1899 Season 1 Review: Episodes 1-6

1899 premieres Nov. 17 on Netflix.

Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar, the creators of the Netflix series Dark, return with 1899, a dense, creepy, and absorbing mystery/thriller about two ships, The Kerberos and The Prometheus, passing in the night and then what happens after. While this series is essentially a supernatural thriller, it’s also a gripping ensemble drama featuring a large cast of international actors who bring to life more than a dozen tantalizing stories that draw you in and keep you guessing. While darker and more openly weird than Lost, 1899 is the spiritual cousin to that landmark series and will appeal to that fandom, or anyone who wants to be swept away for one hell of a ride.

Set in 1899, first episode “The Ship” does a lot of heavy-lifting in setting up the substantial story table and expansive cast of characters. We come to know the world of the steamship via Dr. Maura Franklin (​​Emily Beecham), who is brilliant but troubled. Her countenance matches well with the world-weary Captain Eyk Larsen (Andreas Pietschmann) who is responsible for the massive boat that is carrying both immigrants and wealthy passengers from England to New York in the span of a week. Like a bobbing Upstairs, Downstairs, we come to know about a dozen specific passengers from the austere and deeply religious Danish family traveling in steerage to the Geisha and her mother, the Spanish brothers, and even a stowaway. What becomes clear quickly is that regardless of economic and cultural boundaries, all of these people are running from something. They’re consciously moving towards new beginnings and want to leave their pasts very far behind. 

Unfortunately for them, their journey is waylaid when The Kerberos receives a telegraph message repeating coordinates about seven hours away. Four months ago, its sister ship, The Prometheus, just disappeared without a trace leaving no wreckage or bodies to find. Despite the superstition-based protests of his crew, Captain Larsen feels obligated to investigate and see if they can find any survivors. Of course, that decision opens a proverbial Pandora’s Box of strange occurrences which puts everyone on edge as they venture into the unknown. 

Although Netflix has embargoed the majority of plot points and reveals of the first six episodes that were provided to critics, we can say that almost every main character in the ensemble gets an episode to flesh out their past histories which informs who they are on The Kerberos. There are also some unexpected connections between passengers and a common theme that runs through all of their stories which matches the overall tone and vibe of the series. And despite the period piece dressing — which is gorgeously imposing and sinister — the characters’ individual storylines are written to be very relatable and tackle a wide swath of topics from religious zealotry to class differences; the mistakes that come with cultural assumptions; complicated sexuality; mental illness; and maybe even time travel. Friese, bo Odar, and their room of international writers make all of the stories interesting while also being culturally authentic and avoiding cliche. And every actor is on point, imbuing their characters with a sense of brokenness that is compelling to watch. 

1899 is bursting at the seams with a lot of plot, ambiance, ever-evolving mysteries, and sinister gloom but the writers and actors hook you into the personal stories so there’s a reason to invest. And as the creative team continues to add layer upon layer of atmosphere, bizarre circumstances, and anachronistic (or are they?) needle drops to the mix, you’ll find yourself fully committed to see where the journey ends.