Netflix cancels popular series 1899; here’s a possible reason why

Towards the beginning of the year, showrunners for the Netflix popular series 1899, Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese, announced that the show was canceled. The creators of the cult hit, Dark, did not see their new series renewed by the streaming platform for a second season, despite debuting to positive reviews at the end of 2022.

The two put out a statement sharing the news and thanking the fans for their support.

"“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 second and third 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.”"

https://twitter.com/1899Netflix/status/1609989253571743871?s=20&t=jOWbD-Zt-BQDl7hpb0uZxQ

Netflix canceling 1899 came as a surprise to fans as the show was seemingly doing well and even had a large number of positive reviews.

What could be the reason behind Netflix canceling 1899?

However, there has been speculation, with Forbes reporting that there might be a hidden reason behind the cancelation. Apparently, one of the reasons that Netflix keeps canceling shows is their completion rate.

Reportedly, 1899 only had a dismal 32% completion rate. Netflix might be using this to measure the number of people who will be back for the next season.

Among other shows, the ones that were renewed like Heartstopper, Lincoln Lawyer, or Love Death and Robots, all had a completion rate higher than 50%. Meanwhile shows like The Irregulars and Resident Evil had a less than a 50% completion rate and ended up on the chopping block.

Whether this is the reason or not, the cancelation of the show has caused some outrage among fans who are, even now, asking why it was canceled.

What happened in 1899 Season 1?

The following contains spoilers from the first season of 1899.

For those not familiar with the show, in season 1 we saw a group of immigrants board a ship while facing steadily worse events and trying to solve the mystery behind various mysterious occurrences. Later its revealed that the entire ship, a large number of the passengers, and some of the crew, were nothing other than a simulated reality.

But the questions only increase from there. The identity of a young man and a boy who turn up seemingly in the middle of the ocean creates more questions, all leading to a startling finale and where things are not what they seem more so than anyone had ever realized.

Did you watch 1899? What were your honest thoughts about the show?

Share your answers in the comments below, we’d love to read them!