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, you just don't get it.

I was a student just before then, he's typical posh Edinburgh student, she's weird in inviting him in to her flat snogging him and then not kicking him out if she didn't want sex but just lecturing him. he's odd for putting up with it as she's not as interesting as she thinks she is. He's shallow but more fun. My Hindu friends from the 80s had very strict parents, she's barely mentioned hers so far. Is she Hindu in the book? Not sure what there is to get so far, maybe it's better if you've read the book. Maybe she's less smug and self righteous in that.

She is awful, chippy and judgmental in the first episode-and the first chapter of the book. The dialogue is more or less word for word- im re reading the book now- its fairly mediocre, and Nicholls is a lucky bugger that someone has brought this to life and made it better!
Their initial attraction, friendship and relationship is unlikely, but further on it becomes much more compelling if you can suspend the initial disbelief. She is White in the book, but I don't think having an Asian actress changes the spirit of the book really. In the TV series she is mixed race, probably to explain away the English name, but the actress is fully of Indian descent. (Although I am of Indian descent and have an 'English' first name and a Portuguese maiden name) Some people have said that mixed race relationships didn't happen long ago enough for her to have been born, but it did happen in working class communities, quite often. My neighbours are Northern WC British/Asian mixed and have been married for over 50 years.

Just watched the first episode and didn't like it at all. I loved the book (am a big David Nicholls fan) and thought the film was good, and that Anne Hathaway captured Emma's insecurity well (despite her bad accent at times!).

I was at uni at exactly this time, and at a uni very like Edinburgh (lots of private school students) and my issue with the Netflix series is that there is just lots of it that is not believable.
A guy like Dexter just simply wouldn't have ended up with Ambika Mod's Emma in this way - he just wouldn't have considered it. Casual racism was still definitely very much a thing and especially amongst the more affluent student types. The (relatively few) Asian students very much stuck together and were very hard-working, usually from strict families and not the heavy partying types.
As others have said, it would only just be plausible if Emma/Ambika was from a wealthy Asian background with 'friends from school' links etc.
Effectively the casting choice therefore makes Dexter a different character - more modern, more open-minded, less 'posh/traditional' than his character is written as in the book.

It just doesn't work for me. It fundamentally changes (and in my opinion undermines) some of the key themes of the story. You can't just change Emma's race/colour, but then pretend nothing else would have changed. Dexter and Emma's relationship would be seen in a completely different way by his friends and his parents. Moreover, I don't believe an Asian Emma would have found posh white Dexter attractive in the way implied.

In a way it's rewriting history and it's unhelpful. In my halls in 1988 there were perhaps 2-3 Asian students out of several hundred. And yes, hardly any girls had really long glossy blonde hair - lots of layered bobs.

i think you need to watch further @SandyThumb

she is half asian and it is fairly irrelevant to the plot

I think you need to read my post Willmafrockfit

The point is that in the 1980s even her being half Asian would fundamentally change the plot - Dexter's character would simply not be interested in her, either because she wouldn't be there in the first place (fewer Asian/ mixed race students) or their friendship groups wouldn't cross, or worse he & his friends would likely display casual racism towards her and her friends.

Or it could be a different plot/story. But why try to shoehorn it into the original story? Why not write a new one?

No, the Emma in the Netflix series isn’t half Asian.

In my university course in the 80s there were 5 Asian girls. They tended to sit together in the front row, were not interested in premarital sex, had strict parents and were nick named the " virgin 5" by many of the blokes. I agree that in the late 80s mixed race relationships were unusual and women with Hindu or Muslim families tended to be studious and celibate. They also didn't do student theatre productions that reminded me of Legs Akimbo in the League of Gentlemen. It just didn't ring true.
It would be fine if they were students in 2024 but they're not.

Well yes that’s what she says in episode 1.

No, she doesn't. She says her mum is Hindu and her dad is lapsed Catholic, if that's what you mean.

@Sonora25 when does she say this?
You do realise that not all Catholics are white? There are Asian catholics.

@Sonora25 you do realise there are millions of Asian catholics in the world?!

I've only watched the first 4 eps. I stopped and read the book for the first time. I haven't seen the film.
I was at university only slightly later than em/dex 88-92.
I had a Dex but it didn't work out.

When I read the book with Em instead being white working class the premise made more sense.
It's the original time period which is the disconnect I think.

I felt really nostalgic and will now watch the remaining episodes.

well obviously you dont have to watch it @SandyThumb but her race is not referred to throughout the series so it is just for colour blind or colour consciousness.

This really made me weep. It resonated so much. The passing of time, endless possibilities of youth narrowing, dealing with loss, growing up!

I thought the casting was superb. The whole point is that they were a mismatch - imperfect people, not always likeable, but who had a connection that props you up through life. High five to an unapologetic northern lass not being blinded by flashiness.

Amazing work by the team that brought it together.

Loved it! limps off to look for lost youth

Alright chill. Seriously it’s just a tv show. Why didn’t they change her name then if both parents are supposed to be Asian?

Why do people think she a half Asian (not that it matters?) she said her mums Hindu and dads lapsed catholic. Many Indian catholics

i didnt know that @Twiggylet

Can’t believe there’s so much debate about a non-white actress playing Emma. It’s depressing that posters think it makes it ‘inauthentic’. She played a no-nonsense lass from Leeds, who finds her feet and flourishes, and she was brilliant in that role.

It’s depressing that posters think it makes it ‘inauthentic’.

Why is it inauthentic? The pairing is totally ludicrous and yes one if those reasons is because of her Indian heritage.

i guess the producers wanted diversity, they specifically wanted an asian actor, or a non white actor

Yes, a tick boxing exercise, essentially.

The whole point of it was that it was two people from very different backgrounds coming together. That there was something between them that transcended their backgrounds and their lifestyles/choices.That their allegiance was unlikely.

I think you are doing the actress a great disservice there @westisbest1982 I would say she got that role on merit, for her acting ability and that she did a bloody good job of it. I loved watching how things panned out for Emma.

yes Emma was beautiful, the actor playing her beautiful

Agree completely @herecomesthesun24. I thought the casting was brilliant and their acting top notch. After all it's a dramatisation of a work of fiction.

I found the series incredibly moving and it stayed with me for many days. As I've mentioned before it's so nice to have a drama series that doesn't involve some poor woman being murdered and it was refreshing to see relatively new faces in the main roles. In my opinion nothing about it felt remotely 'tick boxing'.