Netflix’s new crime drama, The Waterfront, has quickly proven itself to be a must-watch summer series. However, the streamer is known for producing some of the most tense and mysterious shows within this genre, including an older project that’s no less exciting to watch today. The Waterfront has violent death scenes and high drama, making for a shocking but intriguing watch that viewers have gotten tangled up in. However, both the characters and the series’ mystery alike make it similar to some of Netflix’s other works.
Since The Waterfront is Netflix’s top show right now, audiences are binge-watching the series and diving headfirst into the dark twists and turns of the project. However, with only eight episodes and no official confirmation that the show will be returning for season 2, though it seems likely, viewers will need to fill the hole left by The Waterfront. The good news is that Netflix already has the perfect follow-up available to stream on the platform, and audiences can watch all five seasons right now.
Netflix’s Ozark Is The Perfect TV Show To Watch After Finishing The Waterfront
Ozark Paved The Way For The Success Of The Waterfront
Starring Jason Bateman and Laura Linney as Marty and Wendy Byrde, a married couple entangled in drug trafficking and money laundering in the Ozark region of Missouri, Ozark is a crime drama audiences shouldn’t miss. Premiering in 2017 and running for four seasons on Netflix, Ozark was critically acclaimed but never found the record-breaking audience numbers of some of the streamer’s other shows. However, in the wake of the success of The Waterfront, this is the perfect opportunity to revisit the series.
While not underrated, thanks to its stellar cast and unique storytelling, it’s time for viewers to rediscover the series and remember how thrilling it was to watch while it was airing. In some ways, Ozark paved the way for The Waterfront because there are so many similarities between the projects. Though Ozark is a little moodier at times, it will scratch the same itch for audiences who are already missing watching the Buckleys tangle with each other in The Waterfront​​​​​​.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Ozark (2017–2022) |
82% |
86% |
Ozark Tackled Similar Themes To The Waterfront, 8 Years Earlier
Family Drama, Crime, & Betrayal All Take Center Stage In Both Series
While The Waterfront centers on a fishing empire and the long-standing roots the central family, the Buckleys, have in the town, there are still many parallels to draw between the series and Ozark. Both deal with tight-knit regions and communities controlled by the most powerful and profitable families. Ozark sees the Byrdes enter into this existing ecosystem as interlopers trying to navigate the long-standing social dynamics. Conversely, The Waterfront focuses on a more dynastic family trying to hold onto their influence.
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However, the violence, stakes, and examinations of these social and cultural rules in more rural regions of the U.S. draw a clear connection between The Waterfront and Ozark. Additionally, both casts are anchored by veteran performers who keep the audience on the edge of their seats in every episode. The Waterfront features performances by Holt McCallany, Melissa Benoist, and Topher Grace, lending credibility to the project and helping the audience take the story seriously as it becomes more unbelievable, as well as more compelling.
The Waterfront Could Surpass Ozark If Netflix Renews It For More Seasons
The Waterfront Has Already Found Its Audience
The Waterfront isn’t just Netflix’s Ozark replacement, as the show has the opportunity to resolve some of the issues that Ozark faced in the later seasons. Ozark‘s series finale, “A Hard Way To Go,” was divisive among audiences and fans, and The Waterfront can easily avoid this problem. Though there’s only been one season of The Waterfront, the popularity is a good indicator that the show could sustain itself over several seasons, becoming Netflix’s next great crime drama.
The Waterfront hasn’t had the same critical reviews as Ozark, earning a more lukewarm reception.
There are plenty of ways that The Waterfront can go even further than Ozark did, and based on the series’ performance, it feels likely that the streamer will renew the crime drama for additional seasons. While The Waterfront hasn’t had the same critical reviews as Ozark, earning a more lukewarm reception, this doesn’t mean that the show can’t improve in quality as the years progress. What The Waterfront does have on its side is audience appreciation, and this can be even more effective in propelling the series into success and longevity.
Ozark
- Release Date
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2017 – 2022-00-00
- Showrunner
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Bill Dubuque
- Directors
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Bill Dubuque
