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.

@Beamur I loved them both!

Ok, I've finished it. I read the book back in the first lockdown of 2020 and enjoyed it and cried my eyes out.

I've never been to Uni, have never lived in London, and was born in the early 80's, so I don't relate to some of the stuff like others on this thread have done. However, I did lose someone special who was like a mum to me to cancer when I was in my late teens, and have seen the devastation it caused her sons. So I think that story arc was done very well (particularly how lots of English men tend to cope with cancer/death of their loved ones...and Dex going off the rails). I also lost my soul-mate to a car accident in my 20's, so watching Dexter grieve was hugely triggering (as was the Badly Drawn Boy track they played as it was around the same time). I thought Leo Woodall was outstanding in the last few episodes - it was exactly how I felt when I lost my partner. I spent days, weeks, months and years just numb and unable to move on.

Needless to say, I cried buckets during the last episode, even though I knew what was coming. I just think it was done brilliantly and was so moving.

Agree with others that the actors didn't seem to age at all from 1988 - 2007, and am enjoying reading the articles and reviews people have posted, so thank you!

Yes and it was bloody shite!

Pretentious love - such bollocks.

If you are looking for unbelievable, try Alice and Jack!!

Thank you for sharing, that’s very moving. I agree they nailed what it is like to go through grief when it’s really tragic/ a younger person

😂

Alice and Jack was more ACTORLY and stylised than One Day, but I find Andrea Riseborough a magnetic screen presence, so she had me intrigued from the off with the weirdness of her character.

I have just finished it. I binged it in 3 nights 🙈
I absolutely loved it. I think Leo is such an amazing actor. For me, the final episode was just so harrowing and raw and even somehow relatable. Whilst I haven't been in that exact situation before (thank god), I felt like it perfectly captured the feelings around some trauma I have experienced. I actually re watched it and cried even more 🙈
I haven't read the book or watched the previous film. I'm not sure I want to mow!
I don't know what I'm going to follow it up with now! Such a good series!

Love Ambika Mod as Emma. She steals the show. I find her and Leo Woodhall absolutely convincing, their character's slight awkwardness around each other is a product of their ambiguous relationship and is well acted. When they get together it's perfect. I started watching again as soon as I'd finished first viewing - never done that in my life. The artistic side - costumes, set, props are understated and brilliant.

There is a spoiler special episode on Radio 1’s Screen Time podcast with Ambika Mod being interviewed.
Really interesting, she said all the Edinburgh scenes were filmed in a week - the beginning and the end. That explains why Dex doesn’t look anywhere near middle aged in the “after” scenes because there wasn’t enough time to put on weight or even spend huge amounts being aged by make up etc.

I watched all the episodes apart from the last one last night. It seems pretty similar to the film. The characters do grow on you over the series.

DD 15 didn't like it though which is a shame as I thought she would enjoy it. She said it was boring and that she didn't want to watch any more of it after about 3 episodes.

"That scene" wasn't as shocking as the film, IMO.

Just finished it - found it really moving and brilliantly cast. It's very perceptive about grief and its reverberations for Dexter when he loses his mum - that's why what happens next feel so unbelievably hard.

On the casting, for me the leads had chemistry and I totally understood why Dexter was intrigued by thoughtful, funny Emma. Loved the acting too - that scene at the station with Dex on the phone to Emma was amazing.

Cried so much at the last episodes - I haven't felt like this since Rachel in Cold Feet's demise, even though I had read the book and knew what was coming.

Lovely comment Theydontknow. I'm such a complete saddo I've now watched it 3x. I'm addicted to Ambika Mod as Emma, I feel like I'm stalking her. The lines that were a bit funny/a bit meh in the book are just off the scale with her comedian timing.

Watching it again with my 16 year old daughter right now. She knows the story and can tolerate me in the room and the moment. 🥺😂

Still love everything about it.

I had not read book, did not know story. Watched on Netflix this past week. Wow I loved it so much amazing I'm fascinated how thought it out, put together ect. Disappointed now I had not read book first. Can't see me reading/watching again too much emotion

I adored it. The music took me back to my uni days. I loved both Dex and Emma. It was funny, sad, warm and heartbreaking all at once.

It’s honestly for me one of those shows that will stay with you for years. Utterly fabulous.

I adored it in an almost incomprehensible way, I don’t watch much tv and have never watched a series twice like I have with this already…. I think it’s the music, locations (used to live in Edinburgh) and the fact you actually like Dex in this version whereas in the book he was such an arse. At first I just though it was Leo woodalls amazing acting but having read so many reviews etc about it there are a few changes compared with the book which make him nicer.

like other posters back in my uni days I absolutely would have had a crush on him too, and was a swotty Emma type too.

I think their relationship was a mess, they should’ve got together way earlier, so it isn’t that!

I think it depicts the messy decade of your 20s really well and have recommended it to my uni age kids!!

Yeah, the station scene. Amazing. Went through it yesterday..... The phone box doesn't actually exist!

I've just finished all 14 episodes loved it 😍 have never read the book or watched the film so had no idea of the ending. Would definitely recommend this series

I hated Dexter in the Film, was better in series.
Liked both Emma's.
Was more shocking and sad ending in the film. Better filmed etc.
I have no issue with them being friends for years and not quite getting together.
I have totally experienced a better looking guy liking me for my personality but not looks so much.
And i have also friend zoned various guys in my 20s and kept the friendship going for a few years.
Only issue is when one wants more or is in a relationship.
I found their friendship.. and having a catch up once a year totally believable.

I also have known people that have masters degrees 1sts etc and still worked in a casual restaurants for 1/ 2 years, cos they wanted specific jobs and were not confident in interviews 10/ 15 years back.

very unhealthily, just binged this
enjoyed it so much.
glad i watched it
i saw the film a long time ago but had mostly forgotten it

just reading the thread now
also loved Tim McInnerny - fantastic in Notting hill too
loved the attention to detail in the production design,
i loved joan armatrading in the 1980s, and still do

DD finished watching this at the weekend. Said she didn’t think it was as sad as the reviews said it was. She felt it limped out. Interesting because I felt the same. Cried buckets at the book and the film but not the series.

OMG. just finished binge washing this. I didn't know the story at all, and it had me in tears. Excellent acting. May have stayed up until 3am watching the last few episodes. 😳

I didn't cry either - and I'm a crier!

Loved it. Fell in love with Dexter a little bit. Totally bought Amika as Emma. But didn't cry. Don't know why - I think it was done beautifully, but for some reason, it didn't quite destroy me as I thought it would.

I don't think it's because I knew it was coming. I remember crying in the film (having read the book). Not sure what was was missing.

I haven't read the book, but for those who have, is it ever implied that Dexter and Sylvia get back together?

Not sure if I felt they were implying that in the series! I really didn't like them as a couple!