Netflix’s new drama,The Waterfront, has officially debuted with a respectable score on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. A crime drama focusing on a family that leads a fishing empire, the show stars Holt McCallany (Harlan Buckley), Maria Bello (Belle Buckley), Jake Weary (Cane Buckley), Melissa Benoist (Bree Buckley), and even features Topher Grace in a guest role.The Waterfront’s expansive castis not its only draw, as it was also created byScream,The Vampire Diaries, andDawson’s Creekcreator Kevin Williamson.
Williamson’s newest show has already proven to entertain critics and audiences, though audiences have been far more favorable. While theRotten Tomatoesscore is subject to change as more reviews come in,The Waterfronthas a67% Tomatometer score and an 81% Popcornmeter score. The average viewer offered a 4 out of 5 rating, which is an impressive showing, though the score and the average are each based on less than 50 reviews at the time of writing.
What This Means For The Waterfront’s Success
Word-Of-Mouth Is Essential
As a Netflix original show without any recognizable IP behind it,The Waterfrontis already beginning its run at a disadvantage in a world of increasingly IP-driven entertainment. The season was released in full, lacking the midseason breaks that have been defining many of Netflix’s recent hits, so audiences were able to see thatThe Waterfrontseason 1’s endingoffers room for a follow-up season. Unfortunately, the streaming giant has been known to cancel shows quickly if they fail to achieve expectations, sothis series needs to break out quickly, and its reviews should help.
Netflix has not yet released its global top 10 rankings for this week.
With an 81% Popcornmeter score, the show should easily be able to gain some momentum in the coming weeks. After all, if audiences enjoy the show, it will have positive word-of-mouth, driving higher viewership with every passing day. Netflix has not yet released its global top 10 rankings for this week, so it remains to be seen how it has fared againstGinny & Georgia,Sirens,Dept. Q, and other new releases. Still, the first week’s results are not likely to be as important for this series as future weeks, asit should see rising viewershipwith these reviews.
Our Take On The Waterfront’s RT Scores
The Waterfront Is Serviceable, But Not Perfect
The Popcornmeter score is impressive, but as its Tomatometer score suggests,The Waterfrontstill needs work. InScreenRant’sThe Waterfrontreview, Greg MacArthur found that it “struggles to establish an inviting sense of immersion” until partway through the series, whichcould hurt its viewership retention. Still, that positive word-of-mouth could be essential to convincing viewers to hold on until Grace arrives to steal the show. If this series is to succeed, then it will need to do so through the ready and ample praise of its audience.
