This review was made possible due to an advance copy of the first three episodes of 1899 provided by Netflix for review. 1899 streams on Netflix from 17 November.
In the year 1899, a ship full of European immigrants sets sail, charting its course to the US. Each of the passengers look forward to a bright future settling into a new country— whether its due to the opportunities awaiting them, or a harrowing past they wish to leave behind. However, this voyage suddenly begins to take a dark turn when a shocking discovery is made, leading the characters down a haunting rabbit hole of unexplainable enigmas and growing interpersonal conflict.
This new multilingual period drama-thriller, 1899, comes from the minds of Baran bo Odar, and partner Jantje Friese– previously known for creating critically acclaimed German Netflix Original series, Dark. I was extremely excited to see what they had in store with 1899, and what strange twists may await… as I had a feeling all may not be as it seems. I’m thrilled to say that despite some slightly sluggish pacing in the beginning, the show absolutely delivers– and it looks as if it will continue to intrigue and intensify, long past the three episodes I was provided for viewing.
Characters
The show kicks off focusing on one of the ship’s many passengers, Maura Franklin (Emily Beecham). Maura is somewhat quiet and to herself, but she has a kindness for others that drew me in to connect with her, and sympathize with her in any issues she faced. Although she’s definitely the main protagonist and a key character, the focus quite often shifts across an ensemble cast of over a dozen widely varying characters. 1899 excels in its character work, slowly chipping away and revealing the lives and storied pasts of passengers of different nationalities, economic classes, and sexualities. We get to learn about their relationships with those they boarded with, but I enjoyed seeing their newfound relationships with others aboard the ship, even more.
It is well worth noting that as the ship’s passengers are immigrating from various countries, they also speak their own languages. It adds an extra layer of realism to the setting, and creates some beautiful— and some haunting— moments when language barriers come into play. Keep in mind you’ll be depending on subtitles fairly heavily… although this wasn’t much of an issue for me. I immensely enjoyed what 1899‘s multilingualism brought to the table.
Story and Atmosphere
What pulled me in the most in 1899 is its gradually unfolding mystery. When I say mystery, I don’t mean a whodunit— I mean something much… stranger. Sometimes the metaphorical dialogue of some characters seems to hint that there may be more than meets the eye, in a riddling, eerie way. As the ongoing enigmas unravel, the story and conflict rise in a steadily growing crescendo— one that left me on the edge of my seat, eager to continue. One moment in particular had my eyes wide and mouth agape with shock, and brought me a massive amount of excitement for what it could mean going forward.
Every moment isn’t always filled with that same level of energy, though. It does take a little bit of time to get the ball rolling and start that crescendo. While the mystery is the most intriguing aspect of the show for me, please don’t forget that 1899 is a mature period drama. Don’t get me wrong— it has its mystifying moments— but a lot of the show is built around dialogue, especially in the beginning. I didn’t have too much of a problem with that, as I felt it helps develop the characters to their full potential, and sets the tone well, leading to later events potentially having a larger impact.
1899‘s visuals and music serve up a vibe that leaves you feeling constantly curious and slightly uneasy. The music is often low, but in some haunting moments, the most ghostly notes of synth strings creep in. Similarly, there’s a few key moments that visually craft a very unsettling or horrifying tone, that greatly help you grasp onto certain characters and the emotions they’re feeling. Any use of visual effects is seamless and of a high level of quality that does nothing but support and enhance the eeriness of the show.
‘1899’ – Final Thoughts
1899 is a captivating period drama, puzzling mystery, and eerie thriller rolled into one, that I absolutely can’t wait to see more of. If slow and steady character building through exposition isn’t your thing, it’s possible this show may not appeal to you. However, I’d say its well worth sticking out the pacing in the beginning, to see what fascinating, strange phenomena awaits.
All 8 episodes of 1899 arrive exclusively on Netflix on 17 November. Check out the trailer for 1899 below:
