Is 1889 the best show to come out this year?


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Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese are the program creators for  “1899” which follows a group of European Immigrants on their voyage to New York City. (Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

German couple Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese have done it again. On Nov. 17, “1899,” the duo’s long-awaited follow-up to their critically acclaimed first series, “Dark,” released on Netflix. Coming two years after the final season of “Dark,” bo Odar and Friese made sure “1899” was well worth the wait. 

“1899” follows a boat of people from many different countries traveling from London to New York City in 1899. As such, much of the show is not in English, with eight languages spoken regularly throughout the first season’s eight episodes. While it was really interesting to hear so many different languages and see people from all over the world find ways to communicate with one another, there is very little handholding. It’s up to the viewer to figure out which characters speak what languages and to keep track of all these characters’ stories as they progress rapidly. “1899” focuses on a whopping 20 characters, and we are dumped right into the deep end of it all without any assistance. 

One way “1899” really shines is through its amazing cast filled with unknown actors. Without the baggage many recognizable actors carry, “1899” allows the plot to truly shine. While all the characters are interesting in some way, the most compelling character is by far the one we spend the most time with: Maura Franklin, played by Emily Beecham. She acts as the viewer’s proxy with her story helping to throw the curtain open on what is truly going on with the ship. Beecham does a tremendous job playing Maura Franklin, creating a wholly sympathetic character at the start of the season whose motivations become more and more questionable as the season progresses.

Another stand-out element of the first season are the effects, both practical and visual. A very important part of how “Dark” was successful was that despite its lofty hard sci-fi and time travel concepts, a lot of the machinery was practical and resulted in a tactile feel that would not have come through with just visual effects. The same is true for “1899.” While there are definitely visual effects used — they filmed a lot of the show using a set where the actors can see what is being projected onto the background all around them — it is the more grounded effects that will truly astonish viewers. The machine at the bottom of the ship and the remotes that control it invoke a sense of wonder that would be impossible with only CGI. 

In addition to the superb casting and effects, the production design and costumes also help immerse audiences into the unique environment of “1899.” The ship looks like any late 19th century cruiseliner but contains elements that hint at a greater plot unfolding right beneath your nose. The cabin designs are particularly effective with each passenger’s cabin easily recognizable while maintaining the innocuousness of a cruise cabin. The variety of costumes highlights the vast diversity of cultures that are present on the ship, with Ling Yi — a Chinese woman pretending to be Japanese — donning a beautiful kimono for most of the season.

Everyone should give “1899” a try, even those who are not the biggest sci-fi fans, because of how high-quality every element of the series is and how it exceeds preconceived notions about the genre. The only real negative is that we will have to wait at least a year for the next season.