Building upon the success of Dark, Netflix has created a follow-on show, of sorts. The Netflix Original series 1899 is a new series from the creative forces behind Dark. It is very similar in look and feel while moving the setting to an ocean liner making a trans-Atlantic crossing in the titular year. (Or maybe not?)
When I watched Dark, as I told you, I felt a little cheapened by being drawn in by the “it’s a German version of Stranger Things” marketing pitch. Likewise, when 1899 hit the Netflix marquee with the “from the creators of Dark” tagline, I hesitated to jump right on board. It didn’t help that I’d seen some rumblings on line, not fully understood, about problems with the series. Eventually the mood caught me and on board I did climb.
In many ways, it is another Dark. “If you liked Dark, you’ll like 1899.” I feel like I’ve seen that more than one place, and I’ll have to agree. It uses the same atmospheric elements (light, sound*) and a lead actor to give off a similar vibe to the earlier show. Rather than being a German-language series, it uses the setting of a trans-Atlantic passage to mix characters of different backgrounds and languages into a 20th century Babel. It’s more of an English-language show than it is any other, but each of the characters speak (sometimes exclusively) their own, native language. Furthermore, many of those characters cannot understand each other. Only we, the audience (with the assistance of subtitles), can.
Like Dark, however, it creates mysteries that stretch the medium. The science-fiction intricacies can easily grow beyond the ability of a TV series to explain and resolve all of them. The makers make full use of the mini-series format to build tension and mystery. Since they have so many episodes at their fingertips, they can take a full hour to establish a sense of unease and disorientation without anything much really happening. That obviously wouldn’t work in a film format. Instead, each successive episode leaves you learning a little more and understanding less. I think this approach is behind the complaints of many on-line commenters who found the series (or, at least, particular episodes) to be too slow or too uneventful.
So will the series be able to live up to its self-created expectations? I write this “review” having finished only six of the eight episodes, so I’m as much in the Dark (tee hee) as you are. But no matter how Season 1 wraps up, there is a bigger problem.
I frequently relay to you that the streaming business model baffles me. I’m sure I will continue to do so. Netflix dropped another bomb on its fans about a week ago, this time with 1899.
This series hit Netflix’s service amidst good reception from users and positive reviews from the critics. It was pushed by Netflix with some hoopla, premiering the first two episodes at the Toronto International Film Festival and, then, on streaming simultaneously releasing a “making of” companion “show.” Within days, the series was the most-watched offering on Netflix in 58 different countries.
It sure seemed like Netflix hit on a perfect-storm formulation for an international hit. Then they dropped it.
The concept for the series was to run for three “seasons.” As with Dark, each new cycle would build upon the complexities of the earlier arcs. One would assume, as well, that the resolution of all these complex mysteries – and the resultant feeling of satisfaction for the viewing audience – would come together for that final episode of the final season. Oh well. Netflix says, “just kidding.”
This being a fairly fresh announcement, there is little out there in the way of reasoning or explanation. Netflix, starting about a year ago, has had to do some C-level soul searching as a result of their revenue collapse**. It may be as simple as the application of some new and very strict metrics which govern large production investments made from dwindling pot of play money. 1899 was launched in 2018 when Netflix had a very different view regarding its creative development. A brilliant, high-concept (and foreign language) gem in 2018, perhaps, looks mostly like a luxurious boondoggle come 2023.
This is frustrating for viewers. It is frustrating when a show that one considers to be well made isn’t allowed to fulfill its promise. It’s frustrating to stumble up against a cliffhanger ending when you know that it will never, ever be resolved. It is also frustrating to invest time and emotional energy into a series only to have Netflix (or whomever) pull the rug out from under you. It is bad enough when it is sales/subscription bait-and-switch; requiring you to pay extra for something you thought you’d already bought. How much worse is it to find out you’ll never get “the rest of the story,” even if you are willing to open your wallet?
There was a time when Netflix would be the white knight to jump in an salvage a series abandoned by the cable networks. Longmire is on my mind at the moment, but a partial list would also include Black Mirror, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, You, Cobra Kai, Trailer Park Boys, Arrested Development, The Killing, The Last Kingdom, Lucifer, and (believe it or not) Teletubbies.
Is there anyone out there to pick up the projects that Netflix has dropped?
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*The music is absolutely one of the high points for me. It mixes some very-well-made original scoring with a selection of familiar rock songs to create quite the emotional impact.
**Since it might be a little more relevant, I’ll separate out the link to my discussion of The Wall Street Journal article about Netflix and its revenue troubles. Most of my other cross-links are just gratuitous self-referencing included to remind myself (and you) of how repetitive I can get on this topic.