SPOILER ALERT: This article contains spoilers for the first season of “Below,” now streaming on Netflix. Netflix’s new mystery series “Below” has arrived, and audiences are being transported to the beautiful and dangerous Newfoundland town of Snook’s Arm. Josh Hartnett stars as fisherman Calvin Penney, who, alongside Dr.
Fonda Howander (Mackenzie Davis), is investigating a local mystery involving dirty ice and a giant sea monster. Fonda, and his family get into plenty of adventures along the way, before an ending that promises a fresh start for the residents of Snook’s Arm … before a final moment that teases fresh danger, as several more icebergs approach, promising more deep-sea beasts on their way to Snook’s Arm. Variety spoke with “Below” creator and showrunner Jesse McKeown and executive producer Jessica Rhoades about Season 1’s ending, how the cast tackled the Newfoundland accent, the giant squid’s development and what might be explored in a second season.
Jesse McKeown: 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. There are a lot of smaller things that have been made in Newfoundland. There’s a strong film and television community there, but it’s very small.
I wanted to do something that took advantage of the drama of the place. I never thought that would happen, but then, in a meeting with Netflix, an opportunity opened up and I snagged it and pitched them this and they went for it. Jessica Rhoades: I mean, you had to.
I’d like to say it was some brilliant, bold move, but you have to get it right. Jesse has family in Newfoundland. He wasn’t going to be allowed to go home if we got it wrong.
But both Josh — and Charlie [Heaton], and a few of the other actors like Ruby [Stokes] out of the U.K. — had done accent work. I think the hardest thing was finding an accent for the family. You wanted to sync them, as with any region.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
