1899 on Netflix: This compelling period mystery might be predictable for ‘Dark’ fans

1899 is an eerie and enigmatic historical drama about a lost ship (perhaps ghostly) by 'Dark' creators Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar. The eight-episode Netflix series is a cross between the first seasons of The Terror and Ghost Ship, with a dash of Downton Abbey thrown in for good measure.

Maura Franklin (Emily Beechum), an English doctor, awakens from a nightmare in which she is threatened by a mystery guy blanketed by shadows. Upon departing her room, it's evident that she's already aboard a ship, her route to New York with her brother Henry.

He and over a thousand other people had been missing for four months after something happened on the Prometheus, Maura's sister ship. Her sole clue as to what transpired is a note sent to Henry, pleading for him to travel to New York as soon as possible.

'Dark' fans may find the secrets and mysteries of 1899 a little predictable. Friese and Bo Odar's last Netflix series was a time-travel serial killer narrative that was complicated to follow.

There are still many mysteries in 1899, but unlike Dark, its narrative approach should be considerably easier for casual viewers to understand.

Aside from a few minor flaws, 1899 is a well-crafted, engrossing historical mystery. The events behind the disappearance of the ship, as well as the wide array of persons whose lives become entwined with its reappearance, provide plenty of suspense. Nothing else on TV right now compares to 1899.