The biggest problem with Netflix’s Below may not be its giant sea monster. It is the way the six-episode thriller tries to balance creature horror, family conflict, corporate greed, small-town survival, and climate anxiety—sometimes leaving the central mystery with less room to breathe. Early reviews of the complete season point to a recurring criticism: the premise is gripping, the Newfoundland setting is memorable, and the cast gives the story emotional weight, but the plot can become crowded and the second half does not always deliver the escalating monster suspense viewers might expect.
That is a more specific complaint than simply calling the series “slow” or “bad.” Reviews published after the full season became available describe a show with strong atmosphere and worthwhile ideas that occasionally struggles to make all its storylines feel equally necessary. It is an issue that can become more noticeable when a viewer watches all six episodes in a short binge: each new mystery adds another layer, but not every layer gets the same satisfying payoff.
1. Too many storylines compete with the sea-monster mystery
Below begins with a straightforward hook: a remote Newfoundland fishing community is threatened by something dangerous beneath the water. But the show also follows Calvin’s strained family relationships, the town’s uncertain economic future, a powerful business interest pushing residents toward relocation, a marine researcher investigating strange events, and the environmental implications of the creature’s arrival.
Those themes are not inherently a problem. In fact, they are what distinguish Below from a creature feature that is only about people running from tentacles. The difficulty is giving each thread enough time to develop without weakening the main source of suspense. TheWrap’s review notes that the series can feel overcomplicated, with so many storylines competing for attention. Rotten Tomatoes’ roundup of early critical reactions similarly highlights a concern that weaker plot elements pile up across the short season.
2. The suspense does not always build as strongly in the second half
For horror fans, a strong opening is only a promise. The tension needs to keep growing, the danger needs to feel unpredictable, and each revelation should make the threat more unsettling. Some critics who watched the full season argue that Below gradually shifts away from the tight, unnerving creature mystery established at the start.
What’s on Netflix praised the show’s setting and character work but argued that it rarely reaches truly edge-of-your-seat horror outside a particularly claustrophobic sequence. Its review also points to the finale’s choice to subvert the kind of action-heavy monster showdown some viewers may anticipate. That creative decision may work for people who prefer emotional or ecological themes, but it can disappoint anyone expecting a more conventional creature-feature climax.
3. The finale chooses meaning over a simple monster battle
Spoilers for the ending: the final episode does not treat the giant squid as a conventional villain that must simply be defeated. Instead, the story turns toward the creature’s life cycle, the threat posed by warming waters, and the difficult choices facing Calvin and the town. The ending asks viewers to reconsider what the monster represents rather than offering an uncomplicated victory.
That approach is central to the series’ environmental message, but it also explains the split in reactions. TheWrap’s review describes the show as a flawed but entertaining binge and notes that the plot can become overly complicated. What’s on Netflix similarly praises the setting while arguing that the show does not consistently reach the most intense horror its premise promises. Those are critics’ published assessments—not proof that every viewer who finished the series felt the same way.
4. The show’s strongest themes can compete with its horror
Climate change, economic pressure, corporate power, and the survival of a remote community give Below more to say than a typical sea-monster thriller. Those ideas are also part of the reason the series may not satisfy every horror fan. A viewer looking for relentless scares may find the story pausing to explore questions of belonging, family, and environmental responsibility.
Meanwhile, viewers drawn to those larger themes may wish the show had explored them with more focus. Netflix’s official series guide frames the story around family, community, and a vanishing way of life as well as the creature mystery. The difference in response is not necessarily a contradiction: a show can have thoughtful ambitions and still struggle to integrate every idea into a tightly paced thriller.
Watch the official Below trailer
The official trailer highlights the creature mystery and the threatened Newfoundland community at the heart of the series.
What viewers may find frustrating after all six episodes
The phrase “biggest problem” can sound like a universal verdict, but reactions to a series are not a single consensus. The clearest evidence available here is in published reviews, which tend to focus on pacing, narrative density, and whether the ending delivers the kind of monster spectacle the opening appears to promise. Individual viewers may care more about the family story, the Newfoundland setting, or the climate theme than about the number of creature attacks.
For binge-watchers, the issue is structural. A six-episode run encourages viewers to move quickly from one reveal to the next. When a show introduces a corporate buyout, a strained family, a marine investigation, a community crisis, and a creature with its own biological story, each thread needs to change the stakes—not simply add another explanation. If two or three threads feel as though they are competing for the same limited time, the mystery can feel less focused even when the individual ideas are interesting.
That is why the criticism is more useful when stated precisely: Below is not necessarily short on ideas or atmosphere; it sometimes struggles to make every idea serve the same dramatic momentum. TheWrap’s review calls it a flawed but entertaining binge, while What’s on Netflix gives it a mixed assessment, praising its location work but finding that the horror does not always reach full intensity. Read together, these reviews suggest a pacing and expectation problem rather than evidence that all viewers disliked the show.
How to judge the ending fairly
It helps to decide what kind of horror story Below is trying to be. If the main expectation is a relentless creature feature with a large final confrontation, the restrained conclusion can feel like a letdown. If the creature is read as part of a wider story about a fragile coastal economy and an ecosystem under stress, the ending’s emphasis on consequences may feel more consistent with the show’s themes.
Neither response is automatically wrong. A finale can have a defensible idea and still leave viewers wanting more suspense, clearer answers, or a stronger payoff for a subplot. The most grounded criticism, therefore, is not that the series has no point; it is that its ambition sometimes outpaces the space available to develop every thread.
So, is Below worth finishing?
If you have already watched all six episodes, the fairest verdict is that Below is a distinctive, imperfect horror drama rather than a straightforward monster thrill ride. Its Newfoundland setting, committed performances, unsettling atmosphere, and ecological subtext give it a clear identity. Its weaker points are the number of competing plot threads and the risk that the final episodes explain or redirect the mystery instead of continually intensifying it.
That makes the series a better fit for viewers who enjoy character-driven horror and morally complicated endings than for anyone who wants a simple, escalating battle against a sea creature. The biggest issue is not that Below has too many ideas; it is that some of those ideas fight for space in a six-episode story.
Frequently asked questions
What is the biggest problem with Netflix’s Below?
Based on published reviews, the most consistent criticism is that the series juggles too many storylines and does not always sustain the creature-horror tension established in its opening episodes.
Does Below get worse in the second half?
That depends on what a viewer wants from the show. Some reviews say the back half loses momentum or becomes overcomplicated, while others value the way the story moves toward family drama and environmental themes.
Is Below’s ending disappointing?
Reactions differ. The ending favors character choices and ecological ideas over a conventional monster showdown, which may feel thoughtful to some viewers and underwhelming to others.
Where can I watch Below?
The six-episode limited series is available on Netflix’s official page for Below. It stars Josh Hartnett, Mackenzie Davis, and Charlie Heaton.
Sources and further reading
- What’s on Netflix — Below review
- Rotten Tomatoes — Below first reviews
- TheWrap — Below review
- Netflix — Below official page
By Shivam Das
