Below, Netflix’s new six-part thriller limited series, arrived on the streamer Oct. 8 with Josh Hartnett leading a Newfoundland fishing town under siege by an unidentified sea creature, according to Polygon. [REVIEWER: one-sentence verdict on whether the series delivers as a creature feature.]
The series comes from creator Jesse McKeown, who previously wrote for Netflix’s The Sinner and The Umbrella Academy, Polygon reported. Below had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, according to Deadline.
Below At A Glance
- Format: Six-part limited series
- Platform: Netflix
- Release date: Oct. 8, 2026
- Creator: Jesse McKeown
- Score: [REVIEWER: score out of 10]
What Below Is About
The story centers on Calvin Penney, a fisherman played by Hartnett who is described as big-hearted but stubborn and still haunted by his father’s mysterious death decades earlier, according to Polygon and Deadline. When an unidentified sea creature begins terrorizing the town, reportedly consuming entire houseboats, Calvin fights to hold his close-knit community together, per Polygon.
Calvin eventually teams up with Fonda Howander, a visiting marine researcher played by Mackenzie Davis, to confront the creature and uncover buried secrets tied to the island, Polygon reported. Charlie Heaton plays Calvin’s son, Wade Penney, with Natasha Henstridge and Joshua Close rounding out the supporting cast, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Hollywood Reporter described the premise as a hard-bitten fisherman fighting to protect his family, his community and a vanishing way of life. Polygon noted the series blends local myth, suspense and heartfelt humor while exploring themes of family, community and inevitable change.
Hartnett’s Performance
Deadline described Hartnett in the series as bearded and appearing harassed and concerned throughout the trailer, a look that fits a man carrying both a monster problem and old family trauma. One commentator cited by Deadline said Hartnett “always does solid work.” [REVIEWER: how does Hartnett’s performance hold up across all six episodes, and does he sell the emotional weight of Calvin’s backstory alongside the creature-feature chaos?]
Does The Knowingly Silly Creature-Feature Approach Work?
The Hollywood Reporter framed Below as a “good old fashioned creature feature,” a label that sets expectations for genre fans before the first episode even starts. Polygon noted that the series takes a different approach from other 2026 underwater creature features by leaning on a mysterious sea monster rather than a shark, a choice that leaves more to the imagination than a typical attack thriller.
[REVIEWER: Does the show lean into its own absurdity in a way that feels intentional and fun, or does it play the premise too straight? Does the Newfoundland setting and small-town drama balance out the monster-movie elements, or does one side overpower the other?]
Who Should Watch Below
[REVIEWER: Is this a pick for viewers who want a low-stakes, popcorn monster watch on a weeknight rather than a prestige horror binge? Does it work better in short bursts given its six-episode structure, or does it reward watching straight through? Final recommendation on who should add this to their queue and who can skip it.]
What’s Next
Below is streaming now on Netflix as a complete six-episode season. Readers looking for more genre options this month can check out October’s horror movie highlights or the full list of Netflix’s October releases.
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