Below Season 1 Review: Netflix’s Coastal Thriller Is a Wacky, Heart-Warming Adventure

Coastal horror is having a moment, and now it’s found its way to Netflix. The new show Below, created by Jesse McKeown, takes viewers further up the Eastern Seaboard all the way to Newfoundland.

Calvin Penney, played by Josh Hartnett, is a down-on-his-luck local fisherman in the village of Snook’s Arm. He is still traumatized by his father’s mysterious boating death as a child, and his fear impacts how he tries to keep a tight grip on his own adult children, including his aimless son Wade (Charlie Heaton).

When the appearance of a mysterious iceberg in the harbor leads to an unidentified sea creature terrorizing the town, Wade has to team up with marine researcher Dr. Fonda Howander (Mackenzie Davis) to investigate.

The premise sounds like a pretty straightforward creature feature (Canadian Jaws, anyone?). The good news, or maybe bad news if you really love Jaws, is that Below is WAY weirder than that.

The show is classified as a thriller, but it’s not totally unlike the most recent coastal horror smash-hit Widow’s Bay. Snook’s Arm may not be the next Martha’s Vineyard, but like Widow’s Bay, Below shares a willingness to wear a variety of references on its sleeve and serve up something a little different each episode.

There is a strong sense of place, with the show actually filmed on location in Newfoundland and the incorporation of local fishermen’s myths and traditions into the plot. (I am no expert on the Newfoundland accent, so I cannot score the accuracy, but to my untrained ear it does sound like they actors are at least trying to approximate it). 

The series starts with the hint that something supernatural is afoot, leaning into local myths about the “hag,” and unexplained phenomena. It then transitions into its own version of ‘Moby Dick” with the guest appearance of David Wenham as a billionaire determined to unlock’s the creature’s secret for himself at any cost. 

Horror fans don’t be too disappointed by the departure though as the show also cycles back through a terrifying mass psychosis event in the town related to the ice, a story that would be at home in a Stephen King novel. The ice is a big part of the show because of its influence on the Newfoundland economy as a commodity, something you aren’t going to learn on any other new show!

Things get even more insane in the penultimate episode, blurring the line between the scientific and supernatural. You’ll want to go into it blind, but let’s just say not all Newfoundlanders are as nice, or sane, as Calvin. 

It may sound like a lot to pack into one show, and yet watching it through it starts making perfect sense. The show’s disparate stories within the story represent the cultural influences of the region itself, all centered around the sea though sometimes in very different ways.

If the rocking of the narrative boat doesn’t leave you seasick, you’ll find yourself having a blast with this kooky show. That’s because at its heart, Below is also a heartwarming family drama that draws you in. 

Hartnett brings warmth as the patriarch of the family, and the cast has such strong chemistry you’ll fall in love with the Penneys as they fight their way out of absurd situations. It’s a uniquely Canadian show that highlights a special way of life and comments on the resettlement policy of the region without being didactic or preachy.

Below shows us that community and family are worth fighting for, even if the thing you’re fighting is a giant sea creature. 

If you’re looking for something original that offers thrills and chills, Below is a quick and satisfying six-episode watch worth checking out.

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What did you think of this season of Below? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!

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Below Season 1 is streaming now on Netflix. 

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