OTT Review : 1899 – English series on Netflix

The DARK web series created a massive storm across the OTT space back then. The show’s director Baran bo Odar, is now back with another web series titled 1899, and hence the expectations are sky-high. It is now streaming on Netflix. So, let’s see how the series is.

Story:

The story is set in 1899 and starts with a passenger ship Kerberos traveling from London to New York. The passengers from different countries are going through different phases of their lives, thinking about making big in the city of dreams, New York. However, they soon come across another passenger ship Prometheus which has been lost for four months in the ocean. Kerberos captain Eyk (Andreas Pietschmann) decides to offer help to Prometheus, but the passengers refuse Eyk’s idea. Despite the rejection, Eyk lends his hand to Prometheus, and from then, passengers on Kerberos start experiencing weird situations. What are those bizarre situations? Why are they happening? Did the passengers make it to New York City? Watch the show to know the answers.

 

Plus Points:

The writing of the show has been of the highest order. The way the plot is neatly and logically written deserves applause. Each episode has a solid twist toward the end that will surely blow the minds. Especially the one that comes in the climax is jaw-dropping. These twists are tough to guess, and the series gets very interesting in many sequences.

At the same time, the show isn’t confusing, and the makers made the narrative simple and understandable for the common audience. In addition, the mysterious and eerie atmosphere is well created using the background score and the excellent production design. Though mainly the series revolves around Maura Franklin’s character, there are multiple characters in the show who have backstories, and they drive the series forward. The emotional angle was brought through these characters adding depth to the show.

From the mid-portions, the series reaches a higher level, and the way the mysteries start unfolding brings goosebumps. The casting director did a fair job by roping in some of the best actors for the show. Emily Beecham, Andreas Pietschmann, Aneurin Barnard, Fflyn Edwards, and Maciej Musial are phenomenal in their roles. But the stand-out performance is from Emily Beecham, the main protagonist. The actress’s expressions and dialogue delivery as a confused woman is spot-on, and she truly is the biggest asset of the series.

A few scenes, like passengers jumping off the ship’s deck and the storm taking over the ship, are executed brilliantly, showing the makers’ craftsmanship. In addition, the characters hailing from different nations speak their own languages bringing more authenticity and a new feel altogether to the series.

 

Minus Points:

Having said that, the show also has its flaws. There are a few sequences that would bore the audience. Especially the proceedings in the first three episodes move at a snail’s pace and test the viewers’ patience. The character establishments take more time, and the makers should have made things exciting from the word go.

A bit more fast-paced screenplay was very much needed for a series of this standard. Also, a few scenes are dragged quite heavily, and the editing team should have shortened these sequences for a better engaging experience.

Though the show is good in its own way, as it is coming from the makers of Dark, the comparisons and expectations are evident, and Dark fans might be slightly disappointed with the simple plot line of 1899. In addition, the adult portions are more in number, restricting the show’s appeal from reaching a large section of the audience.

 

Technical Aspects:

1899 could be easily termed as one of the best shows technically. The art department’s work is so exquisite that we won’t be able to take our eyes off it even in one sequence. Though the entire series happens on a ship, the brilliance of the technical team doesn’t bring that thought to our minds and immerses us profoundly in the series.

The tense atmosphere is built superbly by the stunning background score from Ben Frost, which will surely play on our minds even after the series. The cinematography by Nikolaus Summerer is world-class and perfectly contemplates the serious and spooky mood. The costumes department also did a splendid job replicating the 1890s period. The makers spent a bomb on the series, which is visible in every frame.

The only craft that disappoints is editing which, if it had been better, would have created more impact. Coming to director Baran bo Odar, he has once again weaved his magic through 1899. The storytelling is nicely done without creating confusion, and credit should be equally given to Jantje Friese, the co-creator. The director’s vision is too good, and he made well use of the other departments to translate his idea into reality. However, he could have been careful with the pacing and other flaws.

 

Verdict:

On the whole, 1899 is an engrossing series for the most part. The stunning performances, excellent production design, and outstanding background score are the driving factors of the show. However, the slow pacing and boring sequences boggle down the overall impact. But the director makes it up with some solid twists and turns, and thus the show ends up a good watch. Those who love watching riveting mysteries can surely give it a shot.

123telugu.com Rating: 3.25/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team