Below Was Created for Newfoundland’s Coastal Setting
Netflix’s Below is set in the fictional Newfoundland town of Snook’s Arm, where a contaminated iceberg brings danger to a close-knit community. Creator Jesse…
Newfoundland’s coastal communities give Netflix’s monster series “Below” its defining atmosphere. The show is set in the fictional town of Snook’s Arm, and creator Jesse McKeown said he had long wanted to make a project in Newfoundland that took advantage of the setting’s drama.
So, where was Below filmed? The verified reporting describes the series as Newfoundland-set, but does not specify the exact filming locations. The story follows fisherman Calvin Penney, played by Josh Hartnett, as a contaminated iceberg arrives in the town’s harbour and a sea creature begins to threaten residents.
The setting carries more than a monster-story function. The Globe and Mail’s review links the series’ community conflict to Newfoundland’s history of outport resettlements, while the fictional residents face a new referendum on whether to move away.
That choice gives the danger a local human cost. Cal is a widowed ice harvester whose children have taken different paths: Wade stayed, Jay left to make money in Fort Mac, and Mary returned from Montreal with a decision about whether to go home permanently or remain part of the diaspora. Their family tensions unfold as the town confronts the iceberg and its effects.
It’s not just the creature.
Residents who put ice in their drinks begin hallucinating and suffering from thirst, according to the review. A research scientist named Fonda, played by Mackenzie Davis, investigates the mystery. The six-episode series gives each installment its own arc and draws on different horror conventions, including local folklore about the Old Hag and the possibility of a zombie outbreak.
McKeown told Variety that his connection to the province shaped the project. “I’ve been going to Newfoundland for many, many years, and I had just always had a dream of making something there — something that was really big,” he said.
The showrunner said he wanted the production to make use of the place’s dramatic qualities. He also described Newfoundland as having a strong but small film and television community. The available reporting does not identify the specific towns or sites where cameras filmed, so Snook’s Arm should be understood as the fictional setting rather than a confirmed filming location.
Accent work was another way the production tried to make the fictional family feel connected to the region. Executive producer Jessica Rhoades said the team worked to establish a shared Penney-family sound while allowing for differences among characters who had spent time away. McKeown said Hartnett listened to Newfoundland radio before arriving.
Rhoades said the production expected that many viewers would use subtitles, which allowed the cast to stay true to the accent. The choice reinforces the series’ regional identity for audiences watching beyond Newfoundland, while keeping its family story tied to a specific community facing the prospect of relocation.
The Globe and Mail review says the series uses the resettlement question as its emotional anchor, connecting the fictional town’s decision to a broader fear that climate change could force communities to move. In the show, that pressure arrives in the form of a mysterious iceberg, turning a debate over leaving into a fight for safety.
“Below” is streaming on Netflix, and its first season ends with more icebergs approaching Snook’s Arm, according to Variety.
Source: theglobeandmail.com
