Netflix has started 2023 how they ended 2022, with them announcing the cancelation of series 1899 which made the top ten charts its natural habitat.
The German sci-fi horror which fused itself with mystery was a surprise hit for Netflix in the backend of 2022 — but found itself at the end of the remorseless scythe just days into the New Year. Critically well-received and thoroughly enjoyed by audiences, it’s no shock fans have been left disappointed following the axing.
Fans are letting Netflix know their fury, with Twitter incensed by the decision. Similarly to the cancelation of the much venerated Warrior Nun in Dec. 2022, audiences feel Netflix set the series up for failure by releasing it so close to the catastrophic hit of Wednesday with Jenna Ortega.
1899 ended on a massive cliffhanger, with its creators voicing their intent for further seasons which will now not be realized – at least not at Netflix. Greenlighting a mystery series and fully well knowing it ends on a cliffhanger but then canceling it feels like some sort of masochistic power play from the streaming giant.
Some believe if 1899 goes down, it should grasp to Wednesday and force it down alongside it as a last act of pettiness. There’s discussion to be had about how Netflix’s rapid-fire release schedule leads to diluting the numbers for each individual series. Wednesday was the platform’s biggest ever release, so it’s no shock other shows looked small in comparison.
Or it’s all just another chapter in self-sabotage from Netflix, who seem hellbent on scoring own goals whenever they possibly can. No other major streaming service has seen this many negative headlines come out despite massive subscriptions.
1899 is the latest tombstone to join the Netflix graveyard, even though its striking premise lends itself so well to continuation and garnering viewership well beyond its initial release. Good word of mouth? What’s that?
1899 will remain available to stream on Netflix despite cancelation.