Netflix’s new limited series Below has set streaming record, attracting 17 million views during its opening weekend and becoming the platform’s most-watched debut for a Canadian title. According to Deadline, the horror series premiered October 8th and quickly climbed to the top of Netflix’s English-language television rankings that same week, where Netflix recorded the record-breaking viewership through Sunday evening.
Below stars Josh Hartnett (Oppenheimer, Black Mirror) as fisherman whose small Newfoundland hometown becomes the target of a mysterious sea creature. The series combines supernatural horror with the struggles of a coastal community facing an unknown threat.
The strong debut placed Below ahead of several other titles competing for viewers on the platform. Deadline also reported that Netflix’s adaptation of East of Eden finished second with 12.6 million views, nearly doubling its opening weekend audience of 6.5 million.
Adapted by Zoe Kazan (The Big Sick, Ruby Sparks) from John Steinbeck’s classic novel, East of Eden previously recorded Netflix’s lowest number-one opening since March. Its second-week performance suggests the series is finding a larger audience following its initial release.
Disney’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians also appeared on Netflix’s rankings after its first season arrived on the platform. The fantasy series earned 4.1 million views and secured third place, ahead of its season three premiere on Disney+ next month.
Comedian Mojo Brookz followed in fourth place with his debut Netflix special, Mojo Brookz: I Know You Lying, attracting 3.3 million views. Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story rounded out the top five with three million views.
Other returning titles included The Gentlemen season two, which placed eighth with two million views, and the reality competition series Wonka’s The Golden Ticket, which finished ninth with 1.9 million. A Different World, already renewed for a second season, took tenth place with the same viewership total.
With its record-breaking opening, Below has established itself as Netflix’s latest streaming success and set a new benchmark for Canadian productions on the platform.