1899 netflix drama reviews

It seems you're looking for information about the Netflix original drama series 1899. This is not a movie, but an eight-episode mystery-horror series created by Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar (the same team behind Dark). The show was released on November 17, 2022, and was canceled after one season in January 2023. Here is a curated summary of the critical and audience reviews, breaking down what people loved and hated. The Consensus (TL;DR) 1899 is a visually stunning, ambitious mystery box show with a fantastic premise. However, it was widely criticized for being too derivative of Dark and for having a confusing, unsatisfying finale that felt like a "part one" of a story that will never be completed. Critics Score: 62% on Metacritic (Mixed or Average) Audience Score: 67% on Rotten Tomatoes (Mostly Positive, but polarized) What Critics and Fans Praised (The Good) Stunning Visuals & Production Design: The show looks incredible. The recreation of the steamship Kerberos is massive and claustrophobic. The CGI for the ocean and the mysterious pyramid is often breathtaking. The color grading (cold, desaturated) creates a constant sense of dread. Strong Premise: The "mystery ship" concept is classic and effective. The first two episodes are masterclasses in building tension, introducing a diverse cast (speaking their native languages), and setting up a global conspiracy with immigrants, class warfare, and cosmic horror. Performances: Emily Beecham (Maura) is a compelling lead. Aneurin Barnard as the mute Daniel and Andreas Pietschmann as the troubled Captain Eyk are standouts. The multilingual dialogue (English, German, French, Spanish, Polish, etc.) adds a layer of realism and confusion that works well. Atmosphere: The show is genuinely creepy and unnerving. The constant creaking of the ship, the flickering lights, and the intruding nightmares create a thick, immersive atmosphere. What Critics and Fans Criticized (The Bad) Too Similar to Dark: This is the number one complaint. 1899 uses the same formula: a small town/ship, a missing person, a family tree that is actually a tangled loop, a mysterious cave/pyramid, and a "time/space is a lie" twist ending. Many felt it was "Dark 2.0" but less original. The Annoying Mystery Box Approach: While Dark was complex and rewarding, 1899 felt deliberately opaque. The show throws mysteries at you (the boy, the symbol, the simulation) without offering satisfying answers within the season. The season finale explains what is happening (a simulation on a spaceship), but not why. The Cliffhanger Finale: The final episode reveals the "real" setting is a spaceship in 2099. It's a massive, abrupt tonal shift. While some found it brilliant, most viewers felt cheated. You spend 8 hours on a ship mystery only to be told "It was all a dream/simulation." Pacing Issues: The middle episodes (4-6) drag significantly. Characters walk in circles, have the same conversations, and the mystery stalls as the writers withhold information. One-Dimensional Characters: Unlike Dark's deep character arcs, many characters in 1899 are archetypes (the priest, the madam, the debt collector). They exist to serve the plot, not to be fully realized people. Why the Cancellation Hurt So Much 1899 was always intended to be a three-season arc. The ending of Season 1 is 100% a setup for Season 2 (the "Prometheus" spaceship and the planet Kepler-442b). Because Netflix canceled the showciting high costs and a lack of audience retention after the first weekthe story is now permanently unfinished. The final shot of the season is a massive cliffhanger that will never be resolved. Final Verdict Should you watch it? Watch it if: You loved Dark, enjoy stunning visuals, don't mind a slow burn, and are okay with a show that is more about the journey than the destination (even if that journey ends on a cliffhanger). Skip it if: You want a complete story with a satisfying ending, hate "it was all a dream" twists, or are frustrated by shows that feel like they are writing a check they can't cash. Rating: 6/10 (A beautiful, ambitious failure that is worth watching for the atmosphere and mystery, but ultimately disappointing due to its derivative nature and abrupt, unresolved ending).