‘1899’: Why the Creators of Netflix’s Sci-Fi Mystery Series Chose Such a Specific Year in History
2022 was a big year for Netflix. The streaming platform launched dozens of exciting new movies and shows for fans to enjoy. One of the newest buzzworthy programs on Netflix is 1899, a multilingual mystery sci-fi series that kept viewers guessing from beginning to end.
The show received largely positive reviews from critics and fans. With the creators admitting they have ideas for several more seasons, there’s much to unpack about the inspiration and vision for 1899.
What is Netflix’s ‘1899’ about?
In November 2022, 1899 premiered on Netflix. With a total of eight episodes, 1899 tells a complicated and mysterious story. Even by the finale episode, many fans weren’t sure exactly what had happened.
The show follows a group of European immigrants traveling to New York aboard a ship called the Kerberos. Eventually, they encounter another ship from the same company, which kickstarts a series of increasingly strange events on board the ship.
From the first episode, viewers were intrigued by the historical elements and plot twists of 1899. Fan theories sprung up, with many hypothesizing about the inspiration. Ultimately, the show’s creators, Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar pulled from several sources to create the unusual series.
How did the creators of ‘1899’ come up with the story?
In 2018, the creative team of Friese and Odar inked a lucrative deal with Netflix that enables them to create projects for Netflix across an initial five-year period exclusively. According to a recent profile with the Hollywood Reporter, this helped the team come up with their first major series for the platform, the thriller Dark.
1899 is a similarly twisted show, one Friese admitted was initially sparked by a photo they found while researching another project. “I actually don’t even remember what the research was for,” he said. “But we stumbled upon a picture of a man in a white shirt covered in blood, with a hammer in his hand and a really weird look on his face, standing on top of what looked like an old boat.”
Friese described, “It was one of those pictures you’re drawn to, where you immediately start asking questions: What did he do with that hammer? Where does he come from? Where’s he going? What’s this all about?”
From there, Friese said he got the idea that the man might be a migrant on a ship. “We thought: We really want to take a look at Europe, just take it, put it on a ship, in a confined space, with lots of ocean around, where you can’t escape, and have like a little bit of an experiment, almost like a laboratory experiment.”
What do critics say about ‘1899’?
In a November 2022 interview with Netflix, Friese broke down why the team chose the year 1899 as the setting for their show. “What we really liked about 1899, not 1898 or 1897, is that it’s on a threshold. You’re crossing into a new century, stepping from something that feels old school to something new — the future,” he said.
Friese explained that he found the time period “fascinating,” noting that the clash of modernism with old-world beliefs provided the perfect setting for a truly mind-bending show. Many critics agree, with 1899 holding a 76% critical average on Rotten Tomatoes and a 74% audience score.
While some claim the plot can get convoluted, they almost universally praise the art direction and writing and the way 1899 blends science-fiction intrigue with history and classic thrills. Fans can catch all episodes of 1899 on Netflix to get in on the adventure themselves.
Unfortunately for fans of the sci-fi thriller, Netflix announced 1899‘s cancellation in early 2023.
