I went into the Netflix series Below (2026), about a sea monster plaguing a small fishing village, expecting no more than the Newfoundland accent and maybe some shirtless fishermen. But before I knew it, there was a major gay subtext, a crazy, undeveloped, yet touching "enemies to lovers" story!
First, a prehistoric sea monster that kills random villager, starts a plague, and has a weird cult with psychic powers.
Left: Josh Hartnett's butt.
Second, the province wants everyone to relocate. If 90% of the villagers agree to the move, they'll get a stipend of $140,000 for a family, or $60,000 for single people. He and his lesbian sister don't want to move.
Calvin has an on-off girlfriend and three kids. They all have plotlines of their own, plus love interests.
Wade (Charlie Heaton, Jonathan Byers on Stranger Things), handles the cooking and cleaning for the family's bed-and-breakfast. He keeps wanting to help on the ice fishing boat, but Dad refuses because he has ADHD, is taking psylociben for depression, and is a screw-up.
Love interest: He falls in love with a girl who happens to belong to the paranormal monster-worshipping cult, and wants to sacrifice him.
Mary is visiting from Toronto with her musician boyfriend Noah (Caleb Horn). Their plotline involves a stolen engagement ring.
Jay (Rohan Campbell) has been "working on an oil rig," he claims and hanging out with the b'yes. Tell me more.
His plotline:
Episode 1: While out ice fishing with his Dad, he gets a text: "You're a dead man!" .
Episode 2: It turns out that he owes $80,000 to a loan shark out west. Two enforcers, the loose cannon Connor (Josh Cruddas, right) and the hesitant Mo (Matthew Worku, center), arrive for the payment. Jay says that he needs another 24 hours.
Episode 3: In 24 hours, Jay delivers proof of residence in the town: when they relocate, he'll get a payout of $60,000. That's not good enough, so they start beating him up. Dad Calvin intervenes.
Jay asks if they have a place to stay, and suggests a b&b (not the one his brother runs). You're being awfully nice to the guys who were just hitting and kicking you.
More after the break. Caution: Explicit