If you haven’t watched “Below” on Netflix yet, you need to do so right away. The six-episode miniseries has quickly become a must-watch show, with many calling for a renewal, despite it being written as a miniseries. It’s perfect for the horror season, and within four days of being on the streaming platform, it shot to the top of Netflix’s global streaming chart.
This is a series that is breaking records in other ways as well. Netflix made it clear that it has broken a streaming record that nobody saw coming.
‘Below’ Is the Most-Viewed Canadian Debut
Tudum broke down the impressive numbers, pointing out that not only did the show soar to the top of the Global Top 10, it broke a record for Canadian titles. The 17 million views puts it as the most-viewed Canadian title in Netflix’s history.
It’s impressive on its own, but keep in mind that this was done in four days. It will be hard for a future Canadian show to do the same. On top of that, it beat out a number of major other releases, including a Disney title that Netflix has licensed for the next three months! “East of Eden,” which arrived on Netflix on Oct. 1, 2026, pulled in 12.6 million views. “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” pulled in just 4.1 million views with its first season alone.
It’s an impressive feat for any show to pull in so many viewers. It makes it clear that this is the quality of programming audiences want to see. The series has even gained praise from critics, which is virtually unheard of when it comes to thrillers and horror, earning an impressive 85% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Canadians Love the Portrayal of Newfoundland
When it comes to praise for the series, Canadians have been highly positive about the portrayal of one of their provinces. “Below” is a story of a sea monster, but it offers a look at the life of a fisherman in Newfoundland, and Canadians quickly praised the authentic portrayal of both the life and the community of the province as a whole.
Creator Jesse McKeown decided that it was time to put Newfoundland front and center. Usually, the province is used as a backdrop for Scotland or Maine, but he created the fictional town of Snook’s Arm, and he made sure he connected to local history and folklore. Resettlement and the collapse of cod fishery have been portrayed throughout the six episodes.
It also helps that communities such as St. John’s and Petty Harbour have been used throughout the story. “Below” filmed in the real locations over the course of 75 days, giving more of a gritty appearance that green-screen sets would never have captured. It’s also important not to overlook the accent, as the people of Newfoundland have a very distinct and unique sound, which “Below” captured.
As more and more Canadians get on social media to share their love for the series, it’s not surprising that it was able to capture attention and break records. There is also still the horror element of the sea monster, as the story follows a Canadian fisherman still haunted by the drowning of his father decades earlier, and now finding he needs to team up with a marine biologist to stop the sea monster from killing others.
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Netflix’s New Thriller Broke a Streaming Record in 4 Days