People have been wondering whether any projects will even come close to how the Lost series had altered the genre on the smaller screen for years, ever since that depressing finale over ten years ago. Both Westworld and Dark erroneously approached failure. The multi-hyphenate, multi-genre drama on Netflix set in 1899 appears to be the new heir apparent. The mystery horror from that era is just the right combination of mind-bending, captivating, compelling, and shocking. Even though it lacks the freshness of Lost and Inception, this powerful creature manages to keep you on the edge of your seat for the entire eight episodes.
The majority of the action takes place on board the SS Kerberos as it sails from Europe to America in the year 1899. A variety of international clichés and mysteries, including the French snob, a Geisha, and the working class Danes, are among the passengers. The German captain and an English doctor are the cherries on top. Every single one of them is escaping something at home. The sister ship Prometheus, which has been missing for four months, makes distress calls to them in the middle of the journey. Strange things start happening and people start dying when they discover the ship deserted, but for one young boy.
The film 1899 makes use of clichés like a spooky background score, a color scheme straight out of a Tim Burton movie, and enigmatic, moody individuals who are all extremely different from one another. The plurality of countries present adds a further sense of globalization, resulting in a language change in every other scene in the discussion. It can be confusing at first to switch from Danish to Cantonese to German. However, the covid-19 pandemic has increased our tolerance for subtitles. The cast of the program should also be commended for being varied without being forced in any way.
The way the show gradually reveals the backstories of the people and the horror concealed in their pasts is what brought me back to Lost so quickly. They are all there for a reason, and some of them might even be connected to others, as we progressively come to understand them. The writers did a good job of conveying the idea that “everything is not as it seems.”
Naturally, some stories are more memorable than others. Additionally, you choose your favorites fairly early on in the season. As the protagonist Emily Beecham wanders through mysteries and physically impossible events scene after scene, she serves as the viewer’s eyes on this warped vessel. However, when the writers keep increasing the tension, it does start to annoy after a time. The atmosphere becomes tight as the music becomes eerier, darker, and darker. However, the payoff is gradual and the revelations are subtle.
To be honest, the actors don’t really stand out. No particular performance comes to mind that justifies a stand-alone mention. But overall, the cast did a good job of making the audience feel claustrophobic. It takes a team effort, but the second season will need to see some development. Because it keeps its cards close to its breast, 1899 succeeds. Due to our increased familiarity with (and, regrettably, jadedness with) this genre as viewers, the surprises and twists are not as unexpected as in Lost and Inception. However, you’re still caught off guard. 1899 manages to be novel in a time where online sleuths with fan theories can uncover shows and their undercurrents in a matter of hours. That is its greatest accomplishment.