Netflix's New 6-Part Thriller Series Is Officially An Instant Global Streaming Sensation

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Mackenzie Davis distraught and held up by two men on Netflix's Below

Published Oct 9, 2026, 3:01 PM EDT

Felipe Rangel is a Movie and TV Journalist ScreenRant. He has been writing about movies and TV since 2021. Felipe joined ScreenRant in 2022, working across different teams, covering everything from breaking news to features to reviews and more.

Felipe is a writer who is an avid film and TV fan, with superhero movies and series being his biggest passion. He graduated from college in 2019, having studied Journalism. Before college, he spent a month studying at the Oxford English Centre. His superhero knowledge expands to the comics, with his undergraduate thesis being "Politics Reflected In American Comics."

Netflix's new thriller series has debuted to global streaming success, with the dark mystery show becoming an instant sensation for the streamer. Netflix's slate of thriller series continues to be one of the best performers for the streamer. In 2026, that has included both new seasons of hit series and new shows. In parallel to that, Netflix's limited series tend to perform well for the streamer. This year, His & Hers and I Will Find You proved both of those right, as Netflix crime thriller miniseries. Both of the new 2026 projects entered the hall of Netflix's most-watched TV shows ever.

That list also features other Netflix limited series, with the psychological thriller Adolescence and Evan Peters' DAHMER: Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, aka the first season of the crime drama anthology Monster, on the chart. Now, it is time for another thriller series to rise on Netflix, as Josh Hartnett's Below has just become a global streaming sensation after its recent debut. The new Netflix TV show also features names like Stranger Things' Jonathan Byers actor Charlie Heaton and Black Mirror's Mackenzie Davis, from the classic San Junipero episode. Right now, Below has come to dominate Netflix around the world.

Below Hooks A Major Win On Netflix's Global Charts

Below is currently the most-watched TV show on Netflix worldwide, according to data from FlixPatrol. As is the usual style for the streamer, Below comes as another of Netflix's binge releases, with all six episodes of the limited series dropping at the same time on Netflix on October 8. It only took the dark show a single day of availability on the streaming service for Below to top all other TV shows on Netflix worldwide. At the time of writing, it has left behind Florence Pugh's East of Eden, the licensed Disney+ fantasy series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and more.

Among other noteworthy shows surpassed by Below on Netflix's global charts are also major Netflix Original series like Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story and Guy Ritchie's The Gentlemen, as well as Taylor Sheridan's Mayor of Kingstown, licensed from Paramount+. According to FlixPatrol, Below is trending on Netflix in a whopping 92 countries, with the new Netflix thriller series ranking 1st in 70 nations. Those include countries like Brazil, Canada, France, Italy, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and more. At the moment, Below is also the most-watched TV show on Netflix in the United States, where it tops East of Eden, All American, and many more.

The Netflix Thriller Series Deals With Mixed Reception

Below's streaming success comes after a strong start with critics. At the time of writing, Below stands at a high 81% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, being Certified Fresh after 32 reviews. However, despite the show's streaming success, the new Netflix mystery thriller series currently sits at a low 58% audience score, in Rotten territory. Given how Below was only just released on Netflix and the new thriller is a global hit, viewers' could end up giving it a better score over the weekend. Below follows the mysterious appearance of an iceberg with a dangerous threat in a small town.