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.

Unlikely pairings happen. I know people who knew us both were very surprised when my DH and I got together. The whole point is that it’s an unlikely pairing regardless of the details.
I started off not keen on Emma at all or the series as a whole..half way through I was hooked and fully girl crushing on Ambika Mod. I thought she was brilliant as Emma. I haven’t read the article but I really hope she’s ok

Mine too. They fitted a lot in in the time. I was pleasantly surprised.

Great, good for you! Glad you're enjoying it. I've watched up to Episode 5 now and I still get the same vibe - it doesn't work for me for all the reasons I've explained.
It's perfectly possible for people to have different opinions on a thread discussing a show you know, and you don't have to automatically hate them for it?
Just because I don't agree with you, it doesn't make me a racist thanks.

That was so sad!!! But very well done. Love Ian

Actually @SandyThumb I don’t agree with you.
It’s ok for me to have enjoyed it for the same reason you didn’t enjoy it.

Still thinking about it

dex doesn’t have any male friends does he? Pretty lonely life. Maybe it’s different in the book

LOL to the Sunday Times review, would you expect it to say anything else when it's readership are mostly white, ageing conservative Conservatives?

Here's another review from a female Asian writer who knows you have to suspend some disbelief (which, let's face it, happens in most TV productions), describing how this touching story transcends race. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/feb/06/one-day-review-a-flawless-romcom-youll-fall-for-hard-ambika-mod-leo-woodall

It's a story of unlikely friendship, adversity and love. They played their flawed characters beautifully and believably.

I'm sorry, but I have to agree with some of the other posters and say I thought it was dreadful!
Slow, dreary with nothing really happening episode after episode until right at the end.
They've taken the exciting, risky edge off Dexter's character - he's way too kind/ nice/caring.
And although Ambika is good (I liked her in This is Going to Hurt) she hasn't really quite nailed the Yorkshire accent and there was something weird going on with her mouth over certain words and sounds? Like she was struggling to remember the accent?

Just dull, dull, dull. And what's with the 20 minute episodes? Can people really no longer sit still for longer??!
Deffo preferred the book, and the film.

I was wrong, having rewatched it I am now a fan, so much so that I want to re-read the book, both actors were very good

Now where's my big slice of Humble Pie?

The main characters and supporting were phenomenal in this adaptation. Perfect and poignant.

But not everyone agrees with you on that. And that's okay. I think she played Emma terribly- that's my opinion. That's okay too.

@Twiggylet if you think @westisbest1982 posted something racist, you should report it and get it deleted by HQ. You aren't allowed to launch a personal attack by calling a poster a racist and weirdo, that's against the rules.

Thanks for sharing your point of view – I can see you feel very strongly about it.

However, can you not understand that not everybody agrees with you? And that’s equally okay.

That’s the whole point of debate.
It’s not about lashing out and slagging off anybody who happens to disagree with you.

I thought the Guardian review from Chitra Ramaswamy was interesting:
‘My initial reaction to seeing Mod play Emma was complicated. I was thrilled: I’ve never seen someone who looks like me, living the life I lived around the time I lived it, on screen before. But this is also why it didn’t ring true. Because race (and class, for that matter) didn’t work like that back then. By which I mean – I’ll just say it – white boys like Dex didn’t fancy brown girls like Em. I know because I was one, although I went to Glasgow. In the first few episodes, the unmentionability of Emma’s race got to me. The truth is, Dex (and his parents) would have made unintentionally racist blunders.’
Does this make her weird and racist too?
(However, she does go on later to say she enjoyed it for the romantic story-telling).

I also feel frustrated we can’t have ‘nice things’. One Day was a particularly ‘nice’ book and film the first time around - perfectly crafted. It doesn’t need Netflix to muck about with it to make it less credible and an inaccurate bastardisation of the original.
I’ve watched it all now and that’s still my opinion. But I recognise other opinions may vary. That’s also OK. I won’t hate you for it.

Yes Chitra Ramaswamy is correct. Hence there have never existed any interracial south Asian/British couples. Ever.

By which I mean – I’ll just say it – white boys like Dex didn’t fancy brown girls like Em.

Yes no white men have ever fancied brown girls. No upper class white boy ever fancied a brown girl in the 80s. Therefore there were no relationships between these to groups. None.

The truth is, Dex (and his parents) would have made unintentionally racist blunders.’

All white brits are racist and none would have had an educated non discriminatory attitude back then. None. Not one.

Surely you can see what a great big sweeping generalisations these statements are? Ofc there was racism, but interracial couples existed then, before then and guess what…even now!

Were you at Edinburgh University in the 1980s @Twiggylet ?

nope and I doubt you were either 🙂

However, my argument stands for Edinburgh uni and all other unis in the 80s. It’s a fictional story, moveeeee on.

Do you also debate the accuracy of an interclass relationship in the early 1900s represented in the movie titanic? Or is this ridiculousness only reserved for interracial couples?

Yeh not okay!

Moveeeee on yourself sweetie...
Since when were you the thread moderator?

"My argument stands for Edinburgh uni and all other unis in the 80s"
Gosh, I'm surprised you didn't add 'FACT!' at the end of that sentence to make it even more persuasive!

😆

Bravo @SandyThumb !

https://www.buzzfeed.com/hannahmarder/backlash-bipoc-actors-white-roles

Seems this backlash happens for a lot of non-white actors and unsurprisingly it’s got nothing to do with their ability to act. Much the same as for footballers still. It’s depressing really that people still get so worked up about skin colour.

I just can't get past that this version of Emma is just a bit on the rude side, why are they friends? Dex in this is just so together and grounded, why does he put up with this?

In the film, Em has warmth and it's friendly ribbing. Dex really is an idiot who deserves the (more gentle) take downs.

Both versions had the same dialogue at times and the film just delivered funnier.

Do people really prefer the brutal banter? I think it's unrealistic that a male and female friendship would put up with this.

I agree. I think this is one of the reasons I didn't like the series.
She just comes across as so sort of dour and chippy? Also in the book and film Emma's character was lacking in confidence, uncertain, whereas in this she is kind of hard, but confident in herself right from the beginning

Also Dex was rather more obnoxious and feckless I think in the book and film and I mostly thought he was a bit of a pratt. Here he is softer, more vulnerable and I actually feel sorry for him

I think it's the impact of different values today:
Em - feminist, independent woman etc
Dex - people sympathetic to mental health & alcohol/drug problems - not so judgemental

It's something else which doesn't translate well from 1980s to 2024

Loved the series as I was at university 1987-90 then worked in London for most of the 90s so very nostalgic especially the scene at Quags. I found the casting believable as I knew several mixed race couples (white/asian) as a student for it to ring true. Its the period dramas such as the Tudor and All creatures great and small set in rural 1930s where they shoe horn in ethnic minority actors which are totally unbelievable

When you’ve watched to the end you can see why they became friends. They enjoyed the novelty of each other & yes sometimes they annoyed each other as friends also do.

When you watch on you also see that he’s far from together and grounded!

Thinking back some of the things my male friend and I said to each other at Uni were brutal! I am also a northerner so her comments didn’t seem that bad to me. That was the key to their relationship, they both spoke (the sometimes hard to hear) truth to each other & pushed each other to be the best they could.

She just comes across as so sort of dour and chippy? Also in the book and film Emma's character was lacking in confidence, uncertain, whereas in this she is kind of hard, but confident in herself right from the beginning

Yes, she was stern and self-assured from the beginning, no fun at all. This didn’t change. And lacking dimensions. Why would anyone fall for her, especially someone like this Dexter? I couldn’t root for her, so in her last scene, I couldn’t have given a shit. Awful writing.