In Netflix’s 6-episode limited series Below, a giant squid lurks in the waters of a tight-knit Newfoundland coastal town — and at the heart of it, fisherman Calvin Penney (Josh Hartnett) fights to protect his family and his community from the monster.
Netflix’s latest original drama, Below, marks the first time that a Netflix drama has filmed exclusively in Newfoundland, and the show uses this to its advantage: it’s a true spectacle, utilising its dramatic landscapes and breathtaking rugged coastline. From the very beginning, Below was about breaking barriers and promoting gorgeous, on-location filmmaking, and that approach pays off massively.
Created by Jesse McKeown — known for serving as a writer on Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy — the series takes place in the remote Newfoundland town of Snook’s Arm, where the townspeople are terrorised by a mysterious sea-creature. We follow the good-natured but stubborn Calvin Penney (Josh Hartnett), haunted by the mysterious death of his father decades prior, who works as a fisherman and ice harvester. He’s a hardened, often stoic man who’s seen a lot and seldom shares his history, but we warm to him quickly. His surrounding family is a lot more colourful: There’s his loved-up daughter Mary (Ruby Stokes), who brings home her boyfriend Noah (Kaleb Horn) to spend time with her family. Then there are his two sons: Jay Penney (Rohan Campbell) and Wade Penney (Charlie Heaton). Rounding out the core cast is Mackenzie Davis as marine biologist Fonda Howander.
When the family is together, strange occurrences in the town begin to occur. A life is lost, a giant iceberg suddenly appears, and a flamingo washes up in a part of the world it doesn’t belong. The show quickly sets up a spooky premise, delivering a grim atmosphere of small-town isolation, one that star Hartnett knows all too well from his role in 30 Days of Night. There’s absolutely no escaping inspiration from Spielberg’s Jaws, which has become a North Star for almost every sea-creature feature. In the case of Below, the inspiration is there, but it’s more nuanced and so much more than a lazy re-skin of the classic.
BELOW. (L to R) Willow Kean as Ruth, Rohan Campbell as Jay Penney, Charlie Heaton as Wade, and Ruby Stokes as Mary in episode 106 of Below. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix© 2026
The sea creature itself is a giant squid capable of capsizing boats and sweeping away humans from the coastline with its colossal tentacles. Unlike any squids out there in the real world, it moves extremely fast in the water, keeping up the pace with boats. However, it’s significantly smaller than the traditional depiction of the mythological kraken. This show strays away from clichè kaiju tropes.
For many viewers, the words ‘sea-monster’ bring up imagery of classic literature — especially Lovecraftian horror, as the traditional example. It can be easy to go into a series like this expecting a rich mythology that we see in Lovecraft’s sea-dwelling, cosmic deities. On that front, Below draws little comparison, although the marketing of the show often points to it. The creature at the heart of Below harbours no cosmic deity characteristics like a Cthulhu or Dagon. The drama ardently favours a scientific grounding, as an unrecognisable marine creature surfaces to terrorise a local community. It’s a different species of squid rather than an otherworldly monster.
While the mythology isn’t overly sci-fi, the show clearly has its roots in Newfoundland’s own folklore and supernatural legends. The province has a rich history of strange occurrences and has garnered its own folklore, which has been built on by real historical events, from deadly storms to maritime disasters. The history of Newfoundland is bathed in unexplained stories and tragedy, making it a perfect setting for bringing to life a story about a killer sea-monster.
Perhaps more so than the creature itself, the horror spans into how the creature pollutes local drinking water with a hallucinogenic bacteria that infects humans, causing illness, insatiable thirst, and violent outbursts. This aspect of the story allows the show to take a breather from the creature itself.
When the action arrives, you can’t deny the show’s ability to deliver excellent thrills and big moments at times throughout all six episodes. From the opening scene, the creature topples an entire house floating on the water. Later, in probably the most thrilling sequence of the series, Calvin is under attack while inside a submarine hunting the creature with a team of unorthodox conservationists. Directors Jamie Childs, Helen Shaver, and Stephen Dunn each have moments to showcase top, high-octane action.
BELOW. (L to R) Azriel Dalman as Young Calvin, Kamryn Pliva as Young Ruth, and Rhiannon Morgan as Brenda Penney in episode 101 of Below. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix© 2026
Action is one thing, but what I loved most about Below was the family drama at its core — and it came as a pleasant surprise. The show utilises its secluded Newfoundland setting: this is a place where everyone knows your business. It’s a tight-knit community, and we’re given a glimpse into what that culture is like and how family, society, and hierarchy work in a location that tiny. Charlie Heaton’s eccentric Wade feels like an outsider in a community that’s already so small. Rohan Campbell’s Jay gets into a money squabble with dangerous lenders. Meanwhile, we as viewers understand the perspective of Kaleb Horn’s Noah, as a young man adapting to a largely closed culture. The family is glued together by patriarch Calvin, who’s caught between fatherly duty, saving his community, and doing what he believes is ‘right.’ For a fantasy show, it has enough real issues to feel relatable, but never gets too caught up in soapiness.
Verdict
Below seldom reaches edge-of-your-seat, pulse-pounding horror, with the exception of a claustrophobic showdown with the squid in a submarine on the coastal floor. However, the show shines brightest in making you feel empathy for its main characters. We feel genuine compassion towards Calvin, Wade, Mary and Jay.
I was most surprised by how the writers wrapped this series up. It’s a limited show, so they had to tell a complete and conclusive ending, and no doubt viewers would expect a big finale, but it doesn’t come to a head with an action-packed showdown with the giant squid — something I think most viewers would expect. Instead, the series bravely attempts to subvert expectations to make us feel sympathy for the sea-creature.
The attempt at a perspective shift is undeniably a noble effort and works as a parable for animal welfare, but for anyone craving over-the-top sea-monster action, it’s much easier to point to Netflix’s Under Paris as the better, larger-than-life option. That said, if you’re keen on empathetic, character-driven drama that delivers just about enough sea-monster action, Below is for you.