Now on Netflix: The Show That Was Meant to Replace Yellowstone… But Something BIG Just Knocked It Down 📉😱

Netflix’s latest attempt to replicate the explosive success of Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone has already hit a major speed bump. The Waterfront, created by Scream mastermind Kevin Williamson and starring Holt McCallany, Maria Bello, Melissa Benoist, and Topher Grace, debuted impressively. But now, Netflix’s blockbuster Yellowstone replacement appears to be sinking fast—blamed squarely on the premiere of Squid Game Season 3, which has reclaimed the top spot on the charts.

Upon its June 23 release, The Waterfront skyrocketed to #1 on Netflix’s global viewership rankings. The eight-episode series follows a North Carolina fishing dynasty struggling to survive—a family legacy drama steeped in betrayal, power, and economic pressures—intended to scratch that Yellowstone-style itch.

Critically, it was met with lukewarm reception: 64% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and 71% from audiences. Collider’s Samuel Murrian even dubbed it “one of this year’s best shows,” cautious to note that it could evolve into a flagship Netflix series if future seasons deliver. But for now, that remains speculative.

Netflix isn’t new to this strategy of copying Yellowstone’s formula: following The Waterfront, they’ve already rolled out Ransom Canyon (Josh Duhamel, Minka Kelly) and Territory, plus homegrown hits like Bloodline and Ozark. Yet none have achieved true breakout status. In contrast, Yellowstone is expanding with two new spin-offs—reinforcing the difficulty of recreating that magic.

‘Squid Game’ Strikes Back

Enter Squid Game Season 3. The Korean dystopian thriller needs no introduction—its first season shattered Netflix records in 2021, and its second continued to dominate, with that delightfully creepy music playing in your head as you read this. Yet, the third installment arrived with challenges: audience scores have tumbled to 50%, while critics still offer a solid 82%, according to Rotten Tomatoes. Collider’s Therese Lacson comments that “Season 3 takes what worked from the previous two and cranks it up to 100 — and then goes past that,” but viewers are split, citing pacing issues, confusing character arcs, and a sense that lingering mysteries from Season 2 went unresolved.

It’s also clear that viewers have tuned into the finale of Squid Game quickly for closure — after all, who wants to have years of time, patience and dedication in a show ruined by scrolling to the wrong post on Twitter, or watching the wrong TikTok? Whether it stays there or not in the next few weeks, remains to be seen. But the hype should last for a while.

The Waterfront and Squid Game are streaming now on Netflix.