Netflix’s Below is drawing a more complicated response than a single score can explain. The Newfoundland-set creature thriller has attracted strong early critical attention, including an 82% Tomatometer figure in Rotten Tomatoes’ first-review coverage. But the audience side of Rotten Tomatoes has not yet produced a comparable, established score. That distinction matters: a critic-audience gap is not the same thing as a low audience score, especially when a show has only just premiered.
The most accurate way to read the numbers right now is to separate three things: what critics have said, what viewers are saying in reviews elsewhere, and what Rotten Tomatoes has enough audience ratings to calculate. Those measures overlap, but they are not interchangeable.
What Rotten Tomatoes’ numbers actually say
Rotten Tomatoes’ season page for Below has listed an 82% Tomatometer in its first-reviews coverage, while its audience section showed zero ratings when checked for this article. In other words, the critic figure was available, but the site did not yet have a published Popcornmeter score to compare against it.
That means the headline idea that the audience score is “lagging far behind” needs an important qualification. At the time of checking, there was no verified Rotten Tomatoes audience percentage proving a large numerical gap. A score can appear later as more viewers submit ratings, and the displayed figure can move as the sample grows.
Why critics are responding to Below
Early critics have highlighted the show’s atmosphere, Newfoundland setting, and the performances at the center of its family story. Rotten Tomatoes’ first-review roundup described Below as a worthwhile addition to the creature-horror genre, while noting that some reviewers felt its later episodes lost momentum. The series pairs a sea-monster mystery with a community facing economic pressure, family fractures, and the effects of environmental change.
That ambition helps explain the positive reviews. The rugged coast gives the series a distinctive visual identity, and the Penney family offers an emotional anchor beyond the creature itself. Josh Hartnett plays Calvin Penney, a struggling fisherman haunted by his father’s death; Charlie Heaton plays his son Wade, and Mackenzie Davis plays marine researcher Fonda Howander. For critics who value setting and character as much as scares, that mix can be a strength.
Why some viewers may be less enthusiastic
The show’s blend of genres is also a potential source of disappointment. Viewers arriving for nonstop monster attacks may find the family drama, corporate conflict, and environmental themes slow the momentum. Those more interested in an intimate small-town story may have the opposite reaction: the creature effects and supernatural turns can occasionally threaten to overwhelm the human story.
Some early reviews have also questioned the pacing and the way the plot’s many threads come together in the second half. That criticism does not mean the series has failed with audiences; it points to a familiar divide in genre television. Critics may reward a show for its ambition, mood, or thematic ideas, while viewers often place greater weight on whether each episode delivers the thrills they expected.
Why early audience scores can be misleading
Audience ratings are most useful when enough people have submitted them to form a reasonably broad sample. A small pool can overrepresent the most enthusiastic fans, the most frustrated viewers, or people who rate a show before finishing it. A missing audience score is even less conclusive: it tells readers that a comparable number is not available on that platform yet, not that viewers dislike the show.
It is also worth comparing like with like. Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer reflects the share of counted critic reviews that are positive; it is not an average star rating. The Popcornmeter is a separate audience measure. Other sites use different methods and rating pools, so a user rating on a streaming guide cannot simply be substituted for Rotten Tomatoes’ audience percentage.
What to watch for as more reviews arrive
- The audience sample: Check whether Rotten Tomatoes begins displaying a Popcornmeter percentage and how many ratings support it.
- Episode-by-episode reactions: Viewers who finish all six episodes may respond differently from those judging the premiere alone.
- Specific complaints: Look for recurring criticism about pacing, character development, effects, or the finale rather than treating one viral post as consensus.
- Positive themes: Notice whether viewers praise Hartnett’s performance, the Newfoundland setting, or the show’s mix of horror and family drama.
Watch the official Below trailer
The trailer gives a useful sense of the show’s mix of maritime danger and family drama before you decide whether to stream it.
Is Below worth watching despite the score uncertainty?
If you enjoy atmospheric horror, remote coastal settings, and family drama wrapped around a creature mystery, Below may be worth trying. If your main priority is relentless action or a tightly streamlined monster plot, the early criticism about pacing is worth considering. Neither the critic score nor the absence of a settled audience score can make that decision for every viewer.
The bottom line: Below has received positive early critical attention, but a clear Rotten Tomatoes critic-versus-audience gap was not verifiable when this article was checked because the audience score was not yet populated. The fairest approach is to revisit the page as more audience ratings arrive instead of presenting an unconfirmed gap as a settled fact.
Frequently asked questions
What is Below’s Rotten Tomatoes critic score?
Rotten Tomatoes’ first-review coverage listed an 82% Tomatometer for Below. Scores can change as additional reviews are counted.
Does Below have a Rotten Tomatoes audience score?
At the time of checking, the season page showed zero audience ratings and did not provide a settled Popcornmeter percentage. Check the current Rotten Tomatoes page for updates.
Why might critics and viewers disagree about Below?
Critics may value atmosphere, performances, and thematic ambition, while viewers may put more weight on pacing, scares, effects, and how satisfying the finale feels. Those differences can produce a gap once enough audience ratings are available.
Where can I watch Below?
Below is streaming on Netflix.
Sources
- Rotten Tomatoes: Below — Limited Series
- Rotten Tomatoes: Below First Reviews
- Netflix Tudum: Below trailer, cast, release date, and plot
- TheWrap: Below review
- The Guardian: Below review
By Shivam Das
