There is no Snooks Arm on the map. The fishing town at the centre of Below, Netflix‘s six-episode thriller about a sea creature menacing a Newfoundland outport, is fictional. The coastline is not. Netflix shot the series over 75 days across Newfoundland and Labrador, and it says the result is now the most-watched Canadian title on its global charts.
Below reached No. 1 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 English TV list, with 17 million views by the company’s count on 13 October, and 21.2 million in the week of 12 to 18 October alone. Netflix says it ranked first in 53 countries and made the Top 10 in 90.
The story and the people behind it
Josh Hartnett plays Calvin Penney, a fisherman trying to keep his family and his neighbours together while a creature works the waters off town and the old way of life slips away. Mackenzie Davis, Charlie Heaton, Willow Kean, Ruby Stokes, Rohan Campbell and Kaleb Horn co-star. Jesse McKeown created the series and is showrunner; the writers are Karen Walton, Perry Chafe and Natty Zavitz, and Jamie Childs, Helen Shaver and Stephen Dunn directed. Netflix released all six episodes on 8 October, after a global premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Jan Thijs/Netflix
Jan Thijs/Netflix
Jan Thijs/Netflix
McKeown told Tudum, “I’ve been coming to Newfoundland for many years, and it’s become a part of my life.”
St. John’s
The capital is the first location Netflix names. Tudum adds that Heaton spent time in the city’s bars to soak up the culture and the accent before filming. For visitors, St. John’s is also the practical base: the airport, the harbourfront and the colourful downtown rows are all here, and the outport locations below are day trips.
Two St. John’s venues played supporting roles off camera. The Majestic Theatre hosted a special screening of the series, and Memorial University‘s Ocean Sciences Centre gave the production scientific guidance, according to Netflix.
Pouch Cove
North of St. John’s on the Avalon Peninsula, Pouch Cove supplied one of the series’ key interiors. Netflix says the production improved the Society of United Fishermen Lodge, a historic fishermen’s hall in the town, and used it as a key filming location. Of all the named sites, this is the one that most directly ties the show’s community scenes to a real community building.
Brigus South
Netflix also lists Brigus South, a small outport on the Avalon’s southern shore, among the filming locations. The company has not said which scenes were shot there. The setting matches the brief: a sheltered harbour, wharves and fishing stages close to open North Atlantic water.
“And more”
Netflix’s list ends with “and more,” and it has not published the rest. Other towns have been named in fan and local coverage, but none is confirmed by Netflix or Picture NL, the provincial film commission, so they are not listed here. Netflix says further detail sits on its Netflix In Your Neighbourhood pages, and this guide will be updated if either Netflix or the province names more sites.
What the shoot meant for the province
The numbers Netflix has released are large for a single limited series in Atlantic Canada: more than 700 primary cast and crew, more than 425 daily hires and extras, more than 650 vendors, and over $90 million contributed to Canada’s economy.
Premier Andrew Furey told Tudum that the province’s “rich history and stunning landscapes make it the ideal canvas for a project of this magnitude.” Laura Churchill, chief executive of Picture NL, said, “Newfoundland and Labrador has long been home to incredible stories.”
Visiting
The named locations cluster on the Avalon Peninsula, so one base in St. John’s covers them. Pouch Cove is the shortest hop from the city; Brigus South takes a longer drive down the southern shore. The Society of United Fishermen Lodge is a community hall, not a tourist attraction, so check with the town before you go.
Where to watch
- Below (limited series, six episodes): Netflix · CA US UK AU NZ · Streaming now
Sources
Before you go
