The Waterfront Recap: The Fixer

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It seems that Harlan and Grady’s partnership barely lasted a day before encountering problems. Instead of Harlan’s rule about two runs per week, it was quickly overturned by Grady. He continuously sends shipments for the Buckleys to handle, which is concerning. What’s even more alarming is that Grady made an unscheduled visit to the fish house and restaurant, using the phrase “show-and-tell” in a way that suggests he was probing Diller while causing trouble at the restaurant, particularly towards Cane Buckley. While I enjoy Grady’s flattering nicknames for Cane (“cheekbones” and “cupcake”), his actions have only intensified an already tense situation.

The Buckleys are already dealing with enough tension before Grady arrives, seemingly confirming their joint business venture. Earlier in the day, an unexpected guest, DEA agent Marcus Sanchez, appeared. Determined about this case, Marcus suspects the Buckleys’ involvement in Clyde Porter’s death and tracks it down to a trail camera on Clyde’s property. As a result, he has video evidence of Harlan and Belle at the crime scene. Instead of arresting Harlan, Marcus proposes a deal: he will destroy the footage if Harlan reveals his supplier’s name. However, Harlan isn’t interested in this offer as he doesn’t trust the DEA, and he fears Grady might betray him too.

The pressure appears to mount for the Buckleys, and Cane finds several individuals to lay the blame on. Firstly, Bree comes under suspicion due to her secret relationship with Marcus and because she’s been providing him information. In an attempt to make Marcus forget their past, Bree tells him that what they share isn’t love, which seems irrational given their addictive nature. They’re in a motel room together, trying to stay sober by indulging in each other. However, I doubt true love is present there, my dear. Cane accuses his sister of causing all the trouble and she responds by destroying everything around her. This incident causes Bree to breakdown, leading her to weep uncontrollably when her son finds her. She tells him that she’s the cause of every problem she encounters, and she can’t understand why she even tries anymore. When we see her on the dock, contemplating her poor decisions, she seems to be either planning a solution or searching for an opportunity to drink again.

Cane isn’t just pointing fingers at Bree; he’s also implicating other Buckley women due to the current state of affairs. It turns out that Wes has been secretly negotiating with the bank to consolidate the Buckleys’ loans, which could potentially strip them of their assets, including the beachfront property. Cane is furious at Belle for letting the land deal fail. His frustration spills over as he laments having to educate himself about business loans due to The Waterfront. It seems we all have our grievances, don’t we?

Cane recalls to his mother that the land deal was their last hope – their only lifeline, if you will – to avoid being indebted to Grady. He also voices his concerns about his parents’ poisonous marriage, and I must admit, I cheered at his bravery. Once more, I am left astounded by Cane, of all people, serving as The Waterfront’s messenger for truth-telling.

As Cane struggles not to lose control (he’s turning quite red, isn’t he?), Grady takes Harlan along for an errand. Meanwhile, Drew Jr., the newly appointed sheriff due to Harlan’s influence, had a run-in with Grady’s men delivering the latest shipment and found himself in a difficult situation – specifically, he was beaten up. Harlan is tasked with resolving this predicament. Unsurprisingly, Grady suggests eliminating Drew to solve the problem. However, Harlan argues that Drew is family and won’t cause issues in the future. Moreover, having the sheriff on their side would be beneficial. Interestingly, it takes more effort for Harlan to get Drew to cooperate than to convince Grady. Although we are not familiar with him yet, his emotional outburst of “I didn’t have a choice!” was quite moving – or at least, it serves as a reminder that our main characters can be ruthless. Despite this, Drew realizes he must either comply or face consequences, and reluctantly chooses the former.

In this situation, Drew unwittingly shared some sensitive information about a DEA agent, which Harlan was keen on keeping from Grady. At first, Grady appeared nonchalant (constantly making ‘pew-pew’ and ‘boop’ sounds towards Drew), but when the topic of a DEA agent surfaced, he became alarmingly serious. Harlan tried to reassure him that it wouldn’t be an issue, but when the matter was brought up again at the marina, Harlan realized that if Marcus and his video evidence didn’t disappear, Grady would undoubtedly take matters into his own hands regarding the Buckleys.

Once more, Cane attempts to uphold his virtuous nature as he pleads with his father not to venture to the motel where Marcus is staying, after witnessing his father retrieve a gun and make such plans. He emphatically declares, “We’re not like that!” This isn’t our way of behaving. However, Harlan strongly disagrees. In his view, this is precisely who they are. He warns Cane, “You’re either fully committed or you’re done.” This exchange underscores Harlan’s questionable parenting abilities. I sincerely hope that this season doesn’t lead to Cane’s descent into serious corruption. Despite his occasional foolishness, he remains our beloved fool.

To put it simply, he’s indeed a decent guy, but there’s a lot more going on with him. He accompanies Harlan to the motel because Bree seems to be involved in some trouble. However, the Buckley men discover an unexpected tragedy when they enter the room: Marcus is dead. He’s found naked and evidently overdosed after using drugs. We can assume that this situation has everything to do with Bree, as she manipulates it to her advantage.

At the motel, Bree gets extremely drunk, wallowing in self-pity about her life. She claims to be a wreck, blaming her origins and herself for being bad. While doing so, she carelessly exposes some of Marcus’s favorite drugs. Given his precarious state, this is a cruel act, and Bree is aware of it.

When she tells him that she knew she’d always have to choose between him and her family, we can infer that she has already made her choice. We don’t witness the exact events, but it’s clear that Marcus met his end under Bree’s watch. It remains uncertain whether Bree intended to kill Marcus or not, but one thing is certain: he is deceased.

Harlan is frustrated because they can’t locate the video, and for him, Marcus’ demise means one less concern. On the other hand, Cane interprets this as a warning that Bree might be in danger somewhere. He drives around Havenport in heavy rain searching for her and eventually finds her unconscious by the roadside. The video is with her, something she tried to mend. In a faint voice, she tells her brother she’s responsible when he picks her up and takes her to the car. It seems Bree is on the verge of realizing her long-desired goal: She’s no longer an outsider in the Buckley family; she’s now deeply involved with them.

Bait & Tackle

Diller’s father discovers his son has taken a new job at the fish house and forbids him from working there. He also warns him that the Buckleys are troubled individuals, a blunt but fair observation. Despite Bree’s ex being a jerk, he is only trying to protect his son. However, unbeknownst to him, now that Diller is known by Grady, I have my doubts that the boy will be safe no matter where he works.

Poor Shawn seems clueless about the situation he’s walked into. He meets with the entire family, and it’s Cane who struggles the most to accept the news. Shawn continually drops by, hoping to endear himself to Cane and clarify that, following his mother’s death, he’s seeking a sense of family and belonging. However, now isn’t the appropriate moment for this, Shawn!

Let’s refrain from informing Shawn’s partner about his belief that he’s “lost everything.” Poor fellow! He’s going through a tough time.

When Grady encounters Belle and attempts his affectionate gesture by offering a hug, she declines, saying “I don’t.” Even the tough-as-nails Harlan couldn’t escape a hug from Grady. This makes Belle the ideal leader.

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2025-06-21 00:55