'1899' TV Review: Netflix's Crafty Puzzle Drifts Off Course
'1899' TV Review: Netflix's Crafty Puzzle Drifts Off Course
Plus Icon
Film
Plus Icon
TV
Plus Icon
What To Watch
Plus Icon
Music
Plus Icon
Docs
Plus Icon
Digital & Gaming
Plus Icon
Global
Plus Icon
Awards Circuit
Plus Icon
Video
Plus Icon
What To Hear
Plus Icon
Click to expand the Mega Menu
Plus Icon
Click to Expand Search Input
Got a Tip?
Newsletters
Switch edition between
U.S. Edition
Asia Edition
Global Edition
U.S.
Asia
Global
Variety
Plus Icon
Click to expand the Mega Menu
Plus Icon
Click to Expand Search Input
Variety
Plus Icon
Read Next: Jim Parsons was ‘Miserable’ During Peak ‘Big Bang Theory’ Popularity: ‘I Wouldn’t Do That Again and For Any Amount of Money’
Home
TV
Global
Nov 17, 2022 9:31am PT
Netflix’s ‘1899,’ From The Creators of ‘Dark,’ Is a Crafty Puzzle Box That Drifts Off Course: TV Review
If 'Dark' was 'Twin Peaks' without the goofiness, then '1899' risks synopsis – and simplification – as ‘Lost’ on the high seas.
By
Mike McCahill
Plus Icon
Mike McCahill
Guest Contributor
Latest
With Disney+ Highwaywoman Romp ‘Renegade Nell,’ Sally Wainwright Stands and (Mostly) Delivers: TV Review
2 years ago
Showbiz Muffles War, Familiarity Trumps Novelty in ‘Eurovision Song Contest 2023’: TV Review
3 years ago
‘The Coronation Concert’ Was a Sorry Sales Pitch for a Brand New King: TV Review
3 years ago
See All
Netflix
Mystery-thriller “Dark” handed Netflix one of its first big international hits, while announcing German creators Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese as potential masters of the atmospheric puzzle-show.
The pair’s latest, “1899,” presents an even more elaborate conundrum, expanding outwards from its escape-room opening: a blanched heroine (Emily Beecham) awaking in a cabin of the Kerberos, a steamer carrying immigrants to the New World. Armchair detectives will already be noting the woman’s bruised wrists, the postcard on her dresser, the newspaper reporting a vanished ship with an equally suggestive name. Critics were left scrambling for the middling-to-long list of spoilers Netflix’s PR team were keen for us to avoid.
Related Stories
Michael Byrne, 'Harry Potter' and 'Braveheart' Actor, Dies at 82
If “Dark” was “Twin Peaks” without the goofiness, then “1899” risks synopsis – and simplification – as “Lost” on the high seas. In fact, this is several shows at once, and part of the puzzle lies in figuring out which one it wants to be. The basic set-up is period drama refurbished with genre thrills and spills: that ghost ship soon reappears off the Kerberos’s starboard bow. There’s a little soap in the water, not least flickers of attraction between Beecham’s Dr. Maura Franklin and the ship’s widowed captain Eyk (Andreas Pietschmann). And we drift towards “Titanic” territory, with a divide opening up between the initially leisured occupants of the ship’s upper decks and the begrimed and restless proles hiding out in the hull.
Popular on Variety
Dr. Maura becomes the go-between, rational and sympathetic where the motives of her fellow travellers – who include unhappy French honeymooners (Mathilde Ollivier and Jonas Bloquet), shady Spanish brothers (Miguel Bernardeau and José Pimentão), an unsmiling geisha (Isabella Wei) and a Hobbit-like stowaway (Aneurin Barnard) – are open to question. (The Danish homesteaders, by contrast, remain reliably dull.) But idiosyncrasies – odd little bugs, of one sort or another – keep alerting us to the fact nothing is as it seems. Passengers sip tea to the exact same tempo. Ben Frost’s ambient score resembles a radio being retuned in an adjacent room. Labored parallels are drawn between the ocean and the human brain.
One doesn’t invoke “Lost” lightly: as with that divisive thought experiment, “1899’s” ultimate success will depend on how long and far viewers bombarded with more immediate forms of gratification are prepared to sail alongside it. Having now watched all eight episodes, I’ll give the show this: it has a nifty hook, then tirelessly stokes the flames of fan theory. What’s the significance of the ship’s triangular motif? Why are all the compasses set to spinning? Do the cabin numbers have any greater mathematical meaning? The supernatural fog that drifts in to envelop both ships over the course of the third episode might just be steam diverted from an overworked writers’ room.
Of course, if you’re resistant to those shows whose very business is to leave you with more questions than answers, then you’d do well to steer clear. Yet production expertise bolsters the narrative scheming: it’s a well-crafted stocking filler, which may sway reluctant puzzlers. Udo Kramer’s penumbral production design enables bo Odar’s camera to poke around a maze of interlocking, sometimes Kubrickian corridors, cabins and trap doors, pausing occasionally to peruse a choice carpeting detail or a most incongruous wall of television monitors. The Kerberos is a site of interest long before its roster of passengers is thinned out and full-blown mutiny erupts.
The trouble is that this framework proves more compelling than the people within it. Reaching some distance beyond “Dark’s” provincial milieu, “1899” spotlights a fully international, multilingual ensemble. Yet you’re reminded that no one became a major star off the back of “Lost,” in large part because the characters are permitted no greater agency than the ball bearings in a pachinko parlour. Similarly, rattling round inside a mechanical construction, characters in “1899” guard their secrets until it’s good for the game to give them up. Actors spend most of their scenes echoing exactly the lines coming from the casual viewer’s couch: “Why won’t you tell me what’s going on here?,” “None of this makes any sense!,” “Why is this happening again?”
And despite an often witty interpolation of 20th century pop (“The Killing Moon,” “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” “White Rabbit”), the prevailing humorlessness becomes wearisome after a while: as with the recently canceled “Westworld,” the game leaves you not with a smile, but a furrowed brow. The final episodes are a representative mixed bag: clever and visually striking in their contrast of interior and exterior space, big on Plato, even loopier still. It isn’t just space-time bending – razzing that rather precise “1899” title – but the show itself, fraying amid the strain of trying to rewire itself. There’s a certain fascination in seeing a show roil beneath the weight of its own intelligent design; by then, however, I fear all but the ultra-obsessive few will have jumped ship.
“1899” is now streaming on Netflix. All eight episodes screened for review.
Production:
Executive producers: Philipp Klausing, Baran bo Odar, Jantje Friese.
Producer: Pat Tookey-Dickson. Line producer: Benedikt Bothe.
Cast: Emily Beecham, Aneurin Barnard, Andreas Pietschmann, Miguel Bernardeau, José Pimentão, Gabby Wong, Isabella Wei, Yann Gael, Mathilde Olliver, Jonas Bloquet, Rosalie Craig, Anton Lesser.
Read More About:
1899,
Netflix
Jump to Comments
More from Variety
Ariana Grande Wreaks Fiery Revenge on Justin Long in ‘Hate That I Made You Love Me’ Video
From Ariana Grande to Connor Storrie: Which ‘SNL’ Hosts Were Submitted for Emmys and Who Was Snubbed?
Ariana Grande Pitched Judy Garland ‘Get Happy/Happy Days’ Duet on ‘Wicked: One Wonderful Night’ Over Zoom
Ariana Grande Makes Her Audience Wish ‘Sunshine’ Really Was Eternal in Bravura Oakland Tour Opener: Concert Review
Max Martin and Shellback Sell Catalog Including Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande Songs to HarbourView Equity Partners (EXCLUSIVE)
Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey’s ‘Sunday in the Park With George’ Revival Delays Ticket Sales Until Fall
JavaScript is required to load the comments.
Loading comments...
Most Popular
Netflix Paid $587 Million for Ben Affleck’s AI Startup InterPositive
S.S. Rajamouli Marks Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ Birthday With New ‘Varanasi’ Images
Box Office: ‘The Odyssey’ Has Epic Opening Day With $51 Million
‘The Odyssey’ Cast Guide: All the Heroes, Gods and Characters in Christopher Nolan’s Greek Epic
Confused by 'The Odyssey'? All the Timelines, Monsters and Greek Myths Explained
‘The Odyssey’: What Academics Are Saying About Christopher Nolan’s Epic
'The Odyssey': All the Ways Christopher Nolan's Movie Is Different From the Book
Tom Brady Slaps Logan Paul at Fanatics Fest, Calls Him a 'Dork' and 'Nerd' on X
Lena Headey Rips Hollywood for Protecting ‘Predatory Men,’ Says ‘Game of Thrones’ Toxic Fans Got Mad She Didn’t Go Nude: ‘I Was Shocked by the Anger…
Shane Gillis Breaks Guinness World Record for Most Tickets Sold for a Solo Comedy Show (EXCLUSIVE)
Must Read
Film
The Box Office Bounces Back: Gen Z, Surprise Hits and More Have Hollywood Banking on a $10 Billion Year
By Andrew Wallenstein
4 days
TV
David Harbour Is Ready to Talk About His Mental Health, Lily Allen’s ‘West End Girl’ and the End of ‘Stranger Things’
TV
Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow’s ‘Friends’ Reunion: The Emmy Winners on Funniest Moments, Learning About AI and Making Another Sitcom With…
Legit
How Cynthia Erivo Survived ‘Wicked’ — and Thrived: ‘People Thought I Was Being Myself, Even Though I Was Green’
Film
‘Just F—ing Go for It’: How ‘Supergirl’ Star Milly Alcock Learned to Ignore the Trolls and Became a Punk Rock Superhero
Sign Up for Variety Newsletters
Your Email
Sign Up
Sign Up
By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.
We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Variety Confidential
A Variety and iHeartRadio Podcast
More From Our Brands
Rolling Stone
What Makes the World Cup Hit Different? Ask the Music Industry
Robb Report
A Luxe Sardinia Hotel Just Opened a New Penthouse Suite. Here’s a Look Inside.
Sportico
Kerr of the Moment: Record Mile Attempt Is Months in Making
WWD
Wallace Chan’s Sci-fi Universe Unveiled at Shanghai’s Long Museum
Variety
About Us
Advertise
Media Kit
Careers
Legal
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
California Privacy Rights
Privacy Preferences
AdChoices
Your Privacy Choices
Accessibility
Magazine
Customer Service
Back Issues
Subscribe
Help
More
Newsletters
Archives
Events
Luminate
Connect
Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
Facebook
LinkedIn
Variety
The Business of Entertainment
Subscribe Today
Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2026 Variety Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. Powered by WordPress.com VIP
Have a News Tip? Let us know
Variety
Close the menu
Expand the sub menu
Film
News
Reviews
Podcasts
Box Office
Events
Columns
Trailers
Expand the sub menu
TV
News
Reviews
Podcasts
Ratings
Columns
Trailers
Expand the sub menu
What To Watch
Lists & Features
Expand the sub menu
Music
News
Album Reviews
Concert Reviews
Hitmakers
Music For Screens
Grammys
Expand the sub menu
Docs
Lists & Features
Expand the sub menu
Tech
Features
Global
VIP+ Tech
Expand the sub menu
Global
News
Asia
Markets & Festivals
Features
Expand the sub menu
Awards Circuit
News
Film Predictions
TV Predictions
Video
Artisans
Columns
Awards Circuit Podcast
Expand the sub menu
Video
Popular
Cover Shoots - Behind the Scenes
Actors on Actors
Power of Women
Events
Artisans
Expand the sub menu
What to Hear
Lists & Features
Expand the sub menu
More Coverage
Obituaries - submit obituaries to obits@variety.com
Photos
Podcasts
Scene
Voices
Theater
Expand the sub menu
More Variety
Live Media Summits
Vscore
Luminate - Film & TV
Variety Archives
Variety500
Industry Executives
Have a News Tip?
Newsletters
Switch edition between
U.S. Edition
Asia Edition
Global Edition
U.S.
Asia
Global
Alerts and Newsletters
Your Email
Sign Up
Sign Up
By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.
We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Follow Us
Got a Tip?
Switch edition between
U.S. Edition
Asia Edition
Global Edition
U.S.
Asia
Global
Advertise
About
Contact Us
Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2026 Variety Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Icon Link
Plus Icon
ad