Josh Hartnett’s Below has arrived on Netflix and is already drawing attention from critics. The series brings a sea-creature threat to a coastal community, with its early reviews highlighting how effectively it combines suspense with larger themes. Several critics have also focused on the show’s more darker moments.
Josh Hartnett’s Below gets first reviews upon Netflix debut
Josh Hartnett’s Below has begun drawing reviews following its Netflix debut, with critics largely focusing on its thriller elements, pacing, and themes of climate change, and community.
Variety’s Aramide Tinubu praised the series for its suspense and genre blend. She wrote, “Deeply intriguing and at times terrifying, Below is a perfectly paced thriller. The series masterfully blends genres, looking beyond the mythos of sea creatures to take a hard look at human nature, especially as we continue down the harrowing road of an irreparable climate crisis.”
The Hollywood Reporter’s Daniel Fienberg offered a more mixed response of the six-episode series. He wrote, “Though Below never really lives up to the potential of that opening scene, the six episodes — most chapters run roughly 40 minutes — come together decently as a fast-moving, occasionally amusing.” Fienberg ultimately called the season “a pleasant surprise,” while adding, “These six episodes are a pleasant surprise, offering more than what initially appeared on the surface, but the story wouldn’t be able to operate below the radar a second time.”
Mashable’s Belen Edwards described the series as “a fun, tightly crafted riff on Jaws that’s a perfect way to ease into spooky fall viewing.” Meanwhile, Radio Times’ Louise Griffin wrote, “Despite a few flaws, writer Jesse McKeown (The Umbrella Academy), has delivered a gripping series which also tackles worthy topics including the urgency of climate change, the importance of compassion in an increasingly uncaring world, and the power of community. It’s worth diving in.”
Collider’s Carly Lane praised the first half of the season, writing, “The first half of the season is unquestionably where the show is at its strongest and scariest, from a late-night boat trip going horribly wrong to a tense submersible sequence that may trigger even the most latent claustrophobia.”
