Original Coverage & Source Attribution: www.cbr.com
Netflix‘s Canadian monster series Below is officially one of the most-watched streaming series in the world. It even claimed that title within just days of its release.
Per the official Nielsen streaming data for the week of Oct. 5 to 11, Netflix’s Below amassed a whopping 1.187 billion minutes viewed, falling less than 80 million minutes short of Prime Video’s Carrie. That being said, Below managed to rack up that much streaming time in just a matter of days, with the series having made its debut on Netflix on Oct. 8.
Why Netflix’s Below Is Such a Massive Streaming Success
Created by showrunner Jesse McKeown, Below brings audiences to rural Newfoundland and revolves around the goings-on of the small fishing town of Snook’s Arm, where the looming threat of resettlement has driven a wedge between its residents. As local tensions mount, the people of Snook’s Arm find themselves besieged by a monstrous sea creature with a seemingly endless hunger.
Below stars Josh Hartnett as Calvin Penney, a local fisherman and iceberg harvester, as well as Mackenzie Davis as marine biologist Doctor Fonda Howander. Rounding out the leading cast of Below are Willow Kean as harbourmaster Ruth Penney, Mary Walsh as Mayor Linda Best, Natasha Henstridge as Resettlement Liasion Officer Jan Hicks, and Charlie Heaton, Ruby Stokes, and Rohan Campbell as Calvin’s children Wade, Mary, and Jay, respectively.
Since its debut, Below has proven to be a massive hit with critics, many of whom have cited its masterful performances and tense, dour tone as highlights of the series. As of the time of writing, Below holds an 88% “Certified Fresh” rating via review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, as averaged across 50 verified critical reviews. For comparison, Below holds a 51% audience-generated “Popcornmeter” score on the platform, as averaged across more than 250 user-submitted reviews, citing the similarities to Jaws and Widow’s Bay, but filled with plot holes and “silly dialogue.”
What’s Next for the Stars of Netflix’s Below?
While Below is still dominating the streaming charts, stars Josh Hartnett and Mackenzie Davis are already slated to take the lead in two vastly different projects in the near future. For Hartnett, that means leading the cast of writer-director Oliver Stone’s White Lies, a new drama that charts the story of Jack Freeman, a man whose life plays out across three generations and tries him in ways he could never imagine.
Davis, on the other hand, is currently starring in My Notes on Mars by writer-director Lili Horvát. My Notes on Mars stars Davis as Margot, a renowned scientist who mysteriously disappears during a hike with her husband, Sam, portrayed by Rupert Friend. After Margot’s sudden return on the day of her own memorial service, Sam is quick to try and rekindle their relationship, only to discover his wife irrevocably changed by her experience.
My Notes on Mars premiered at the Venice Film Festival on Sept. 2, serving as the opening film of the Giornate Degli Autori section of the event. My Notes on Mars was also screened during the 70th BFI London Film Festival, although it has yet to receive a widespread theatrical release date.
Below is now streaming on Netflix.
- Release Date
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2026 – 2026-00-00
- Network
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Netflix
- Showrunner
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Jesse McKeown
Cast
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Josh Hartnett
Calvin Penney
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Mackenzie Davis
Fonda Howander
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Charlie Heaton
Wade Penney
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