1899 fans launch petition to stop Netflix cancellation
Fans of Netflix series 1899 have reacted to the devastating news of its cancellation after just one series by launching a petition calling for the show to be brought back.
The complex thriller from Dark showrunners Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar ended season one on a cliffhanger that left much of the story unexplained, but has been axed by the streaming service despite its creators admitting they were hoping to finish it with two more seasons.
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Baran bo Odar shared on social media: "With a heavy heart we have to tell you that 1899 will not be renewed. We would have loved to finish this incredible journey with a 2nd and 3rd season as we did with Dark. But sometimes things don’t turn out the way you planned.
"That’s life. We know this will disappoint millions of fans out there. But we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts that you were a part of this wonderful adventure. We love you. Never forget."
The series, starring Emily Beecham, Aneurin Barnard, Andreas Pietschmann and Gabby Wong, had launched in November and left fans speculating about what it had all been about after an unexpected twist in the final scene.
It had appeared to be about a ship departing Europe in 1899 headed for New York, with its many troubled passengers hoping to start a new life.
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However, as the series continued it became clear that many of the passengers were suffering from mental health issues and when they discovered a missing, seemingly deserted second ship, the plot took a strange turn as they realised they were living in a constructed reality.
In the final scene, the cast were shown aboard a spaceship with most of them lying unconscious in pods, while Beecham's character was at the controls.
Fans have been annoyed to find they will never see the reveal of what it was all about and a petition on Change.org currently has more than 16,000 signatures.
It reads: "1899 was clearly created with multiple seasons in mind. After the first season, there are a lot of unanswered questions and a big cliffhanger at the end of the last episode. We want a renewal of the show and a proper end to the story."
Promoting the petition was actor Matthew Ewald, who tweeted: "Dear @Netflix - I personally know how it feels to have your series canceled on a cliffhanger. It's deeply heartbreaking. So trust me when I say: Canceling 1899 goes against audience desire, finality & the magic of cinema. So keep cinema magic alive & renew #1899Netflix #Save1899"
Another fan commented: "I honestly feel like Netflix just need to stop greenlighting complex multi-season stories when they're so jittery about renewals. If you don't want to commit, stick to movies or miniseries and let the other platforms pick up longform storytelling."
Someone else wrote: "This is such disappointing news. Honestly, what is even the point of investing time into Netflix originals when they never make it past the first or second season?"
Another upset fan tweeted: "Is there a chance 1899 can be picked up by another network? It's such a complex and beautiful story and it needs the whole 3 seasons that were planned!"