There may be a new contender for the best Netflix miniseries, and it stars Josh Hartnett. His horror miniseries “Below” — which follows a Newfoundland fisherman forced to protect his loved ones from a dangerous sea creature — just debuted to massive ratings. According to Deadline, “Below” brought in 17 million views from its October 8 premiere to Sunday, October 11 — a record for any Canadian Netflix debut. It also beat out all other English TV shows that week.
With only six episodes, “Below” is one of those Netflix miniseries that you could definitely binge in one day. As for what’s hooked audiences? It’s likely Hartnett’s performance. He stars as fisherman Calvin Penney, who’s tasked with stopping the mysterious sea creature from wreaking havoc on his community while plagued by the pain of his father’s decades-old death.
Hartnett worked hard to bring authenticity to the character by getting to know Newfoundland actors and fishermen, immersing himself in the local cuisine, and enlisting the help of a dialect coach to develop his accent. Of course, Hartnett was just one many talented faces. He was joined by Mackenzie Davis, Charlie Heaton, Ruby Stokes, Kaleb Horn, and Rohan Campbell.
Will there be a 2nd season of Below?
Limited series are usually designed to be self-contained, but an enthusiastic fan response can sometimes extend their shelf lives a few episodes (or seasons). A few of the most popular miniseries that have received this treatment include “The Flight Attendant,” “Good Omens,” “The White Lotus,” and “13 Reasons Why.” Fans of “Below” are wondering if it’ll join these ranks.
Unfortunately, Josh Hartnett doesn’t seem so sure. “The story works very well on its own,” he told <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a74093344/below-season-2-release-date-news/” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>Men’s Health. “I don’t think there are any plans. I know [creator Jesse McKeown] has moved on to something else. All the actors have moved on to other things. I’ve moved on to other things.” With that said, he knows the power of views within the TV landscape, so he can’t completely dismiss the possibility. “If it becomes a massive hit, then there’s always room to imagine a future,” he said, “and I would, without a doubt, love to go play Calvin again. For me, the door’s not closed, but it’s a limited series.”
Welp — there you have it!
