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.

No fucking way would a boy like Dexter ever fall for the Emma on this TV version

There's just no way

There's no spark at all

There's just nothing special about her

Ha, it just feels like there were more tragic endings in films / books in the nineties but I could well be imagining that. Feels quite retro to kill off a strong female lead. Although if the idea of killing her off was to get people weeping then absolute job done 😉.

Book and film don't end the same way (at the very end)

@Premiumdarkmode i think most people have skirted round what actually happens since not everyone here has watched the whole thing, might need "spoilers" in the title now.0

People are referring to THE incident near the end

Oh I know; but I replied to someone saying it was end of the book - I actually think a strength of the book was NOT ending at that point.

I thought Emma was beautiful in the TV series, I guess we all have different ideas of what beauty is. Ambika Mod is on the cover of Grazia this month and she looks stunning with her big eyes and lips.

I've just finished it and can't decide whether I liked it or not. I don't think it's as good as the hype is making out. I wasn't that fussed at first and agree about the lack of chemistry. I got a bit fed up with the will they won't thing and was like just get on with it. But I persisted cos I wanted to see if they finally got it on and they were only short episodes.

However I much preferred the second half of the series and the chemistry seemed to develop then at Tilly's wedding and I was made up when they kissed in the maze. I believed it when they finally got together. I just knew from the start how it was going to end so it didn't come as a surprise.

Just finished two day binging it.

Agree that Leo as Dexter was insanely good - such range. And like many of here I warmed to Ambika's version of Emma and thought she played her brilliantly - we watched her defrost and find her confidence and become a nicer person for it.

I've watched the film (years ago) and read the book (also years ago) and I don't remember Emma's boyfriend Ian being around for so much of it. I found their relationship much less believable than Emma and Dex actually. He was SUCH a twat and I just can't imagine that endless quipping wouldn't have finished her off after a couple of weeks.

Music was superb. From the moment they opened with Frankie Knuckles 'Your Love', I knew the music was in safe hands, but I agree that there were a couple of 80s 90s references that were a bit off.

That scene was as devastating as it ever was and particularly for the couple of seconds where you see Emma almost registering what has happened. Utterly haunting. And Dexter unravelling was awful - painful, believable and beautifully played.

I think in the book he starts dating again eventually. Maybe the girl who works in his cafe? But I love that he found his redemption through his daugher instead.

Really watchable and, very much a more contemporary take on the tale. The right version for now.

@SlightlyJaded well put and absolutely agree

I'm in the first episode.. the chemistry is palpable to me and she is gorgeous. Maybe someone like him is sick of all the shallow empty headed ones who have sex easily?
Emma is so intriguing and feels so deeply about life, I can understand why he is so interested

When I was a student I never slept with anyone quickly, with very good looking men. They stuck around. We shared lots of nights talking and having intense connections.

I'm on episode 2 and really enjoying it 🙂

Just my take on it ( and I may be over identifying with the Emma character as it reminds me of how I was to DH when we met at Uni in the late 80s!)
The late 80s was a period of intense political engagement for many students, Emma is portrayed as caring about CND/ the miners strike/ ranting at Dexter’s parents.
Dexter has been brought up with endless privilege and is untroubled by these issues.
Emma wants to despise him but finds as well as being attracted to him he is also a very nice person and this sets up a cognitive dissonance for her.
She falls into the role of friend as this gives her permanence in his life unlike his girlfriends.
But she spends her time trying to find things to dislike about him to fight off the feelings she has got him
It is also one sided at times - he is always there for her when she struggles but she isn’t for him and later apologised for this
I would have been disappointed to see a conventionally beautiful actor playing her - I think the casting is perfect.
I was the Emma character meeting my DH ( who in his heyday would have given Dexter a run for his money) and could be pretty snippy too. But I was laughing thinking that if Emma and Dexter lasted the 30 odd years we have she would also be enjoying some of the luxury Dexter had growing up in her lifestyle but protesting that it doesn’t count as she worked hard for her own money😂

It gets better from episode 9 onwards once Sylvie (thank god for Elinor Thompson's charismatic acting skills ) makes an appearance

Or in fact Eleanor Tomlinson her actual name

I love this take on it and I think it's very accurate.

Emma wants to dislike Dexter for all of his privilege but she actually finds that he is a good person, just different to her. She likes him despite herself and that's why she is quite cynical, sarcastic and snippy sometimes.

I think people forget we only see a one day snippet of each year, so much else happens that we don't see, it's only loosely mentioned. Their friendship isn't just built on these days, it's the letters, meetings, and events that happen in between.

There was one line from the book at the end that was missed. I can't remember if it was ian or Dexter's dad who says it..."she made you good and in return you made her so happy" I think it's a shame that was missed as for me it's the essence of the story.

I woke up at 3am thinking about the second to last episode so got up early today to finish it. Loved it. I might have to get the book and re read it again. I am a bit younger than the characters here, so the music etc from the mid 90's on had the nostalgia for me. I think, re Emma's death, it had to end that way to give it a punch. Otherwise it's just your usual 'And they lived happily ever after' which isn't how life goes.Eleanor Tomlinson is such a good actor ( although she was terrible in that thing I cant remember with Sam Heughan) I'm glad Dex and Sylvie had a good relationship in the end.

Just thinking about the ending re: Emma & I agree it’s a bit of a cop out. Would be much more interesting to follow Emma & Dexter’s relationship in to the future. Would they stay together? Would trying for a baby put too much strain on them? I had a friendship that turned in to a long term relationship & it ended quite badly after 7 years. Looking back we weren’t right for each other & should have stayed as friends.

Exactly this! I’m British Indian born in the 70’s in the midlands, it’s so unbelievable.

I've not read all the posts ( don't want to see a spoiler) as jumping in here to ask the question that no one can answer ! Is it worth watching? I'm about 4/5 in but not sure if up to 14 episodes. Haven't read the book. It's not my era. I am much older. I'm not keen on the male lead. Maybe I will let my husband decide.

I'm really confused. What 'era' do you have to be to have read a 15 year old book?

Only you will be able to know if it's worth you watching it. Some people are loving it, some are not. How are random strangers supposed to know where on the scale you'll be?

and that's what I said, didn't I ? It was a rhetorical question. My reference to the era is that the characters are maybe a bit too young for me to identify with. Why are you so aggressive about a TV programme?

I'm not aggressive at all. I have read the book (which I think is pretty dull). I haven't seen the film or the show, and really couldn't care who does or who doesn't watch, or what they think of it. I'm interested in people's opinions of the programme compared to the book, which is why I'm on the thread (before anyone asks).

I was just confused by your comments. I am the wrong side of middle aged. I don't see the age of the characters as being a barrier to enjoying a book. It wasn't clear to me that that's what you were referring to when you said 'wrong era'. That's all.

Did anyone else follow this up by watching Alice and Jack on Channel 4?

Yes but only briefly as it was such a drag! Different vibe entirely.