Netflix's 1899 is complicated for many reasons, but understanding what's being said is a good place to start.
Being set on a cruise ship it involves lots of international characters having conversations and lots of translations happening – see, complicated – but if you're planning on giving it a go, here's a way to avoid any unnecessary confusion.
To avoid missing out on any plot twists and turns due to trying to figure out the language barriers, ensure the audio is set to English [Original] and that the subtitles are set to English [CC].
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This means you will hear the English-speaking characters speak English and the other nationalities speak in their mother tongues, but with subtitles in English.
By doing this, it means you can concentrate on the rather intricate plot going on, which resulted in an ending no one expected.
The epic period drama follows the migrant passengers of a ship named the Kerberos as it leaves Europe in 1899 on a voyage to the United States – hence all the different languages. But the journey takes an unexpected turn after the discovery of another ship – the Prometheus – that has been missing for four months.
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That's only the beginning, then things get stranger. Think Lost but at sea, and even weirder, and you're about there.
Hailing from Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar, known for their German-language Netflix original series Dark, the duo have created something even more out there with this one, so if you are up for a challenge, this is for you.
Netflix has gathered a cast that includes Maciej Musial, Jonas Bloquet and Emily Beecham, who you'll know from The Witcher, The Nun and Into the Badlands, respectively.
1899 is now available to watch on Netflix.
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Tasha is a freelance writer for with a particular interest in the representation of women in film and TV. After graduating with a Literature degree then journalism qualifications with News Associates a few years further back than she’d like to admit, Tasha began her freelance career. She’s worked as a writer, editor and commissioning editor for a number of publications including Digital Spy. She is also a theatre critic. LinkedIn
