A sea-monster hit from the Canadian coast
Netflix’s new limited series BELOW has opened at the top of the Global Top 10 English TV list with 17 million views. Set in a Newfoundland fishing town menaced by a mysterious creature, the six-part drama was filmed over 75 days across St John’s, Brigus South, Pouch Cove and other coastal spots. It is now streaming worldwide.
Jobs and cash for the province
The production employed more than 700 primary cast and crew plus 425 daily hires and extras. Netflix worked with 650 local vendors on everything from set construction to catering and VFX. The total spend topped $90 million CAD, the bulk of it feeding straight into Newfoundland and Labrador’s GDP.
Local skills on screen and off
Traditional fishers from Fishing for Success trained the cast, while knitters from Baynoddy Knits and NONIA supplied the woollens seen throughout the series. The production also upgraded the historic Society of United Fishermen Lodge in Pouch Cove before using it as a key location. Marine biologist Dr Annie Mercier advised on the creature design, and Toronto studio Mr X handled the final VFX.
What it means for UK viewers
For anyone already paying for Netflix, BELOW is included at no extra cost. Check our TV comparison if you are thinking about switching plans or adding a cheaper tier before the next price rise. The series joins a growing list of Canadian originals on the platform, but this one stands out for the scale of its regional economic footprint.
