Netflix's 'Below', with Josh Hartnett, gets mixed-to-positive reviews as a sea-monster thriller
Netflix's six-part limited series Below, created by Jesse McKeown and starring Josh Hartnett as a Newfoundland fisherman, streams from 8 October. Reviewers broadly enjoy its Jaws-style creature thriller but split over its pacing, climate themes and accents.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Netflix's six-part limited series Below, created by Jesse McKeown (The Umbrella Academy), began streaming on 8 October 2026 and stars Josh Hartnett as the fisherman Calvin Penney. The Hollywood ReporterLC “Below, Netflix‘s new six-episode thriller, begins with one of my favorite TV scenes of the year.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Screen RantN “All 6 episodes of Below will be released on Netflix on October 8.” Read at Screen Rant ↗ Left · 2It is set in Snook's Arm, a struggling Newfoundland community where fishing has dried up, residents harvest iceberg ice for a vodka company, and a government resettlement scheme threatens the town's survival. The Hollywood ReporterLC “Calvin lives in Snook’s Arm, a community on the verge of ceasing to exist.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ VarietyLC “Fishing has long dried up in Snook’s Arm, so Calvin and his son Wade (Charlie Heaton) make a living by collecting ice for a local vodka brewery” Read at Variety ↗ Mixed · 2A prologue in 1986 shows a family towing their house across a bay and being attacked by something in the water; 40 years later a massive iceberg appears in the harbour, people vanish, and Calvin teams up with marine zoologist Dr Fonda Howander (Mackenzie Davis) to find out what is responsible. The Hollywood ReporterLC “Set 40 years after that preamble, Below stars Josh Hartnett as Calvin Penney” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ ColliderN “Calvin partners with visiting marine zoologist Fonda Howander (Mackenzie Davis) to figure out what's ultimately responsible” Read at Collider ↗
Mixed · 2The cast also includes Charlie Heaton as Calvin's son Wade, Ruby Stokes and Rohan Campbell as his other children, Willow Kean as his sister Ruth, and David Wenham. ColliderN “Mary (Ruby Stokes)” Read at Collider ↗ The GuardianLC “David “Lord of the Rings” Wenham having a whale of a time” Read at The Guardian ↗ Left · 3Critics widely compare it to Jaws and to Apple TV's Widow's Bay, and most find it enjoyable. Variety calls it "a perfectly paced thriller", Radio Times says it is "worth diving in", and The Guardian calls it "totally ridiculous – but you will have loads of daft fun". VarietyLC ““Below” is a perfectly paced thriller.” Read at Variety ↗ Radio TimesN “It’s worth diving in.” Read at Radio Times ↗ The GuardianLC “It is totally ridiculous – but you will have loads of daft fun” Read at The Guardian ↗ Mixed · 2The Hollywood Reporter finds it a "likably silly" creature feature that never lives up to its opening scene, while Screen Rant is the most negative, saying the story piles on too much and suffers an "identity crisis". The Hollywood ReporterLC “Though Below never really lives up to the potential of that opening scene” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Screen RantN “The problem with Below's story is that there’s just too much of it.” Read at Screen Rant ↗
Centre · 3Pacing is contested: Variety, Collider and Radio Times praise the brisk six-episode length, while Screen Rant and The Hollywood Reporter say subplots and side characters were added to fill out the run. ColliderN “means the series never overstays its welcome” Read at Collider ↗ Screen RantN “Weaker plot elements are piled on to hit the six-episode runtime” Read at Screen Rant ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC “plus some wholly superfluous tertiary plots added to expand the story to series length.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Left · 3Reviewers also differ on the climate theme. Variety, Collider and Radio Times say the show engages seriously with climate change and resettlement, while The Guardian says the eco theme is "virtually inaudible". VarietyLC “especially as we continue down the harrowing road of an irreparable climate crisis.” Read at Variety ↗ Radio TimesN “tackles worthy topics including the urgency of climate change” Read at Radio Times ↗ The GuardianLC “The eco theme is so far down in the mix as to be virtually inaudible.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Left · 3The Newfoundland setting and location filming are praised, but accents draw comment: Variety calls Hartnett's attempt "hilarious", The Hollywood Reporter says he is probably not note-perfect but admires the commitment, and Screen Rant objects to Heaton's Irish-sounding accent. VarietyLC “Save for Hartnett’s hilarious attempt at a Newfoundland accent” Read at Variety ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC “Probably not. But is the odd thing they’re doing clearly incorrect? I don’t think so.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Screen RantN “a straight, conventional Irish accent instead of the region’s delightful singsong” Read at Screen Rant ↗
Left · 1The Hollywood Reporter says the ending could set up a second season if Netflix drops the limited-series label, and urges the streamer to resist doing so. The Hollywood ReporterLC “I’d urge the streamer to resist that temptation.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left3 outlets
- Framing
- Reviews range from rapturous (Variety) to playful (The Guardian) and amused (The Hollywood Reporter), treating it as an enjoyable if silly monster thriller.
- Emphasis
- Tone, humour, Jaws/Widow's Bay comparisons, accents and the climate theme.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Less discussion of structural problems such as plot holes, which Screen Rant raises.
- Charged language
- “Exhilarating”“likably silly”“industrial-grade bunkum”“killer snot-berg”
- For example
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“Deeply intriguing and at times terrifying, “Below” is a perfectly paced thriller.” — Variety
“Likably Silly Newfoundland-Set Thriller” — The Hollywood Reporter
“A six-part supernatural thriller forged from industrial-grade bunkum” — The Guardian
Centre3 outlets
- Framing
- Genre-focused reviews weighing the show against Widow's Bay and Jaws: Collider and Radio Times are positive with caveats, Screen Rant is critical.
- Emphasis
- Pacing, performances (especially Heaton), setting and how well the themes fit the horror.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Little on the resettlement politics beyond brief mentions; Radio Times gives few plot specifics.
- Charged language
- “Messy Monster Series”“identity crisis”“gaping plot hole”
- For example
-
“you won't regret spending a weekend there.” — Collider
“Netflix's Messy Monster Series Is More Scooby-Doo Than Widow's Bay” — Screen Rant
“delivers thrills and doesn’t hold back on the gore.” — Radio Times
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Below is a six-episode Netflix series created by Jesse McKeown, released 8 October 2026.
- Josh Hartnett plays widowed Newfoundland fisherman Calvin Penney, with Mackenzie Davis as marine scientist Fonda Howander and Charlie Heaton as his son Wade.
- The series is a sea-monster thriller filmed in Newfoundland and widely compared to Jaws and Widow's Bay.
Where accounts differ
-
Whether the six-episode run is well paced
- Left
- Variety calls it perfectly paced; The Hollywood Reporter says it is elongated but enjoyable, with superfluous tertiary plots.
- Centre
- Collider and Radio Times praise the brisk length; Screen Rant says there is too much story and a plot hole.
-
How much the climate theme registers
- Left
- Variety says it is central; The Guardian says it is virtually inaudible and speculates about network interference.
- Centre
- Collider and Radio Times credit the show with climate and resettlement themes; Collider says they shift it toward family drama.
-
Below's six-episode run is well paced rather than padded.
Mixed- Supports 3
- Variety, Collider, Radio Times
- Disputes 2
- The Hollywood Reporter, Screen Rant
- Reports 1
- The Guardian
-
Below gives its climate-crisis theme a substantial role in the story.
Supported- Supports 3
- Variety, Collider, Radio Times
- Disputes 1
- The Guardian
-
Below's cast uses inconsistent or exaggerated Newfoundland accents.
Supported- Supports 4
- The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Collider, Screen Rant
Josh Hartnett person
Reviewers describe Hartnett as the series' anchor, in a career renaissance, though his Newfoundland accent draws mixed comment.
“Hartnett, still in the midst of a multi-year career renaissance, is a solidly haunted leading man” — The Hollywood Reporter
“Save for Hartnett’s hilarious attempt at a Newfoundland accent” — Variety
Netflix organisation
Netflix released Below as a six-part limited series. Reviewers see it as a counterpart to Apple's Widow's Bay, and one suggests a second season is possible.
“Netflix are plugging the gap by washing ashore this six-part series starring Josh Hartnett.” — Radio Times
“could set up a second season if Netflix backs away from its initial labeling of this as a limited series” — The Hollywood Reporter
North America4 outlets
Variety, THR, Collider and Screen Rant span the full range from raves to criticism, and engage with Newfoundland authenticity and accents.
“For every actual Newfoundland filming location, there’s a CG iceberg.” — The Hollywood Reporter
“Often, it's not.” — Screen Rant
The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Collider, Screen Rant
UK and Ireland2 outlets
The Guardian and Radio Times are both recommendations, with the Guardian comic and Radio Times framing it as a Widow's Bay follow-up.
“Come on in. The water’s ridiculous.” — The Guardian
“It’s worth diving in.” — Radio Times
The Guardian, Radio Times
Left3 articles
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The Hollywood ReporterLC · · Opinion
Mixed Affectionate review of a silly but enjoyable creature feature that grounds itself in real Newfoundland history.
-
VarietyLC · · Opinion
Josh Hartnett Leads Netflix’s Exhilarating Sea Monster Thriller ‘Below’: TV Review
Celebratory Highly positive review praising pacing, tension and climate themes.
-
The GuardianLC · · Opinion
Below review – a killer snot-berg causes chaos for Josh Hartnett
Mixed Comic review mocking the show's absurdity while recommending it as daft fun.
Centre3 articles
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ColliderN · · Opinion
Sympathetic Positive review saying the show subverts Jaws-style horror with family and climate themes, with some thin characters.
-
Screen RantN · · Opinion
Below: Netflix's Messy Monster Series Is More Scooby-Doo Than Widow's Bay | Review
Critical Says a good premise is overloaded with subplots, with a plot hole and a sappy ending.
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Radio TimesN · · Opinion
Below review: If you loved Widow's Bay, it's worth diving in to Netflix's new drama
Sympathetic Recommends it for Widow's Bay fans, praising Heaton and the gore despite some flaws.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 8 Oct 08:01 First VarietyLC Josh Hartnett Leads Netflix’s Exhilarating Sea Monster Thriller ‘Below’: TV Review Opinion
- 8 Oct 08:01 First The Hollywood ReporterLC ‘Below’ Review: Josh Hartnett Battles a Sea Creature in Netflix’s Likably Silly Newfoundland-Set Thriller Opinion
- 8 Oct 08:01 First ColliderN Josh Hartnett's Netflix Thriller 'Below' Subverts Its 'Jaws'-Style Horror With Deeper Themes | Review Opinion
- 8 Oct 08:01 First The GuardianLC Below review – a killer snot-berg causes chaos for Josh Hartnett Opinion
- 8 Oct 08:01 First Screen RantN Below: Netflix's Messy Monster Series Is More Scooby-Doo Than Widow's Bay | Review Opinion
- 8 Oct 08:01 +1m Radio TimesN Below review: If you loved Widow's Bay, it's worth diving in to Netflix's new drama Opinion
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.