via Variety
Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar, the creative duo behind the German Netflix thriller “Dark”, bring a new mystery series to the streaming platform. 1899 follows the passengers and crew of the Kerberos, a steamboat on its way to New York from Europe. Aboard the ship, thousands dream of finding a better life at a time when the United States was considered a gleaming light of prosperity to the rest of the globe. Allow us to tell you why we think 1899 is a unique show worth a watch.
via Glamour Magazine
Breaking Language Barriers
In a clever creative decision, the showrunners sought international talent to ensure that 1899 accurately depicts the different languages spoken by the Kerberos’ passengers. The characters engage in dialogue in their native languages throughout the show, and thus, several multilingual conversations occur between them in different contexts, such as romantic, melancholy, or frustration-filled scenes.
Despite differences in first languages, Friese and bo Odar’s characters can still grasp the emotion behind the unfamiliar words spoken by the person they are conversing with. The characters still manage to understand each other and react to what is said accordingly. We think it’s impressive and uniquely interesting for the show to break language barriers and contrastingly focus on human emotion.
via Digital Mafia Talkies
Greek Mythology References
In Greek mythology, Cerberus/Kerberos is the three-headed dog who guards Hades’ gates to prevent the dead from exiting the underworld. We think it’s a suitable moniker for the setting, given that the Kerberos ship locks the passengers in and prevents them from leaving.
Also according to Greek mythology, Prometheus is a Titan who stole fire from the Gods to create and grow humanity. As punishment, he was trapped in an endless and horrific cycle of being tied to a rock and having his liver pecked out by an eagle every day. This myth is presented akin to the cruelly repeated penalties inflicted on the Kerberos passengers.
via PoG Design
Our Thoughts on 1899’s Finale
The series’ eight episodes will keep you on the edge of your seats, trying to keep track of all the subplots and clues that give way to the ending. However, without spoilers, we think the finale had many subplots needing further explanations. The series provided just one explanation for its conclusion that makes sense in the grand scheme of the sci-fi series, but we are still eager for more justifications!
Nonetheless, we think this series is ideal for mystery buffs. And even if you are not satisfied with its ending, it’s always entertaining to discuss it afterwards with your friends!
