Netflix’s New Ozark Substitute Present Turns into International Streaming Hit Days After Launch

Netflix’s new Ozark substitute sequence, The Waterfront, has surged up the worldwide streaming charts after premiering on Thursday, June 19, 2025. Created by Kevin Williamson of Scream and Dawson’s Creek acclaim, The Waterfront has held the #1 spot on Netflix’s world TV streaming charts for the previous week for English-language exhibits. In its opening week, it generated 8.3 million views to develop into the most-watched sequence on Netflix over the past full week of June 2025. It surpassed one other fashionable Netflix sequence, Ginny & Georgia season 3, which pulled in 8.1 million views over the identical interval.

Holt McCallany leads the solid of The Waterfront alongside Jake Weary, Melissa Benoist, Maria Bello, Rafael L. Silva, and Humberly González. Topher Grace visitor stars because the zany season 1 antagonist Grady. The Waterfront earned a 70% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is already producing buzz for a possible season 2, which Williamson already has plans for if and when Netflix offers him the inexperienced gentle. In the identical vein as Ozark, The Waterfront follows a seemingly good household in a scenic city who harbor darkish secrets and techniques, together with having a drug smuggling operation masquerading as a decent enterprise.

What The Waterfront’s Streaming Success Means For Its Renewal Possibilities

The Waterfront Hopes To Keep Afloat As Netflix’s Most-Considered New Present In June

The Waterfront seems to shut out June 2025 because the most-watched new unique Netflix sequence heading into the beginning of summer season. The true take a look at of its present viewership dominance shall be seeing how lengthy the sequence can keep its lofty standing on the worldwide streaming charts. With the approaching launch of Squid Sport season 3 on June 27, there’s just about zero likelihood that The Waterfront will end June within the primary total TV spot on Netflix. Nevertheless, it might shut out the month by nonetheless main on the English-language chart, which might nonetheless be a significant accomplishment heading into the 4th of July weekend.

How The Waterfront performs on Netflix’s streaming charts in its second week ought to be a significant figuring out think about its season 2 renewal possibilities. At a look, The Waterfront had a stronger first week of viewership than Netflix’s mid-April launch, Ransom Canyon, which was simply renewed for a second season. That stated, Ransom Canyon improved from its first-week viewership of seven.2 million to a second-week viewership of 9.4 million, holding a place in Netflix’s Prime 10 TV Exhibits (English-language, United States) for 4 consecutive weeks. The Waterfront will seemingly must comply with an analogous trajectory if it hopes to return for a second season.

Our Take On The Waterfront Changing into An Immediate Netflix Streaming Hit

The Waterfront Acquired The Similar RT Acclaim As Ozark Season 1

The Waterfront might not have the general acclaim or viewership as Ozark, however it’s really proper on tempo with the celebrated Jason Bateman-led crime sequence, which gained 4 Emmys and lasted 4 seasons on Netflix. Ozark season 1 debuted with an an identical Rotten Tomatoes rating of 70% as The Waterfront season 1, which is a powerful indication of its renewal possibilities.

In my evaluate of The Waterfront season 1, I famous that the sequence in its present type felt like a watered-down model of Ozark and was vastly enhanced by Topher Grace’s unhinged villain. In the end, as a Netflix sequence, The Waterfront will both reside or die due to its viewership numbers, not a lot its vital acclaim, which shall be decided this summer season.