Josh Hartnett’s ‘Below’ Makes Netflix History With a Record-Breaking Canadian Debut

Newfoundland’s rugged coastline has rarely looked as menacing as it does in ‘Below’, Netflix’s new limited series starring Josh Hartnett. The 6-episode thriller follows Calvin Penney, a grieving fisherman whose small hometown of Snook’s Arm is terrorized by a mysterious creature from the sea.

Created by Toronto-born filmmaker Jesse McKeown, the series premiered at TIFF last month before landing on Netflix on October 8. The show’s eerie, small-town horror has already drawn comparisons to Stephen King, setting high expectations heading into its streaming launch.

Those expectations have been more than met. ‘Below’ pulled in 17 million views from its October 8 debut through Sunday evening, making it the most-viewed debut ever for a Canadian title on Netflix, according to the streamer.

The thriller also easily claimed the top spot on Netflix’s English TV list for the week of October 5 to 11. Netflix says the series hit No. 1 in 53 countries and cracked the top 10 in 90 countries.

To put that number in perspective, the first season of the hit romantic comedy ‘Nobody Wants This’ debuted with 10.3 million views. Meanwhile, the recent historical drama ‘East of Eden’ opened with 6.5 million views.

What makes the achievement even more impressive is that ‘Below’ was only available for 4 of the 7 days measured by the weekly chart. That means its second-week numbers could climb even higher once a full week of viewing is counted.

The record arrives on the heels of another Canadian success story on the platform. The young adult series ‘Crew Girl’ doubled its viewership in its second week and quickly earned a season 2 renewal.

Screen Rant suggested ‘Below’ could follow a similar path, potentially growing its audience significantly in week 2. If that happens, the series would further cement Canada’s growing presence on Netflix’s charts.

First trailer for ‘BELOW’, a new thriller series starring Josh Hartnett and Charlie Heaton. The series follows a fisherman who must protect his community when a sea monster terrorizes their remote town. Releasing October 8 on Netflix. https://t.co/WFcorbMg5m

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 28, 2026

Hartnett leads the series as Calvin, joined by Charlie Heaton as Wade, Ruby Stokes as Mary, and Rohan Campbell as Jay. Mackenzie Davis also stars as scientist Fonda Howander.

To prepare for the role, Hartnett watched documentaries about Fogo Island and listened to CBC Newfoundland’s show ‘The Broadcast’. He also revealed on CBC’s ‘Q’ that local fishermen in Petty Harbour taught him how to tie his own fishing nets.

The production leaned heavily into its setting. ‘Below’ was shot over 75 days across Newfoundland and Labrador, with filming in communities including St. John’s, Petty Harbour, Brigus South and Pouch Cove.

Netflix says the show hired more than 700 primary cast and crew members and partnered with more than 650 Canadian vendors. Hartnett described St. John’s as a place with a magic all its own, and that sense of place appears to have resonated with viewers worldwide.

For McKeown, the series has been a passion project years in the making. Speaking with The Canadian Press at the TIFF premiere, he said he had felt compelled to write the show for about 18 years.

That long gestation seems to have paid off in a big way. The blend of supernatural horror with the struggles of a coastal community facing an unknown threat has clearly struck a chord with audiences far beyond Canada.

As a limited series, ‘Below’ tells a complete story across its 6 episodes, all of which are now streaming. Whether Netflix finds a way to return to Snook’s Arm remains to be seen, but the record-breaking debut certainly makes a strong case for more Canadian productions on the platform. For now, the series stands as a new benchmark for Canadian content on Netflix. Its performance in the coming weeks will reveal just how far its success can go.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!