Why did Netflix cancel 1899? Reasons and possible ending explained 

The German sci-fi thriller 1899 premiered on Netflix in 2022 and received favorable reviews for its compelling plot. The eight-episode series featured many twists and turns and ended with a major revelation, indicating that the story wasn’t over. However, earlier this year, Netflix decided against renewing it for a second season as the viewership wasn’t up to the mark.

The story, which was developed by Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese, centers on the disturbing occurrences that take place when a group of Southampton-based European immigrants boards the steamer Kerberos to establish new lives in New York City. Its cast includes Emily Beecham, Aneurin Barnard, Andreas Pietschmann, Miguel Bernardeau, Jonas Bloquet, Rosalie Craig, and Mathilde Ollivier among others. It is produced by Pat Tookey-Dickson.

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Why was 1899 canceled?

Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese wanted 1899 to get a three-season run. However, this wasn't to be as Netflix decided to cancel it after the first season. The makers shared the news with ‘a heavy heart’ but didn’t reveal the reason behind it.,

However, reports suggest the viewership numbers failed to meet Netflix’s expectations. The series was shot on a budget of $ 62.2 million, making it Germany’s most expensive show.

Given this, it needed to become a raging success to merit renewal. However, this didn’t happen. While the show found an audience, its performance was not at par with that of other non-English originals.

All of Us Are Dead, for instance, clocked 659,510,000 hours in its run to emerge as one of the most-watched non-English shows of 2022. 1899, meanwhile, couldn’t even secure a spot on the list.

Similarly, shows with a lower cost of production fared better than the German series. Tim Burton’s Wednesday, for instance. was shot on a budget of $30 million and emerged as the second most-watched Netflix series of 2022 after Stranger Things. 1899 season 2 was expected to be grander and more expensive than the first installment, making it further non-feasible for the makers.

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How was 1899 supposed to end?

The series starts as a period drama with a hint of mystery but transforms into a thriller once the focus shifts to its complex characters and their dark pasts.

The final episode gives viewers a closer look at Maura’s tragic personal life and features a mind-numbing twist. It’s revealed that she tried to keep her son ‘alive’ after his untimely death by transferring his consciousness into a virtual world. Moreover, the ill-fated voyage was a simulation.

The episode then examines her strained relationship with her brother Cirian, who she believed had died a long time ago. The attention shifts to her husband as he tries to make her return to the ‘real world’ to save her fellow passengers.

She eventually wakes up only to realize that she is on a starship with the passengers of Kerberos. She also receives an ominous message from her brother, which suggests he knows about her escape.

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What would have happened in season 2 of 1899?

Going by the events of the first season, the show’s second installment would have revolved around Maura and her colleagues’ attempts at navigating their new reality while dealing with Cirian’s nefarious plans.

A still from 1899/ (Image via Netflix)

Given the sci-fi genre, it may have included some time travel. Most of the cast would probably have returned for the canceled installment. Moreover, some of the characters who died in season 1 may have appeared in flashback sequences. It, like the first one, may have ended with the characters learning that the new setting was a simulation,

However, this climax may have diluted its novelty. Alternatively, the writers could have chosen to show it as the ‘reality’, giving the new season a distinct identity. Given the new setting, it would also look and feel completely different from the first one.

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All eight episodes of 1899 are available to stream on Netflix.