The Fog – As the third episode of 1899 begins, a chest with Ling Yi (Isabella Wei) locked inside sinks deeper into the water. Someone tells her to wake up just before she does. After getting dressed, she goes to the dining room and approaches Virginia Wilson (Rosalie Craig) and Yuk (Gabby Wong). Virginia tells her that she was just discussing the unfortunate circumstances of the ship turning around with her mother. She believes one has to adjust as the situation unfolds. Ling is asked to meet Virginia in her room after breakfast. Once they’re alone, Yuk tells her that it was a mistake to get on this ship. After the intro, Krester (Lucas Lynggaard Tonnesen) tries to leave his cabin only to find the gate secured with a padlock. He begins yelling for Ada. Dr. Reginald Murray (Richard Hope) inspects Ada’s body before telling Maura and Eyk that it looks like natural causes. He suggests it could’ve been a stroke or heart attack.

Maura (Emily Beecham) recalls meeting Ada previously in third class. She looked healthy and there was nothing wrong with her. Reginald says that is why he thinks it is a mistake for women to be in medicine. He claims it is natural selection and a way for God to clean out the bad seeds. Once the doctor leaves, Maura tells Eyk (Andreas Pietschmann) that the girl has a pregnant sister in the third-class section. They discuss whether they should tell the family before they notice that someone must’ve given the order to reduce speed. Eyk goes to the deck and learns that they had a clear view one second, but they’re surrounded by fog now. The fog and compass will prevent them from navigating now so they aren’t sure what to do. The Captain orders them to hold their position until the fog clears. Maura leaves with Eyk because he wants to show her something. Franz (Isaak Dentler) tells the others that this is a mistake just like every other decision Eyk has made on this trip.

Eyk shows Maura the ribbon that belonged to his daughter. He tells her that he found it on the Prometheus. Maura learns how they died in a fire about two years ago, but Eyk believes he saw Nina yesterday. Maura says the brain isn’t always entirely reliable. She tells him how it works and what causes people to go mad. As he shows her the hidden door on the floor, he asks if he is mad. Eyk knows it isn’t supposed to be there so he suspects the ship company is trying to hide something. He believes whatever happened on the Prometheus had to be written down by the captain. He wants to go back to find the logbook. Maura is coming with him. Anker (Alexandre Willaume) listens as the others complain about the ship being turned around. Tove (Clara Rosager) approaches Iben (Maria Erwolter) and Anker to say she hasn’t found Ada. Iben wants to pray while Tove wants to continue searching for the girl. In private, Virginia forces Ling to get undressed.

Then, she tells her to lie on the bed so she can make sure she is clean. Virginia believes people will begin seeking out other pleasures now that the ship is stopped. She checks her and suspects she is still a virgin. Virginia finds that surprising since she is supposed to be one of her best girls. As Ling rushes to get dressed, Virginia stops her to tell her that she doesn’t like being deceived, but she likes being surprised. Virginia says she is a rare bird and rarity has value especially now. She hopes Ling knew what this job was before she took the other girl’s place. Before Virginia leaves, she tells Ling to be ready at eight. Franz tells Eyk that people want to know what is going on and why the boy won’t speak. Sebastian argues that they should leave the Prometheus and set the Kerberos back on course. Once Maura and Eyk get onto the boat, Eyk orders Franz to lower it into the water. Once they’re gone, Franz tells Sebastian that he is a drunken wreck so they must act.

Sebastian (Tino Mewes) enters the code on a piece of machinery nearby before it sounds like it turns on. The boy grabs the black pyramid and takes it under the bed with him. As they get closer to the Prometheus, Eyk tells Maura that he wanted her in the infirmary because he wanted a second opinion. He doesn’t believe she lets her emotions cloud her judgment like Reginald claimed. They talk about how it was kind of her to take the boy in before she reveals that she had a miscarriage a couple of years ago. There were complications so she cannot have children anymore. When Eyk asks why she is so afraid to go back home, Maura confesses that she lost everything. Ling tells Yuk that Virginia knows they lied and they’re not who they say they are. Yuk claims she wanted a better life for her and tried to protect her, but Ling accuses her of putting her in a box. Every time those men came on board, she had to hide. Yuk says she at least didn’t have to sell herself. Ling isn’t sure that is a big deal since she has seen Yuk do it so much. Yuk warns her that there is no turning back from this because it is the kind of dirt that doesn’t rub off.

Ling storms out and runs onto the deck. She climbs into a box to hide before hearing someone tell her that she killed her. In a flashback, a younger Ling talks to her mother about putting something in a woman’s drinking and trying to make her go to sleep. It is too late now. Yuk asks for a hand because they have to get rid of her. Ling imagines that she is in the box that they throw into the water. Olek (Maciej Musial) finds her in the box moments later. He gives Ling his coat and introduces himself. When they hear her mother calling for her, Olek offers to take her to a better hiding place. Tove listens as the others complain about not going to America and suggest the other ship is cursed. Franz comes down to tell Tove that they’ve found her sister. Tove is taken to see her body as she begins questioning who did it. Franz tells her that the doctor couldn’t explain what happened to her. She carries the body through the ship. Angel (Miguel Bernardeau) tells Krester that he better stop acting like this or he’ll think he doesn’t like him.

Krester tries to tell him about his sister, but Angel can’t understand anything he is saying. Angel asks him about the scar before saying they all wear masks. They all try to pretend to be perfect on the outside while trying to hide who they are on the inside. Angel was forced to hide who he was his entire life. His mother picked his mask for him. As he begins grabbing Krester’s privates, he tells him that he can’t hide because everyone sees what he is. Krester returns the favor. Maura says it almost looks as if the fog was there to stop them from moving. When Eyk can’t find the logbook, he goes to the cabin and finds a hidden door on the floor too. Maura climbs down to look around. Meanwhile, the boy climbs out from under the bed with the pyramid before someone knocks on the door. Daniel (Aneurin Barnard) uses a beetle to unlock the door so he can come inside. The boy picks up the beetle. Daniel asks him if he found it. Back on the Prometheus, Eyk questions why they’d build a tiled shaft down there.

He tells Maura how three German ships were sold to a British investor named Henry Singleton a few months ago. The ships went to the dry dock for three months so they could put in the new communication system and refurbish everything. The triangle is the ship company’s symbol. They put the shaft there and there is something else they’ve changed. Olek takes Ling to a hiding place and offers to get her something to eat. Once he leaves, Ling notices the fog approaching her. She reaches out and touches it before entering a flashback. A young Ling approaches Mei Mei (Kaja Chan) and calls her name. Ling questions whether she is a human or a ghost. Mei has something that she wants to show her. She shows Ling the outfit that she has been wearing in the present. They’re going to teach her Japanese and give her dance lessons while she waits for the ship to America. Ling can’t understand why this is happening again. Mei begins getting sick as she admits she drank what Ling offered her a minute ago.

Ling claims it was an accident since she saw her mother give it to the men who come there and they always wake up. She just wanted Mei to go to sleep so she’d take her place and be on her way to England when Mei woke up. Ling comes back to reality when Olek returns with food for her to eat. She begins telling him that she did something horrible. Ling embraces him before saying they’re not supposed to have dreams. Krester goes back and finds out about Ada’s death. He gets upset and tries to break out the window until Tove stops him. He explains that her soul can’t leave unless they open the window. When Franz finds more people dead, he begins ringing the bell immediately. Eyk shows Maura the system the company put in that is supposed to measure the pressure of the steam. It sends signals to the bridge, but it never worked on the Kerberos. Maura questions if they put it here for another reason before saying it doesn’t explain where everyone went. They talk about the burners and how they get just as hot as cremators. She wants to check them for signs of bones and teeth.

While searching the ashes, Eyk finds the passenger list for the Prometheus, but he doesn’t tell Maura about it. He thinks they should go back. When Ling returns to her cabin, her mother asks for her forgiveness. Ling tells her mother that she was right that they’re not supposed to have dreams. If they take something that doesn’t belong to them, their dreams turn into nightmares. She wants her mother to tell Virginia that she is ready. Lucien’s hands begin shaking. He lifts a letter with his name on it and tries to take drugs before Clemence (Mathilde Ollivier) opens the door. Lucien (Jonas Bloquet) tells her he is going out and doesn’t want her to come. He goes to Ling’s room. Virginia puts a handful of money in a drawer with a letter addressed to her. While Ling dances for Lucien, Clemence finds the vial that he dropped on the floor. When Ling begins removing her outfit, Lucien tells her to stop because that isn’t what he wants. He just wants to stay here for a while if she doesn’t mind. Lucien says things never work out the way you think they will.

Although he got exactly what he wanted in life, he thought he deserved a different life. Lucien doesn’t think any of that matters anymore. As he starts shaking, he asks her not to be afraid because it usually doesn’t last long. He falls to the ground and continues shaking. Maura checks on Eyk since he hasn’t said a word since they left the Prometheus. He reminds her not to tell anyone where they were before climbing the ladder to get back on the ship. Franz tells another worker about the three bodies they found in the crew quarters. It is the same as the girl since there is no blood or bruises. He suspects someone is killing people here like they did on the Prometheus so Sebastian should take over the ship. Franz wonders if the company wanted them to sink the ship so whatever it is couldn’t escape. Sebastian agrees with the captain that they should continue waiting. Franz takes men with guns to the lower section to tell them he knows they feel mistreated. He says they feel the same because people are dropping like flies and the captain is doing nothing.

They encourage them to fight and set the Kerberos back on course. Once the workers agree, they begin handing out guns to them. Olek tries to escape so Franz yells for them to stop him before he warns the captain. Olek is locked up with Jerome (Yann Gael). Ramiro looks at a sketch of Krester as Angel comes in to tell him what is happening. Angel is excited that there will be a munity so they can go to America, but Ramiro wants to know if he was with Krester. Ramiro isn’t happy. He blames Angel for making him do all of this. He reminds him that he took someone’s life and is now wearing his clothes because Angel can’t control himself. Angel tells him that he cannot change the nature of things. Ramiro says he is going to do the right thing and warn the captain. Eyk looks at the passenger list and finds Maura’s name on it. Daniel approaches Maura to talk about the fog. He claims it is like someone sent it here on purpose to stop that madman from taking them back to Europe. Maura doesn’t think he is mad since she understands what he has been through.

Daniel says he lost someone too. When the people with guns walk by, Daniel tells her to lock herself in her cabin because people aren’t going to just let it happen. Ramiro makes it to Eyk’s room and tells him what is going on just before Tove arrives. They find themselves surrounded as Tove says they’re turning the ship around. Daniel begins messing with a handheld device as the equipment turns on. The ship and fog seem to disappear.

 

1899 Review

1899 is quickly turning into a show about personal dramas as the science-fiction aspect is removed from the forefront. Besides a few tidbits here and there, most of the scenes involving the mysterious Prometheus are left for the end of the episodes and used as cliffhangers to give just enough justification for another episode. While most of the personal dramas are interesting, they’re hardly original and barely enough to keep the series interesting from one minute to the next.

The pacing remains the biggest problem considering getting through these episodes sometimes feels like a chore. Whether 1899 is a worthwhile binge may depend on the outcome of the finale and whether it can pull everything together. However, it wouldn’t be surprising to find out that many viewers have stopped early or jumped to the finale just to find out what happens because these episodes are a bit too slow and the personal dramas aren’t unique.

On the plus side, 1899 remains one of the most ambitious shows in recent years, the performances are good, and the cinematography is great. Some viewers may connect to the characters and find their struggles more interesting while others would prefer more focus on the mysterious ship. The latter group will likely be disappointed through three episodes. This episode scores a 5.5 out of 10. Recaps of 1899 can be found on Reel Mockery here. Want to support our work? Find out how to do so here.