The Waterfront Recap: A Bonding Experience
There’s a quick back-and-forth between Harlan and Grady in a previous episode in which Grady has to explain some of the things they do at the farm to stop drones and satellites from being able to see what they’re doing. It’s almost a throwaway, but the gist of it is that some things have changed since Harlan and his dad were top-tier drug runners. Harlan’s whole deal with Grady, with Belle, with everyone, really is that he’s been doing this for a long time, so he knows how to handle everything. He alone knows how to fix every problem. He is very good at what he does. Hammering the idea of discretion into Grady — figuratively, not literally, and yes, this is a show that demands clarification — is a good thing! I mean, Grady isn’t going to listen, but Harlan is correct in his position. The problem, however, is that Harlan doesn’t know how to handle everything or, more importantly, everyone, and it is becoming more apparent with each passing day.
When Harlan starts going on about how Belle shouldn’t be scared of Grady because Harlan knows how to keep him in line and everything is working out exactly how they wanted, and at that exact moment, he gets a surprise video call from Grady, who is out hunting with Diller. Is this The Waterfront’s attempt at comedy? It’s very cute, if so. Harlan doesn’t find it funny. Does Harlan find anything funny? I actually did a jump scare when he smiled while talking to Belle. So, his lack of appreciation for the comedic timing of it all could be because Harlan is humorless, but mostly it’s because he knows that Grady wrapping his arms around Diller and waving his shotgun around is a power play. Grady doesn’t raise his voice or make angry threats; he simply shows people he is in control at all times. This little hunting trip comes up right after Harlan puts his foot down again about the two-boat runs-a-day rule. To Harlan’s face, Grady calls him bossy. Then he goes and basically kidnaps Harlan’s grandson and takes him to a secluded area with lots of ammo. Although, can you call it a kidnapping if Diller willingly, gleefully got in the car of a guy he met once for five minutes? Honestly, that part’s on Diller. Just because a strange man says don’t worry, it’s not stranger danger, doesn’t mean it’s not stranger danger.
Harlan races over to the trail because he is a big, strong man and he will fix everything. It seems like Grady just wants to have a little bonding time with his new partner, but he also repeatedly brings up the idea that Harlan could be like a father to him, which is at once sad, creepy, and hilarious. Is he being honest or is this another one of his games? Who knows? It’s honestly better that we can’t get an actual read on this guy. Now, he — and Harlan — might maintain that when he fires his gun way too low and it hits Diller it was an accident due to his inexperience, but that “accident” happens after he watches Harlan call Diller “son,” and then once again reminds Grady that they need to follow Harlan’s rules. Grady is a guy who does anything and everything to get what he wants. Maybe grazing a teen with an errant hunting rifle in front of his grandfather is one of those things.
Speaking of doing anything to get what you want: Remember when Bree tricked her boyfriend into overdosing and he died? Bree sure does. When she wakes up the next morning at Cane’s, she is in a bad, bad way. She is vomiting both physically and emotionally. Sweet Cane slept in the chair next to her and he holds a trash can for her while she barfs. It’s so nice! It also leads to a morning of some much-needed sibling bonding.
Bree confesses that she didn’t want to kill Marcus; she was just going to blackmail him. Cane tries to tell her that it was the heroin that killed Marcus, not Bree, but our girl is all about accountability now. She won’t take the easy out here. She also winds up telling her brother about how she was there when their grandfather was tortured and killed and that their mom told her to keep it a secret. If she pretended like it didn’t happen, that would be as good as it not happening. And I thought Harlan had some wacky parenting techniques. While it’s hard to hear, it does help Cane understand his sister and her demons a little bit more. As she sobs, he reaches out for her hand. I think everybody’s healed now!!
Oh, no, just kidding. No Buckley will ever be healed. But the siblings do seem like a more united front going forward, which is nice. It’s especially nice at this moment because Cane gets the call that Diller’s been shot. At the hospital, Cane gets yet another eye-opener in regards to what his sister has had to deal with when Belle rushes in, hugs her daughter who is distraught over her child getting shot, and then through mom magic or whatever can tell that Bree has been using and walks away from her, full of disappointment. Cane apologizes to his sister for “everything.” Jake Weary and Melissa Benoist are very compelling together on-screen. In a show that’s pretty surface-level when it comes to emotions, I buy this dynamic.
Belle tracks down Harlan, who, even after watching his grandson take a hit because of him (don’t worry, Diller will be fine), believes he can fix the situation. Belle says, okay, hotshot, if you want to fix everything, fix this, and then tosses a big envelope full of papers from the bank saying that Wes is going to be buying their loans and, thus, all of their assets. Well, I think that’s what those papers mean. I cannot stress this enough: I do not have time to learn about banking procedures, and that is just a rule I live by.
Belle takes off with Shawn at her side (he had been the one to deliver the Diller news at the restaurant) and who does she run into in the parking lot but Grady and one of his goons. He’s brought a “feel better” balloon for Diller, which, regardless of intent, still reads psychopath to me. Out of all the Buckleys, Belle has the shortest temper with Grady, so as he goes on and on about what happened, as he is wont to do, she stops him with a swift punch to the face. It is awesome. Grady tries to hit her back, but Shawn tackles him and then proceeds to reveal himself as a jiujitsu master and he fucks everyone up real good. Belle might be all horny about it, I can’t tell yet. Once again, my only wish for Shawn is that he realizes the Buckleys live in a hellscape, he does not need them, and he should return to his nice boyfriend in Galveston. He won’t do any of this, but at least we can say we tried to warn him.
Harlan heads to the office to read over the documents Belle tossed in his lap. It’s late and he should definitely not be investigating any weird noises he hears by himself, but that’s exactly what he does — he walks right into Grady and a bunch of his guys. Grady needs Harlan to understand that he is in charge. They are following his rules. Harlan has two jobs here, to give Grady what he wants, when he wants it. To make sure that point gets across to the big guy, Grady has his men hold Harlan down while he dumps Portuguese man o’wars and their very painful tentacles all over his chest. “Starting to get it, Harlan?” he asks. Yeah, I think Harlan gets it loud and clear now.
Bait & Tackle
• During Cane and Bree’s bonding session, Bree asks her brother if he thinks he would’ve married Peyton if she hadn’t gotten pregnant — she knows Cane and Jenna have an undeniable connection. He says he still would’ve married her … because “what else was [he] going to do?” Please, no one tell Peyton that; she might douse herself in gasoline. Saying that out loud must unlock something in Cane because, by the end of the episode, he breaks his “I can’t see you anymore” rule and heads over to Jenna’s, where they wind up in bed together.
• Belle does attempt to get Wes to leave the Buckley land alone, but she doesn’t offer him anything; she just asks nicely. He tells her that she seems like someone who has lost their way and she should really look into that. So, I guess the sex wasn’t that good. Although, Wes did divorce his wife. So it wasn’t that bad either.
• Oh, I laughed when Tommy, who works on the fish house floor, describes Grady as “that weird dude.” Even a blip of a character can’t deal with Grady’s quirks.