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By Hamish Calvert\n \t\t<\/p>
Published: Friday, 11 November 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>
Note: only the three episodes of 1899 were made available to review.<\/em><\/p>\n Set aboard the Kerberos, a migrant steamship travelling from Europe to New York, Netflix<\/a>\u2019s latest series 1899<\/a> follows the ship\u2019s array of passengers who are hopeful for a better life at the turn of the century in America. However, their journey turns out to be anything but plain sailing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Four months previously the Prometheus, another ship from the same company as the Kerberos, vanished mid-voyage. With this disappearance still very much at the forefront of both the passengers\u2019 and crew\u2019s minds, there\u2019s a palpable sense of trepidation that shrouds their journey. So when the Kerberos suddenly receives anonymous coordinates, possibly from the Prometheus, and it changes course to investigate, outrage ensues. And it\u2019s here that the mystery at the core of 1899 begins to unfold. The season opens with some impressive visuals, capturing the grand scale of the landscapes and oceans that provide the setting for much of the story. Even more specifically, the vessel on which the show\u2019s characters find themselves on is brought to life in vivid fashion thanks to the lavish production design. With luxury dining halls and plush cabins, the lifestyle of the first-class passengers quickly becomes fully realised. Although where there is an upstairs there must also be a downstairs. As would be expected, the lower decks have a much more basic and cramped appearance, showcasing how not all the Kerberos\u2019s passengers enjoy the aforementioned first-class experience. Even further beyond these quarters, the dirty, suit-covered metallic infrastructure of the engine room creates an intense picture of the harsh conditions many of the crew are forced to endure.\u00a0 With this layered setting, 1899 excels at creating space within the ship for the characters to interact and the story to develop in. The sense of scale is always felt and provides limitless potential for mystery and intrigue. This attention to detail is also carried through in the show\u2019s costume design, which is incredibly varied thanks to the range of nationalities and classes represented by the collection of characters.\u00a0 Much of the first episode is devoted to introducing this wealth of characters. They are gradually brought together, almost in the style of a whodunnit. They each have their own unique style, characteristics and, most importantly, something to hide.\u00a0 At the centre of much of 1899\u2019s mystery is young doctor Maura Franklin, played by Emily Beecham. Beecham navigates the first episode confidently, conveying Maura\u2019s determination to solve the mystery of the Prometheus\u2019s disappearance. Although, she never dominates the proceedings as the season opener does a remarkable job of evenly establishing its characters, whilst also progressing with the central narrative, all at a satisfying pace.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a shame that the second episode can\u2019t quite live up to this promising beginning. Shifting focus from Maura to the captain of the Kerberos, Eyk, played by\u00a0Andreas Pietschmann, he takes centre stage and\u00a0the show establishes its pattern of having a different character be the focus of each episode. However, as 1899 reveals more about its characters, thankfully they begin to become more interlinked and involved with each other and the main mystery.\u00a0