The sci-fi thriller 1899 has been axed by Netflix, joining a growing list of popular titles the platform has canceled after just one season. Joining 1899 are hits like I’m Not Okay With This, Julie and the Phantoms, and Resident Evil, all of which never saw a second season despite receiving some hype from viewers. 1899′s first season was released in full on November 17, meaning it wasn’t out for even two months before Netflix decided to axe it.
The show followed a group of immigrants aboard a steamship called the Kerberos, destined for New York City, USA. 1899 featured some very unexpected plot twists and switches from a story of immigrants traveling on a steamship into pure science fiction and surrealism territory. However, the surprise final twist was one of the reasons that the show garnered a following. The show enjoyed a weeks-long stint at number 2 on Netflix’s Top 10 chart and also received largely positive reviews from critics. It currently boasts a fairly fresh 76% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The creators of 1899, Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar, had expressed interest in continuing the show for two more seasons. Given the cliffhanger ending and the creators’ intentions, many expected at least a second season. However, on January 2, bo Odar took to Instagram with a statement confirming that 1899 had been canceled.
Why was 1899 canceled after one season?
The statement was penned jointly by Friese and bo Odar and sadly revealed that 1899 was not going to be renewed for another season. The pair had previously created another Netflix series, Dark, which ran for a total of three seasons and spurred the deal that resulted in 1899. Friese and bo Odar expressed that they had planned for 1899 a 3-season run like Dark. However, they stated, “[S]ometimes things don’t turn out the way you planned. That’s life.” They acknowledged that there would be “millions” of disappointed fans, but thanked them for their support.
Friese and bo Odar have not given a reason for the cancellation, and Netflix has not publicly addressed it yet, either. However, the most common reason for cancellations by Netflix is that viewership didn’t meet expectations. Besides potentially low viewership, 1899 did stir up some controversy when it was accused of plagiarism in November. Brazilian graphic artist Mary Cagnin alleged in a series of Tweets that 1899 had plagiarized artwork and plot points from her 2016 comic, Black Silence. However, bo Odar released a statement denying the claims, and not much more has been said about it. It is unclear if these accusations played any role in Netflix’s decision to cancel 1899.
Whatever the reason for the cancellation, though, fans are not happy. Filmmaker and film critic Siddhant Adlakha insinuated that Netflix hadn’t given 1899 enough time to garner an audience. He also speculated the show’s views could’ve been hurt due to Netflix dominator Wednesday being released days after 1899. He compared the show to Lost in 2004 but explained the difference was that Lost had time to grow and develop while 1899 didn’t.
Other users on Twitter have begun to demand that Netflix renew 1899 instead of canceling it. They have also slammed the platform for the other popular shows it has canceled after one season.
It remains to be seen if Netflix will publicly acknowledge or explain 1899′s cancelation or if there is any chance of the show moving to a different streamer for completion.
(featured image: Netflix)
