Josh Hartnett's New 6-Part Netflix Thriller Is The Perfect One-Night Weekend Binge

Published Oct 9, 2026, 6:45 PM EDT Greg is a Lead TV Writer & Critic at Screen Rant with expertise in new streaming releases. He's published over 3000 articles at SR, including weekly recommendation guides and dozens of reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. He previously worked in Development at ABC Television & Lawrence Bender Productions. Greg majored in Film Production at Chapman University's Dodge College. Greg also has years of broadcast TV production experience at major networks such as NBC, TNT, and ESPN. He currently lives in Greater Boston. Josh Hartnett's new 6-part Netflix thriller is a fast-paced, atmospheric weekend binge built around a terrifying coastal mystery that's trending #1 worldwide right now. After premiering on Thursday, October 8, this series has skyrocketed to the top of Netflix's global viewership chart, dethroning Florence Pugh's critically acclaimed East of Eden adaptation. With a total runtime of just four hours, there's truly no better new series on Netflix to binge-watch in just one night this weekend than this new thriller with horror and mystery elements. Below is officially a must-binge new Netflix series this weekend that was designed to start and finish in just one night. Josh Hartnett, best known for his classic role in Lucky Number Slevin and more recent appearance in Oppenheimer, takes the lead as a fisherman named Calvin Penney, who is determined to discover and stop a mysterious sea creature that begins to disrupt his coastal town. He enlists the help of a marine biologist and researcher named Dr. Fonda Howander, played by Mackenzie David of Blade Runner 2049 acclaim. Josh Hartnett's Below Is Officially The #1 New Series On Netflix Josh Hartnett's new Netflix series Below has become an overnight streaming sensation, ranking #1 worldwide and in the U.S. just one day after its premiere. The series earned a strong 81% Rotten Tomatoes score, although early audience feedback places the series in a more diminished light with a 62% RT audience score. Variety calls the new Netflix series "a captivating ride blending horror and suspense while centering our very real climate crisis," while Collider notes, "By the time you've concluded your own visit to Below, you might not be tempted to return, but you won't regret spending a weekend there." Despite the initial divide between critics and audiences on Below, the show's popularity is undeniable and is short enough for viewers to see for themselves which side of the line they fall on. The series takes place in Newfoundland and was actually filmed there, creating a memorable visual profile along the coast throughout the 6-part series. Although Calvin's priorities shift to stopping the sea creature, he has three adult children: Wade, played by Charlie Heaton of Stranger Things fame, Mary, played by Ruby Stokes, best known for Jay Kelly, and Jay, played by Rohan Campbell (Virgin River). While Jay left the small Newfoundland fishing town of Snook's Arm to pursue a successful career and Mary also left and found a boyfriend elsewhere, Wade stayed in town and is known to be a troublemaker. Interestingly enough, Wade becomes a core part of the mystery surrounding the sea creature, much to the surprise of his father, which introduces an intriguing supernatural element to the thriller series. Below's 6 Episodes Make It An Easy One-Night Weekend Binge The longest episode of Below is the first one, leaving roughly 3 hours and 15 minutes left of the series after that. Its 4-hour total runtime is on the shorter side for most Netflix series, which typically run between 5 and 8 hours, making Below one of the most bingeable new series of the year. What's more, all six episodes dropped at the same time and are available to stream right now, so viewers will not have to wait week-to-week to continue the story. Below is especially ideal if you're looking for something spooky to watch this weekend on Netflix. Due to its atmospheric style and horror-themed story set in a coastal town, Below has drawn comparisons to Apple TV's hit series Widow's Bay, although viewers should know beforehand that the two series are nothing alike. Widow's Bay is a dark comedy at its core with horror elements, while Below is tonally much more of a suspenseful thriller and mystery series. With its A-list lead cast, spooky themes, and short runtime, there's no better new series to binge-watch in one night on Netflix this weekend than Below. Below 5/10 Release Date October 8, 2026 Network Netflix Showrunner Jesse McKeown Directors Jamie Childs, Stephen Dunn, Helen Shaver Cast Mackenzie Davis Fonda Howander