Netflix's new limited series Below, starring Josh Hartnett, is being hailed as the most horrifying creature feature since Jaws. The show, which launched on October 8, 2026, follows a similar premise to the classic Spielberg film, but instead of a giant shark, a mysterious sea creature terrorises a remote former fishing town in Newfoundland, Canada.
The opening scene sets the tone, following a family and a salesman on a boat that gets stuck in eerie waters after running into a floating house. While the father explores the home, his young son spots a giant eye staring up from the water. Moments later, the father is ambushed and trapped inside the home as it sinks to the seabed.
A Town Facing Its Own Brexit
Forty years later, that young boy is now Calvin Penney, a brooding father-of-three who mines ice to sell to a local vodka company. His children return home for a rare visit at the worst possible time, as the town faces a critical vote. Locals are being encouraged to resettle on the mainland, where jobs and a new life await, but if more than 75% opt to leave, the entire town must abandon Snook's Arm for good.
However, a bigger threat lurks in the waters. People begin to vanish, including a husband and wife visiting for the nature trails, whose disappearance turns grim when Calvin finds the wife's discarded scalp on the shore. A mysterious virus causing hallucinations and severe thirst also spreads, driving sufferers to throw themselves into the sea.
Eerie and Timely, but Flawed
The show begins as the best horror of its kind since Jaws, with a genuinely terrifying monster that plays on the audience's ignorance. The division of the town and the outbreak are handled well, adding depth beyond man versus beast. However, as the monster becomes familiar, the tension fades, and the final episode is littered with plot holes.
Charlie Heaton, known for Stranger Things, delivers the standout performance as Calvin's son Wade Penney, an aspiring fisherman with ADHD. Heaton's portrayal brings credibility to the show, though other performances are less memorable. The series ends with heart and a message about the climate crisis, but it becomes too soft and self-righteous for a horror that starts with so much promise.
Below is available to stream on Netflix now.
