The new supernatural thriller Below, featuring Josh Hartnett, has premiered with impressive numbers on Netflix, setting a new benchmark for Canadian original series on the platform. According to data released by Netflix itself, the show was the most-watched English-language series globally during the week of October 5th to 11th.
In just its first four days of availability, Below garnered an astonishing 17 million "complete viewings." This rapid uptake not only positioned it as a top performer but also marked the best-ever debut for a Canadian original series on Netflix. Furthermore, its Thursday launch made it the third strongest English-language series debut on that specific day of the week for 2026, as reported by Ecran Large.
Created by Jesse McKeown, Below entered a competitive landscape of recent Netflix hits. While its initial performance is formidable, it trails slightly behind other notable launches from earlier in the year. For instance, His & Hers kicked off with 19.9 million views, and Sur tes traces, an adaptation of an Harlan Coben novel, led with 24 million views in its first week. Sur tes traces went on to achieve 120.8 million complete viewings in its first 91 days, landing it in the top five most-watched English-language Netflix series of all time.
Despite the impressive start, industry observers suggest that Below may face an uphill battle to match the long-term viewership of these top-tier successes. For example, Sur tes traces added 34.1 million views in its second week after a much stronger debut, indicating the kind of sustained momentum required to reach the highest echelons of Netflix's viewership charts. To even approach such figures, Below would need to maintain an exceptionally high engagement rate in its subsequent weeks.
Still, the series has significantly outperformed other recent high-profile Netflix projects, such as the ambitious John Steinbeck adaptation À l'Est d'Eden, starring Florence Pugh. That series accumulated 19.2 million complete viewings over 11 days, only slightly more than Below achieved in less than half that time. This comparison highlights Below's efficiency in capturing audience attention right out of the gate.
With Josh Hartnett leading the cast, Below demonstrates Netflix's continued ability to launch successful new intellectual properties that resonate with audiences, even without relying on pre-existing franchises. The coming weeks will reveal if the series can sustain its momentum and cement its place among Netflix's most popular offerings.
<picture loading="lazy" decoding="async"><source sizes="auto, (max-width: 1260px) 100vw, 1260px" srcset="https://www.ecranlarge.com/content/uploads/2026/10/below-demarrage-record-pour-la-serie-surnaturelle-de-netflix-avec-josh-hartnett-1260x708.jpg.webp 1260w, https://www.ecranlarge.com/content/uploads/2026/10/below-demarrage-record-pour-la-serie-surnaturelle-de-netflix-avec-josh-hartnett.jpg.webp 1920w" type="image/webp"><img sizes="auto, (max-width: 1260px) 100vw, 1260px" srcset="https://www.ecranlarge.com/content/uploads/2026/10/below-demarrage-record-pour-la-serie-surnaturelle-de-netflix-avec-josh-hartnett-1260x708.jpg 1260w, https://www.ecranlarge.com/content/uploads/2026/10/below-demarrage-record-pour-la-serie-surnaturelle-de-netflix-avec-josh-hartnett-300x169.jpg 300w, https://www.ecranlarge.com/content/uploads/2026/10/below-demarrage-record-pour-la-serie-surnaturelle-de-netflix-avec-josh-hartnett-286x161.jpg 286w, https://www.ecranlarge.com/content/uploads/2026/10/below-demarrage-record-pour-la-serie-surnaturelle-de-netflix-avec-josh-hartnett.jpg 1920w" loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="Below : démarrage record pour la série surnaturelle de Netflix avec Josh Hartnett" src="https://www.ecranlarge.com/content/uploads/2026/10/below-demarrage-record-pour-la-serie-surnaturelle-de-netflix-avec-josh-hartnett-1260x708.jpg" height="708" width="1260"></picture>
<picture decoding="async" loading="lazy"><source sizes="auto, (max-width: 1260px) 100vw, 1260px" srcset="https://www.ecranlarge.com/content/uploads/2026/07/below_n_s1_e1_00_34_11_17-_r-1260x568.jpg.webp 1260w" type="image/webp"><img sizes="auto, (max-width: 1260px) 100vw, 1260px" srcset="https://www.ecranlarge.com/content/uploads/2026/07/below_n_s1_e1_00_34_11_17-_r-1260x568.jpg 1260w, https://www.ecranlarge.com/content/uploads/2026/07/below_n_s1_e1_00_34_11_17-_r-300x135.jpg 300w, https://www.ecranlarge.com/content/uploads/2026/07/below_n_s1_e1_00_34_11_17-_r-286x129.jpg 286w" height="568" width="1260" src="https://www.ecranlarge.com/content/uploads/2026/07/below_n_s1_e1_00_34_11_17-_r-1260x568.jpg" alt="Mackenzie Davis dans Below" decoding="async" loading="lazy"></picture>
<picture decoding="async" loading="lazy"><source sizes="auto, (max-width: 1260px) 100vw, 1260px" srcset="https://www.ecranlarge.com/content/uploads/2026/07/below_n_s1_e6_00_34_09_23-_r-1260x568.jpg.webp 1260w" type="image/webp"><img sizes="auto, (max-width: 1260px) 100vw, 1260px" srcset="https://www.ecranlarge.com/content/uploads/2026/07/below_n_s1_e6_00_34_09_23-_r-1260x568.jpg 1260w, https://www.ecranlarge.com/content/uploads/2026/07/below_n_s1_e6_00_34_09_23-_r-300x135.jpg 300w, https://www.ecranlarge.com/content/uploads/2026/07/below_n_s1_e6_00_34_09_23-_r-286x129.jpg 286w" height="568" width="1260" src="https://www.ecranlarge.com/content/uploads/2026/07/below_n_s1_e6_00_34_09_23-_r-1260x568.jpg" alt="Charlie Heaton dans Below" decoding="async" loading="lazy"></picture>