Netflixhas become remarkably good at knowing exactly what its subscribers want to watch, and the streamer’s regular output of thrillers is a pretty good example of that. “Below” is the latest addition to that ever-growing lineup. Created by Jesse McKeown, the six-part limited series caught my attention immediately thanks to its unusual Newfoundland setting, its mysterious sea creature, and, perhaps most importantly, Josh Hartnett leading the cast. It’s a distinctly different flavor of Netflix thriller, trading the usual glossy locations for a remote coastal community where something very strange is lurking beneath the surface.
- Rating: 3.5/5 stars
- Verdict:“Below” is an atmospheric, seriously bingeable sea monster mystery that kept me hooked, even when its weaker side stories pulled me away from the central mystery. It’s not perfect, but its creepy premise, strong setting and steady stream of reveals make it an easy Netflix weekend watch.
- Where to watch:“Below” is streaming on Netflix
“Below” follows Calvin Penney (Hartnett), a stubborn but big-hearted fisherman living in a small Newfoundland town. Calvin is already dealing with the fallout from his father’s mysterious death years earlier when an unidentified sea creature begins terrorizing the community. With his family and livelihood under threat, Calvin teams up with visiting marine researcher Fonda (Mackenzie Davis) to figure out exactly what is happening beneath the water. His son Wade (Charlie Heaton) is also caught up in the increasingly strange events, while the investigation begins to uncover secrets buried deep within the island and its community.
I’ve already binged “Below,” and without spoiling what’s lurking below the surface, here are my honest thoughts on Netflix’s latest thriller series.
‘Below’ offers a compelling underwater mystery
“Below” is immediately bingeable because it doesn’t waste much time getting to the central mystery. The series opens with a flashback showing a young Calvin witnessing the loss of his home and father, with something clearly lurking beneath the water, before jumping forward to the present day, where that mystery has grown into a much bigger ordeal.
I liked that the show gives us this hook upfront rather than making us wait several episodes to understand what we’re watching. That doesn’t mean “Below” gives everything away, though. Instead, it drip-feeds clues and small pieces of information about the mysterious creature, giving you just enough to keep you invested without answering all of your questions at once.
There’s more to “Below” than its central creature mystery. The series explores Calvin’s fractured family while Fonda’s investigation begins uncovering secrets tied to the island’s history and local mythology. Not every storyline worked equally well, though. I found myself much less invested in some of the supporting characters, particularly Calvin’s children and the personal problems they’re dealing with, which occasionally pulled me away from the part of the story I actually wanted to follow. For me, the strongest thread is Calvin’s journey to uncover exactly what the creature is and what happened to his father.
One of the things I enjoyed most about “Below” is the sense of atmosphere. It’s refreshing to watch a sea monster story rooted in Newfoundland, particularly when the series makes such a point of embracing its setting and local voices. It gives the show a sense of place that you don’t always get from this kind of horror, and for the most part, it feels authentically connected to its environment.
That said, some of the visual effects aren’t quite as convincing. There are moments when characters are looking out over the water, and it looks strangely animated, which is particularly noticeable given that the series was shot on location. It occasionally takes me out of the experience, but thankfully these moments are relatively few and far between.
My bigger issue is that “Below” starts stronger than it finishes. As the series progresses, it introduces more plotlines and conflicts outside of the central creature mystery, and I found some of these increasingly distracting. The more the story moved away from Calvin trying to understand what’s lurking beneath the water, the less invested I became. I can understand why the show wants to flesh out its characters and give the mystery more context, but some of these additional threads simply didn’t hold my attention in the same way. Even so, the constant promise of another reveal is a huge part of what makes “Below” so easy to binge. Every episode gives you another small piece of the puzzle.
Verdict: ‘Below’ is a gripping thriller that works best when it keeps you guessing
“Below” worked for me because it gave me just enough to keep watching. I was always curious about where the story was heading and whether the next episode would finally give me the answer I was looking for. It isn’t a perfect thriller, and there were definitely parts I found myself caring about more than others, but I never reached the point where I wanted to stop watching. In fact, this is a series I could easily stream again in full now that I understand its central mystery.
If you’re looking for something you can sink your teeth into over a weekend, “Below” is an easy recommendation on Netflix. It has a creepy premise, a great setting and enough unanswered questions to keep the momentum going. I’m glad I stuck with it, even if I wish some of the story had been a little more focused. Plus, Josh Hartnett is a big part of what makes the series so watchable (but that’s not much of a surprise).
“Below” is streaming onNetflix
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