"The Waterfront" took Netflix by storm in the summer of 2025, mixing crime drama, family soap opera, and mystery-thriller elements to become one of the most talked-about streaming shows of the season. But in late August, the streamer made the shocking decision to axe the series after just one season. And while Netflix hasn't said precisely why it canceled "The Waterfront," it's pretty clear by now that Netflix's cancellation decisions are usually the result of disappointing numbers — either low viewership or unsustainably large budgets.

"The Watefront" debuted with a strong 8.3 million viewers in its first few days of release. In just two weeks the series became a bona fide hit, coming in at No. 1 on the Netflix ratings chart at the end of June with 11.6 million views, which accounted for

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