There are a few things we were expecting to see from Netflix's Below, from dramatic landscapes to plenty of sea monster scares. But an appearance from our very own Coronation Street? Not so much.
The Canadian miniseries, which is now available on Netflix, follows fisherman Calvin Penney (Josh Hartnett) whose way of life in a small town in Newfoundland is rapidly vanishing – with everything changing when a vicious sea monster suddenly emerges from the depths.
As the story progresses, we learn a few secrets about Calvin's family – including that his son Jay (Rohan Campbell) isn't exactly telling the truth about his life of luxury on the mainland, when a duo of thugs come looking for the thousands that he owes them.
But in the midst of their mission to recoup their cash, the pair find themselves in need of somewhere to shelter. Enter Irene Tulk (Cathy Jones), who provides a sandwich and a Pepsi, and swiftly sticks on an episode of Corrie.
Speaking exclusively to Radio Times, showrunner Jesse McKeown explains: "Coronation Street is huge here in Newfoundland. It's very popular, and it was even big when I was growing up in Vancouver.
"It's a big part of the culture, and then that scene with that character named Irene Tulk, played by Cathy Jones, was just a little window into the kind of people that still do live around the bay. A lot of the young people have moved away, but there there are many senior citizens who live out there, and they watch Coronation Street.
"So the idea that these two thugs from from the mainland would end up billeting with her, I thought was really funny."
Meanwhile, Below actually does share a connection with Coronation Street, with McKeown adding: "Coincidentally, one of our producers [Louise Sutton] was a producer on Coronation Street very early in her career – she's done a million amazing things since then, but in Newfoundland, she was a celebrity because she produced Coronation Street."
Grounding the series in the reality of Newfoundland was essential for the cast and crew, with star Hartnett going the extra mile.
"I was surprised by how dedicated he was to the part and how much work he did," McKeown admits.
"He really wanted to throw himself into learning the accent and immersing himself in it. I was like, 'Here's a couple radio shows you should listen to.' There's Open Line, which is a call-in talk radio show, and then The Fisheries Broadcast, where all the Newfoundlanders just call in and talk about the fishery.
"He would just listen to that and really sort of sink into the humour and the concerns of the people, and the rhythm of the banter. But also, he went out on his own adventures in Newfoundland. He drove around and he met people, and he checked out places on the island that most people don't get to go to. I was really impressed by how much he embraced Newfoundland."
Meanwhile, Stranger Things star Charlie Heaton also threw himself into his character, Calvin's quirky and rather lost son Wade.
"I was always a fan of Charlie's, and I think he just understood Wade," McKeown explained.
"I think there are Wades all over the world and I think he was able to tap into the energy of the character, but also the tragedy of the character – a young man that doesn't have a place in the world anymore. A hundred years ago or even 50 years ago, Wade would have been a fisherman, but now he's kind of an appendage.
"Charlie really responded to that, and I'm so excited for people to see the performance."
Below is available to stream on Netflix now.
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