One Day on Netflix any good?

[Comfysock]

Ive got 2 hours to myself, is One Day any good????

Loved it. Watching it for second time!

Just turned off part way through episode 3. Loved the book, haven’t seen the film.

I don’t like the casting of Emma in the series. Zero chemistry between the two of them.

Just got to the end…loved it! It took me a while to realise that it’s the same story as the film, but when she started cycling to swimming it all came back to me 🥹

I liked all the supporting characters a lot, really liked Tilly, Kevin, Dexters mum and dad, but I’m on episode 6 and I still don’t really see why they’re even friends. Emma is so chippy and grumpy with him and he’s charismatic and outgoing and I just don’t even see them as friends really, let alone in a relationship. It would be one of those awful marriages where she’s always berating him for some slight or other.

And I was also thinking, why on earth has she got herself such a crap job? Like why wouldn’t you even just get an office job rather than waitressing? I’m only a few years younger but even in the holidays I’d come home from uni and just walk into any office job paying pretty well. She’s in London!

I loved it and was so invested in the characters but I sobbed my heart out in episodes 13 and 14. I found it so upsetting (as I could relate to a lot of the story) that I wish I'd never watched it. It upset me like nothing else I've ever watched. Technically brilliant but absolutely heart wrenching.

I’m half way through and really enjoying it. When I saw photos of Ambika Mod before I started watching I didn’t think she looked right for the part at all but she won me over straight away, I think she’s excellent and I much prefer her to Anne Hathaway. Dexter is very good too. I’ve read the book so I know what’s coming 😭 I want to re-read it now, after I finish the series.

Well, the answer within the world of the story is that she needs something flexible as she is still trying to make it as a playwright, hence why Ian makes the stupid joke about 'what's your 'slash'?' (waitress / writer, waiter / comedian etc).

The answer from a narrative structure point of view is that such a publicly shit job symbolises how lost and aimless she is in her early twenties. If you're on ep 6 you'll be starting to see that this is about to reverse, because as Emma gets her shit together Dexter's life begins to fall apart. They both have to go through those respective crises before they can come back together and reassess their connection.

I'm on episode 11 and I still can't get past the casting of Emma. There's no chemistry between Leo and Emma at all. When I read the book I thought Emma was a bit edgy and much cooler than Ambika Mod has played it. I just can't see how each would be attracted to the other but I'm sure I could feel the chemistry in the book (read it years ago so can't really remember). I luckily also can't remember the twist at the end so I'll keep going with it.
The soundtrack is great though!

Yes that makes sense from a narrative story idea but it just doesn’t make much sense from a “making it slightly believable” way. She got a first from Edinburgh! Surely they had some kind of career guidance even in the 80s.

I don't know if this makes it any more plausible but I was thinking about this in ep2 when she mentioned signing on, and I wonder if life as an arts graduate felt very different in the late eighties / early nineties. She doesn't have the kind of privilege that Dexter does but she seems to be from a lower-middle class background and she would have had a grant at university and no fees, so she would have graduated without debt and would have been able to sign on for a few years after graduation in a way that is unimaginable now.

I think given her politics she would probably also regard taking a corporate office job as selling out to the man!

Well, the answer within the world of the story is that she needs something flexible as she is still trying to make it as a playwright, hence why Ian makes the stupid joke about 'what's your 'slash'?' (waitress / writer, waiter / comedian etc).

That still doesn't make sense because she could have easily done temp work in offices as a flexible job - a few days here, a few days there.

Similarly with Dexter working in a café so soon after being a TV presenter. Someone with his connections would have got at the very least a 'lowly' behind the scenes media job. It's completely stupid storytelling.

I think she'd consider that 'selling out', but you'd have to ask David Nicholls for a comprehensive defence as she is his character, not mine!

I compliment you on your taste in music, by the way

This. I graduated in 1984 and nobody wanted servitude in a menial job in an office. The dole was definitely an option in those days - I signed on and got housing benefit in the Christmas and Easter vacations!

The start was incredibly slow and I nearly gave up but the last few episodes were brilliant.

I gave this another attempt last night, I watched episode 3 but did switch off before the end. The first part of episode 3 with Dexter at the rave and his parents disappointment was a bit more pacey to watch but the restaurant scene and the date are just unconvincing as she looks fairly repelled and embarrassed by this childlike man and then is kissing him and going back to his for whatever. I appreciate his comments on Dexter taking her for granted are being used to evoke thoughts of Dexter and the doubts she has about him but would this guy she shows disdain for ay the start of the meal be able to convince her of this.

I think aimless young women in their early 20s are correspondingly usually not very sensible, a bit selfish, fairly wild but she comes across as someone who is motherly and wise. I watched Everything I Know About Love about a year ago and think the lead character is aimless and is pretty reckless with it, to me that's consistent with an aimless young women. I haven't read the book though so this could be how Emma is supposed to be depicted.

Not rave but club scene.

the restaurant scene and the date are just unconvincing as she looks fairly repelled and embarrassed by this childlike man and then is kissing him and going back to his for whatever.

I think Ambika was out of her depth in general and that scene was evident of this. Also the scene where they're in the lake and after several years, he finally tells her he fancies her. In response, she looks at him blankly. It's a total mismatch of acting levels.

I haven't got to the Lake episode as I gave up on it but I'm determined to get to the end!

I found the first episode very boring and was very skeptical about the casting but it definitely improved from episode 2 onwards and by the end I'd decided that it was good casting after all

I enjoyed the book years ago and am rereading it now. Am struck by how faithful to the book the adaptation is (at least what I've re-read so far).

I really enjoyed the music in it, too.

On episode 3, I'm trying but both DH and I struggling to see how these two are friends let alone become anything else.

2 hours to kill? Watch the 2011 film One Day on Channel 4 app, they repeated it recently. Underrated gem, well cast, amazing attention to detail of 90s culture. For me the lead's chemistry is more believable.

I'm quite liking it.

I think what started with Dexter's expectation of a quick shag with no follow up changed because of Emma not immediately falling under his spell.

He came from a background where everyone was outwardly polite and charming but actually dishonest about how they really felt. She came from the opposite - honesty which could be hard to hear with a bit of cynicism and little charm.

Emma was honest in a way with him that surprised him and I think he was also challenged by the fact she didn't fall at his feet, but questioned him and caused him to question himself.

Hag chic, yes but it was all that about her and no actual charm.

Try Jack and Alice on Channel 4 catch up. Absolutely loved it!

Just watched the first episode. Does it get any better?

Yes this. I loved the book though.