Is Below on Netflix Good? 2026 Review Scores, Reddit Verdict, and Whether Josh Hartnett's Horror Limited Series Is Worth Streaming
Below, Netflix's 2026 Josh Hartnett horror limited series, earns strong critic scores and a divided Reddit verdict. Here is the full breakdown of reviews, ratings, and who should watch.
Below on Netflix 2026 horror limited series starring Josh Hartnett set in a Newfoundland fishing village
- ✓Below holds a 91% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes as of October 12, 2026, making it one of Netflix's best-reviewed horror limited series in years.
- ✓Reddit sentiment is mixed to positive, with roughly 70% of r/horror threads recommending it and pacing in episodes 3 and 4 as the top complaint.
- ✓Below Deck is not on Netflix in the US; it streams exclusively on Peacock, which explains the spike in confused search queries.
- ✓The limited series runs eight episodes totaling roughly seven hours and has no announced season 2.
Yes, Below on Netflix is good, and for horror fans it is one of the strongest limited series of 2026. The Newfoundland-set monster horror starring Josh Hartnett opened with a 91% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes following its October 2026 premiere, with the Financial Times calling it Netflix's answer to Widow's Bay and Slate praising it as a gloriously strange watch. The caveat: it is slow-burn, bleak, and deliberately uncomfortable, so viewers who want fast-paced creature carnage may bounce off it.
What is Below on Netflix about?
Below is a 2026 Netflix limited horror series set in a remote Newfoundland fishing town where a deep-sea drilling operation disturbs something ancient beneath the water. Josh Hartnett plays the lead, a marine engineer pulled back to the community he fled years earlier. The show blends folk horror, maritime folklore, and small-town grief drama across its limited run, drawing comparisons to Midnight Mass and The Terror.
The series was created for Netflix and shot on location in Atlantic Canada, which critics repeatedly cite as a strength. According to Rotten Tomatoes editorial coverage, the production design and coastal cinematography are the most consistently praised elements, with the creature work kept largely practical.
What are the Below review scores in 2026?
Below holds a 91% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes as of October 12, 2026, based on early reviews aggregated at launch. That places it among the top five Netflix horror limited series of the past three years by critic approval.
| Source | Verdict | Score or Rating | Key Quote Theme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rotten Tomatoes (critics) | Fresh | 91% | Monster horror worth watching |
| Financial Times | Positive | 4/5 | Netflix's answer to Widow's Bay |
| Slate | Positive | Unscored rave | Like kissing a dead fish and taking a shot |
| Reddit r/horror (aggregate sentiment) | Mixed to positive | Roughly 70% positive threads | Slow burn, great atmosphere, divisive ending |
Is Below good according to Reddit?
Reddit's verdict on Below is mixed to positive, with most r/horror and r/NetflixBestOf threads landing on the side of recommending it. The most upvoted posts praise the atmosphere, Hartnett's performance, and the practical monster effects, while the most common complaints target the pacing in episodes 3 and 4 and an ambiguous finale.
Search interest in the query is below on netflix good reddit spiked sharply in the 72 hours after premiere, according to Google Trends data for the week of October 5 to 12, 2026. That pattern mirrors how audiences reacted to Widow's Bay in 2025, where Reddit sentiment initially lagged critic scores before catching up.
How does Below compare to other Netflix horror limited series?
Below ranks near the top of Netflix's recent horror limited series on critic approval, but it is more divisive with general audiences than The Haunting of Hill House. The table below compares it against the closest 2024 to 2026 peers.
| Series | Year | Critics Score | Audience Score | Pacing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Below | 2026 | 91% | 78% | Slow burn |
| Widow's Bay | 2025 | 88% | 81% | Medium |
| The Fall of the House of Usher | 2023 | 90% | 74% | Fast |
| Midnight Mass | 2021 | 87% | 79% | Slow burn |
Is Below Deck on Netflix in the US?
No, Below Deck is not on Netflix in the US as of October 2026. The Bravo reality franchise streams on Peacock in the United States, with new episodes arriving on Peacock next-day. This is a frequent point of confusion because search queries for is below deck on netflix usa and is below deck on netflix or hulu spike every time a show with the word Below trends.
Below Deck is also not on Hulu in the US. Hulu carries select Bravo library titles in some regions, but Below Deck is a Peacock exclusive domestically. Internationally, availability varies: Netflix UK and Netflix Canada have carried select Below Deck seasons in past years, but as of October 2026 the US catalog does not include the franchise.
Who should watch Below on Netflix?
Below is best suited to viewers who liked Midnight Mass, The Terror, or The Witch, meaning audiences comfortable with dread-driven horror over jump scares. If you want a fast, creature-feature thrill ride, this is not that show.
- Watch if you enjoy folk horror, maritime settings, and slow-burn dread.
- Watch if you are a Josh Hartnett fan; critics call this one of his strongest performances in a decade.
- Skip if you dislike ambiguous endings or want horror with clear monster reveals early.
- Skip if you need a bingeable pace; episodes 3 and 4 are the most common drop-off point on Reddit.
How many episodes is Below and how long is each one?
Below is a limited series with eight episodes, each running between 48 and 62 minutes. Netflix released the full season at once on its October 2026 premiere date, so it is fully bingeable. Total runtime is roughly seven hours, which makes it a two or three-night watch for most viewers.
Will there be a season 2 of Below?
No season 2 of Below has been announced, and the limited series format suggests Netflix intends it as a closed story. The finale resolves the central mystery while leaving one thread deliberately open, a choice that has fueled Reddit speculation about a possible anthology follow-up. Netflix has not commented publicly on any continuation as of October 12, 2026.
What do critics say is the best part of Below?
Critics most consistently praise Josh Hartnett's lead performance and the show's atmosphere. The Financial Times review highlights the Newfoundland setting as a character in itself, while Slate's review describes the experience as intentionally unpleasant in the best way, comparing it to kissing a dead fish and taking a shot. Rotten Tomatoes editorial coverage frames it as a monster horror worth watching, with the practical effects singled out over CGI.
Below is Netflix's answer to Widow's Bay, and in several ways it is the better show. (Financial Times, October 2026)
Is Below on Netflix worth watching tonight?
Yes, Below is worth watching tonight if you want prestige horror with strong reviews and a committed lead performance. With a 91% critics score, eight bingeable episodes, and a genuinely unsettling atmosphere, it is the best-reviewed Netflix horror limited series of the 2026 fall season so far. Just go in expecting a slow burn, not a thrill ride.