One Day - series adaptation on Netflix, starts Feb 8th

[Netaporter]

Anyone fancy a watch thread? Loved the book by David Nicholls, loved the film, but it’s never really gained a strong following for some reason? The series stars Ambika Mod (This is going to hurt) as Emma and Leo Woodall (The white Lotus) as Dexter.

Anne Ĥathaway has brown hair and brown eyes and is, any way up look at it, conventionally attractive. So I would say her casting completely misses the point of the book, whereas casting an Indian actress eho would not have typically been seen as Dexters 'type' is far more in the spirit of the book. Its like people who say ' well why can't a white actor play Othello? Well because the whole point of the play is that Othello is an outsider. So whoever plays Othello, they have to be materially different from.the main cast.

There is just no way in any context, be it a dramatic one or a real life situation, that this Dexter would have looked twice at the Emma in this version, and that’s the main reason the series is flawed.

To me it doesn't matter what ethnicity Emma is. The main issue is that the Emma in this version just isn't attractive enough to have caught and kept the attention and interest of an alpha predator like Dex. Sad but true.

I agree. She's chippy, condescending and not funny or warm in any way. Dexter isn't played as someone who would have the time for that. That's nothing to do with her ethnicity.

I thought the same about Joan Armatrading! Odd choice. I started watching the film last night and it’s Tracy Chapman that she plays in that scene and that is what I was listening to in 1988!

At the end you can see how many languages it is dubbed into. Having an Asian lead was probably beneficial for distribution in other countries.

I thought the actor who played Ian was brilliant.

Thank you for that! I'll be interested to see how it compares to the series.

But they didn’t do enough to make that choice work in my opinion. I think fine to rework it so that Emma Morley becomes Emma Mukherjee or something, but then the story takes on a different cast. It was like the writers wanted to have their cake and eat it. Cast a British Indian actor but not have her portray an authentic British Indian character

Yes, fully agree with you. It just did not work.

I agree with pretty much all you've written. The only bit I don't was where you said Dexter wouldn't have slept with her and discarded her. I think he would have which was why she didn't sleep with him and kept the fact she fancied him to herself.

I love how each episode is like reading a chapter in the book.
I think Emma pushed Dexter in a way no one else in his life had. He got everything he wanted and she didn't give him an easy time. Called him out on his behaviour. Thats was why he stayed in contact with her. He loved her letters.
The last episode I watched was was after the disastrous dinner where he kept disappearing to the loo to do coke. It was as awful as it was when I read it.
I don't think her boyfriend in this is as bad as he was in the book. I almost feel sorry for him in this whereas in the book I hated him.
I don't remember Emma's family being anything but on the end of a phone call and not a major part of her story.
I'm not looking forward to certain parts that are going to come up in the next few episodes.

Edited to add this link of 50 actresses in their 20s. There's a couple who might have worked as Emma, but tbh I really liked who they chose

British actresses

So I guess it's fairly true to the book...

(Not David Nicholls best work, not by a long way imo. Don't understand why it because such a 'must read')

They did have sex though - not on that first night - they mention it in Greece. It didn't happen on St Swithins day so we don't see it!

I loved this, just loved it.
I think Emma was perfect and the fact that she isn't as conventionally good looking as Dexter is perfect. It explains everything about their relationship.
He was attracted to her but didn't really know why and couldn't quite bring himself to properly admit it for years. She on the other hand always loved & fancied him and let him away with treating her badly because she never felt she was "good enough" for him. She went for Ian instead because he felt that way about her but it didn't work out.
I felt the two actors had great chemistry and the quirky mismatch was perfect for me.

I really liked both the lead characters and don't know how Emma could be described as "sour" - she was sarcastic, smart and funny.
But I think my fave was Tim Mcinnerny as Dex's dad - he's a great actor anyway, but he stole every scene he was in.

@FluffyBooBoo which of his books would you recommend? I have time off and an easy but good read would be nice.

Us.

Well I have o my watched the first one and was bored to tears. The actress comes across as a boring plain Jane. Zero personality or chemistry between the two leads and I am hardly surprised! I was really looking forward to this too 🫤

My Beautiful Friend is one of the best series I've seen, I didn't even mind the subtitles. Absolutely great acting and as poster says, you can really tell its written by a woman.

It gets much better, stick with it!

My rather random 'Us' was in response to this, sorry!

Ooh yes I love Us. Still prefer One Day though. Starter for Ten in third place...

I agree with Us, and Starter for Ten.

Starter for ten is a much better book than ' one day '

'Starter for Ten' film if anyone is interested.

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xzvg2r

Emma being brown is neither here nor there, that’s no way a Leeds accent. She sounds Brummie half the time.

Ive enjoyed how all the massive racists have turned up to say their piece though. Can just imagine their pink jowls shaking with rage at the sheer audacity of a brown actor playing a romantic lead