?
Set in the fictional seaside town, Havenport, North Carolina, this eight-part Netflix series follows the prominent yet dysfunctional family, the Buckleys, as they try to keep their decaying fishing empire afloat by entering the dangerous world of the drug trade. It doesn't sound too far off last summer's hit show, The Perfect Couple, or any of the Harlan Coben series, so if you liked any of those then this one might be worth a try.
Is there a trailer for The Waterfront?
Yes, you can watch the official trailer for the series below.
Is The Waterfront worth watching? The reviews are in...
Nick Hilton at The Independent gave the series three stars, describing it as 'predictable to a fault' but 'hard not to keep watching'.
The Guardian's Lucy Mangan agrees, giving The Waterfront three stars too. 'Twists come thick and fast, there's tons of plot and action is set in a water-based community,' she writes. 'The creator of the '90s megahit's new show is an opportunity to wallow in nostalgia – albeit with added drug running.'
It is described as 'highly bingeable' by Variety too. Aramide Tinubu explains the series is inspired by Williamson's father, who was a fisherman and began smuggling drugs in the 1980s to make ends meet. 'The Waterfront is a highly entertaining series about four people willing to do anything to hold on to their legacy, even if it means turning on each other in the process,' reads the review.
The New York Times' Margaret Lyons praised the show for bringing 'more murder to Netflix'. 'The show is one of many to follow the Yellowstone model, a family saga of violence and secrets, of huffy men and sly women, of distinctive names. It is also about land that's been in this family for generations, gosh darn it – land that's our legacy if only the cruelties of debt and developers would abate,' she writes.
It might only have a 67% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an audience rating of 3.9, but the reviews are largely positive. This is a watchable, familiar show with all the twists and turns audiences are looking for. If you have a day to yourself to lie on the sofa away from the heat, you know what to do.
Nikki Peach is a writer at Grazia UK, working across entertainment, TV and news. She has also written for the i, i-D and the New Statesman Media Group and covers all things pop culture for Grazia (treating high and lowbrow with equal respect).