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.

It's not an unlikely narrative at all. You've just lived a very sheltered life!
I went uni in 90's. My flat mate (girl) was Muslim and she dated and ended up marrying a white guy.

That there was no casual racism experienced - even on one day in a year - through the 80s and 90s is what made it jar and be unrealistic. It was never mentioned, which is totally normal now but totally jars for then.

If that’s your main comment after watching a love story that’s just odd. Neither of the characters seemed to mix in circles where casual racism would have been tolerated. It did exist but wouldn’t have been tolerated for example in the circles i mixed in at the time.

In the 80s and 90s it may not have been usual to hear anything said but it would be very common to be side eyed and there to be mutterings. That there was none made it unrealistic.

Casual racism frequently occurred in the 80s, in every context, so it’s silly - and perhaps insulting to some - to pretend otherwise.

the series was a snapshot of their love story each day. Why would racism need to be included? I don’t think gritty realism was the vibe they were going for. I just find it really odd thats what people are focussing on.
The point is she is a great actress who portrayed Emma brilliantly despite colour or ethnicity.

No one is pretending it didn't but why did it have to be part of THIS story?

The story has nothing to do with racism! Either you didn’t watch it or are just being argumentative.

I can’t carry on this particular discussion with someone who clearly no comprehension of casual racism.

So the message I'm getting:
Brown people can't be leads in love stories because it is wholly unlikely (and in opinions IMPOSSIBLE) that a white person would fall in love with them.
Brown people can't star if frothy fun stories unless some racist slurs are shoehorned in.

It's really sad that these prejudices stop you enjoying programmes like this, and diverse casting isn't going away so maybe give up your Netflix subscription and invest in britbox or something.

It’s just unrealistic for the time. Maybe I'm a stickler for period details. Like the necklace in Saltburn is wrong. Like when you see a plastic water bottle in an Edwardian drama. It jars.

Its nothing to do with prejudice - it’s an observation that casting a person with brown skin and then not having any casual racism - be it side eyes, mutterings in any scenes set in the 80s and 90s makes it less believable. Of course we wish it never happened but surely whitewashing it is worse?

@TiaSeeya its set in the late 80s and nineties not the 50s. One of the points of the book is that she does not fit in with his set because she is not privileged -same message here.

It's very slightly out - used in the 15th July 1994 episode. Dog Man Star was released in October 1994. However the band were definitely playing it in July 1994 and Dog Man Star was hyped for ages (graffitied around London, massive campaign about it on the Evening Session).

As for the other tracks - they were definitely around in 1988. Orange Juice - Rip it up was released in 1982 and The The - This is the Day in 1983.

Personally I thought the music was excellent and was a good mix of music fin the time and older songs. Apart from the incidental music, I can't see any episode where the music wouldn't have been released in that year.

To pretend there wasn’t everyday casual racism in the 80s is naïve at best. There wasn’t any evidence either of the privilege shunning - except for Dex with Sylvie’s family. This should have been shown more in the adaptation. Might have made it more believable.

Yes let's hoover out some of the joy of the show by inserting some racial angst.

I think this version of One Day works best if you can accept it being the 100% fantasy the team have presented it as being, for all the reasons stated in this thread.

In the first episode when they are walking up Arthur's seat one of Dexters friends sneered 'Who's she'? There was evidence of snobbery but yes, no need to always address racism every single time a Black or Brown actor is cast in anything. It must be extremely tiresome for the actors, and I'm sure they would rather have a paycheck than have to patiently wait for parts where they have to experience racism all the time in order for it to be ' realistic'.

It's been a massive success and well received, small minded viewers like you probably weren't their demographic anyway.

Wow this thread has taken a turn. I wonder if some of you should watch films by Mike Leigh/Ken Loach/Spike Lee if you want gritty social realism rather than a Netflix dramatisation of a romantic/contemporary novel? Also, perhaps we should remember that we all have our individual experiences and recollections of the past will differ!

The production of One Day was refreshing and fabulous, but ultimately a work of fiction.

It’s a fictional love story. Fictional. About 2 people. It’s not meant to be a realistic representation of 80s and 90s life, any more than Bridgerton is representative of the Regency era.

… ultimately a work of fiction.

Was it really? Wow - thanks for that hugely enlightening comment.

Good god don’t start me on the fake wisteria in Bridgerton 😂

The thing I noticed with Bridgerton and the Last Airbender in particular - and One Day to a point - is how sanitised the surroundings are. I had a little chuckle at the artfully placed gig posters in an otherwise pristine environment which also felt off. The 80s and 90s were mucky, with litter everywhere.

It seems to be a Thing now - sanitising a set. Not sure if this is for pleasing aesthetics but it looks totally false - just don’t get it.

Maybe stick to documentaries.