What is the Simulation in ‘1899’? Breaking Down the Digital World Theory

OTT’s ‘1899’, created by ‘Dark’ masterminds Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar, quickly turned heads for its genre-blending mystery, eerie setting, and reality-bending plot twists. At the heart of the show lies a question that transforms everything we think we know: Is it all a simulation?

The story begins on the steamship Kerberos, filled with passengers from all walks of life heading toward a new future. But as strange events unfold—visions, shifting realities, impossible occurrences—it becomes clear something far more sinister is at play. Clues start stacking up: cryptic symbols, mechanical bugs, memory inconsistencies, and the ever-watchful pyramid. Eventually, the truth surfaces—none of it is real. The ship, the ocean, even the people’s memories are all part of a sophisticated digital simulation.

The simulation is orchestrated within a mysterious, Matrix-like system where each character’s reality is a programmed illusion. Maura Franklin, the show’s central character, appears to have a significant connection to the creation or control of this artificial world. As the narrative progresses, it’s revealed that even the shipwrecks and recurring loops are digitally constructed, functioning more like a psychological experiment or prison than a journey.

Image Courtesy: Digital Spy

This “digital world theory” suggests that ‘1899’ isn’t just a sci-fi mystery—it’s an exploration of memory, trauma, and control. Are the passengers being punished, tested, or held captive? Is the real world outside the simulation just as bleak? The series raises these questions while subtly exploring the philosophical concept of simulated reality—echoing thinkers like Descartes and modern sci-fi like ‘The Matrix’.

While the show was cancelled after just one season, ‘1899’ still leaves behind an intricately woven puzzle that invites viewers to question not just the characters’ world, but their own.

–Farheen Ali