There’s something below the surface in the fishing town of Snook’s Arm.
As an unknown force wreaks havoc on a tight-knit community in Below — streaming on Netflix now — fisherman Calvin Penney (Josh Hartnett) sets out to uncover what’s lurking underneath the surface of the sea. The town is already in turmoil, with a vote looming that will determine if locals should accept a buyout in exchange for vacating their land. In more ways than one, Calvin is fighting to save his home.
Filmed on location in Newfoundland, the limited series drew inspiration from creator Jesse McKeown’s experience with the rugged Canadian province.
“I always felt like this would be a great place for something big and epic; it’s such a unique landscape and such a dangerous, isolated, scary place in a lot of ways,” says McKeown. “But then there’s also this other side to it — the community is so warm and the people are so funny and unique.”
McKeown populated the series with characters who felt “lived in,” Hartnett adds. “I read the first two scripts in less than an hour,” he says. “I read it so quickly because the voice was so clear, the concept was so engaging, and the character was fantastic. I’d never read anything like it before.” (Plus, the actor notes, it was hard to pass up the opportunity to play a “salty dog fisherman.”)
As you unravel the secrets of Snook’s Arm, be sure to get to know the central characters below.
Ever since a childhood tragedy upended his life, Calvin Penney has been pretty sure he’s cursed. The fisherman and father of three struggles to find success in his seaside village — all while navigating a mysterious creature threatening locals.
“He’s gruff, but he’s 100% there for his family and 100% there for what he believes is right for his town as well,” Hartnett tells Tudum. In preparation for the role, the actor immersed himself in Newfoundland’s culture and history, getting to know the locals and learning their stories.
“He was so into it right away,” McKeown says. “He just immediately started researching and became fascinated with Newfoundland, and he really wanted to tackle it and get it right.”
Pearl Harbor, Black Hawk Down, Oppenheimer
While the rest of his siblings have ventured away from their hometown, Wade has stayed put. Stuck in a state of arrested development, Calvin’s oldest son gets into mischief in their tiny town. Heaton, who spent time with Newfoundland locals to get to know the culture, learned that his character wasn’t so far from reality.
“Everyone on the island knows a Wade,” says Heaton. “You see all these kids on ATVs and they all look like Wade … they make their own fun, which is kind of what Wade does.”
When Hartnett hopped on his first Zoom call with Heaton, he marveled at how much the actor had already “fully” channeled Wade. “It didn’t change an iota from that first time that he was on the Zoom to the finished product of the [series],” Hartnett shares. “For him to be that sure of what he wanted to do was a great relief for the rest of us who were still out there trying to figure it out.”
The New Mutants, Industry
Marine biologist Fonda is trying to get to the bottom of the mysteries brewing in Snook’s Arm. McKeown drew inspiration from real-life scientist Annie Mercier who works for Newfoundland’s Ocean Sciences Centre, which they used as the filming location for Fonda’s lab.
“We were shooting in this Bond villain-looking building on the edge of the world outside of St. John’s,” Davis says. “I got to slip into the exact world that I was supposed to right away. As soon as I saw that building, I was like, ‘Hell yeah.’”
Halt and Catch Fire, Station Eleven, The Martian
Calvin’s youngest seems to be doing well for himself after leaving Snook’s Arm. He receives a hero’s welcome when he returns for the Come Home Year celebration, but a threatening text message soon reveals that his life might have taken a dangerous turn and his financial situation isn’t what it seems.
The Hardy Boys, Halloween Ends
When we first meet Calvin’s daughter, she’s returning home to Snook’s Arm for the first time in three years and bringing her boyfriend Noah (Kaleb Horn) with her to meet the family.
The Burning Girls, The Jetty
A city boy from Montreal, Noah arrives in Snook’s Arm hoping to get to know Mary’s family and take his relationship with his girlfriend to the next level. What he doesn’t expect is a massive underwater creature terrorizing the town … and potentially ruining his big plans for the future.
Chucky, Dream Scenario
Ruth is Calvin’s sister and the town’s harbormaster, putting her smack dab in the middle of the chaos brewing off the shores of Snook’s Arm.
The King Tide, SurrealEstate
Jan Hickey is an amateur potter as well as Snooks Arm’s official Resettlement Liaison Officer. She also has a more-than-friendly relationship with one of the Penney men.
Charmed, House of Abraham
Steve Bruner is commander of the RSV Sir John Franklin, a high-tech research vessel, who arrives in Snook’s Arm with the supposed goal of spreading conservation and climate change awareness. However, mysterious equipment on board hint that his intentions may not be quite so wholesome.
The Lord of the Rings, Elvis
A legendary marine biologist, Dr. Sayed harbors a long-held obsession with the underwater creature that’s tormenting Snook’s Arm. He’s willing to risk it all if anyone stands in his way of getting up close with the elusive specimen.
The Lawyer, The Swarm
A mysterious old hag appears on the scene amid all the madness in Snook’s Arm. She’s haunting Wade’s dreams and offers more questions than answers. Is she real? Is she an illusion? And what does she have to do with this underwater creature?
Maudie, Republic of Doyle
An old friend of Calvin’s, Walton unexpectedly reunites with his childhood buddy when Wade ventures to new shores.
Big Love
Jim Crocker é um membro de destaque dos Crocker, uma das famílias de classe comerciante mais antigas da Terra Nova, que há muito tempo exerce um enorme poder sobre pequenas vilas de pesca como Snook’s Arm.
Jesus Henry Christ, The Apprentice
