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.

Well it was exactly my era (graduated 1988) so I enjoyed the 'period' detail but I didn't really relate to either character - found them both rather obnoxious in their own ways - so I couldn't really feel emotional at the ending. There were hints of Normal People in it, when one of them went off the rails and immediately turned to the other for support but in Normal People it was believable that they would do this, and the support was shown as being there, but in this, you didn't often see their bond. Maybe that was the fault of the show and it is implied more in the book? I also didn't really believe in the progression of the relationship, eg very early on they are on holiday together but this leads nowhere in terms of increased intimacy? By which I mean, in the following episode (year) they were no closer together than they had been before.

Note to production team - please, please give the same attention to jewellery to the attention you give to music!!!

Also, I thought mobile phone; in 1995 surely the phone she had would've been way more brick like than it actually was. There was something else that jarred as well, which I realised when somebody made the jewellery comment, not jewellery, but now I can't remember what it was!

Fancy backpack/rucksack of Emma’s? Seemed a bit early for that.

The other thing that didn’t feel right was the Greek trip. I did lots of Greek trips in that era and they definitely didn’t capture it. I wondered if it was filmed in a studio to keep costs down.

I’ve been watching this . I haven’t read the book. I think there’s some great acting by the main characters but somehow it doesn’t quite catch the atmosphere of the time l?
The set and costumes don’t feel quite ‘right’.

Loved the book and the film but hate the ending so I'm just not sure.

Is it one episode per year?

I’ve been in bed with a diabolical cold so binged the whole of this. I never loved the book, haven’t seen the film, but I adored this. Possibly because I’m ill and my defence is low, possibly because of all the nostalgia – theCool Britannia scene, hanging out at Quaglinos and the Atlantic bar, smoking in restaurants, everyone gradually acquiring mobile phones, watching The Word religiously every Friday night, idiots off their heads everywhere on Coke. Amazing music - MC Solaar! It was a fabulous time to be young. I feel so lucky to have been there.

i always felt in the book, and in this, that there is no way Dex would’ve been attracted to Emma in any way in the first place, and that they would’ve kept in touch, but once you suspend that bit of disbelief, it works beautifully. Other parts – Dex’s mum and dad, Sylvie who is not a bitch when it would’ve been so easy to paint her that way, the sleazy headteacher – all fabulous. Some of the language wasn’t right, can’t remember the details, but there were a few words and phrases that we just didn’t use back then but otherwise I thought they got it spot-on. I’m fed up I’ve now got whole weekend of bed rest to get through with nothing else to fill it so well.

Also, think Leo Woodall is absolutely stand out, she’s great too, but he’s the star because he has a less sympathetic character and does a lot with it

Yes! To some of the language not being right - annoyingly can’t remember what.

I thought both Sylvie’s and Dexter’s parents were well painted. The cloying setup of Sylvie’s family, with the Moriarty game and the vile twins I thought was perfectly illustrated. Quite excruciating. And wasn’t Dex’s dad - Percy!!! quite wonderful in the part.

Again though, chemistry between Callum and Sylvie was off - not sure Callum was cast well. Didn’t sit right.

It's the hair in the early episodes for me. Back in the 80s short hair was very much the norm. Far too many flowing tresses at the Edinburgh graduation ball!

@AngelasEyelash you’re right, the long blonde hair bothered me as well – that came much later. @TiaSeeya I don’t think there was huge chemistry between Sylvie and Callum, but ICallum was much less physically attractive than Dexter, but was actually going places, and that’s what Sylvie fell for.

Only 2 episodes in but it was too boring for me. No chemistry between them and thats nowt like a Leeds accent.

I remember watching the film in 2011. Can't believe how many years ago that was now !!

So I just finished it, altogether a fairly emotional watch, but it really did feel that there was a young production team behind it who couldn’t quite think out of their own sphere of reference , aesthetically speaking.
Even the paint colour samples on the walls of the flat seemed so contemporary.
I agree about the hair too, and the Nokia.
I felt the actor who played Dexter did a great job but drew a tad too much from Jude Law’s character from The Holiday. A good watch but I’m really surprised by all the 5* reviews.
5* for the soundtrack though, which lifted the whole series several notches for me.

I disagree, we all had asymetric short cuts in the early eighties, by the late eighties everyone had gone back to long hair.

I'm intrigued, I will look more closely, but what is the issue with the jewellery??

I agree about the aesthetic. Island-hopping in Greece was a lot scruffier and the beach views were interrupted by all the mahogany-bronzed men in their budgie-smugglers (discarding their fag-ends). London - also much scruffier. There’s a location-scout’s howler at the very beginning of episode 3. As the date rolls around to 15 July 1990, Emma boards a train from a very 21st century Overground platform. The Overground didn’t exist!

But she'd had four years at posho Edinburgh Uni, (another 'Oxbridge rejects' one, like Durham and Bristol.) Kate and William went there, after all.
I reckon her accent would have toned down a fair bit even if unwittingly. I liked the way Dexter changed his accent somewhat when he was doing all the yoof TV too, it felt real for the time.

Carol Midgley Time TV reviewer was saying it was a really good Leeds accent though

Well the trailers haven't excited me. I actually think the casting for the film version was brilliant and it was a lovely film so not sure how a series is going to pan out.

Yes, Clapton 😂 you could see the no smoking sign reflected in the window

@mypafology I think the visible letters at the end of the Overground station sign are “-tion” so possibly Watford Junction, Willesden Junction, Clapham Junction?

Ah, when she was on the phone to Tilly at the end of ep 2 I thought she said she lived in Clapton, but maybe she said Clapham. Anyhoo definitely not a 1990 train 😂

Why is it that almost all new movies / series now have a mixed race actor/actress where it was white in the original one? Seems like making sure to make a point. I just cannot relate to this new version of One Day, not after Anne Hathaway. Nothing against the actress playing Emma but she is so wrong for this part.
Now go ahead and accuse me of being racist, I don't care.

I haven’t read the book, but I think the point is meant to be that Dex is a vulnerable posh-boy prone to depression and addiction (so not vibing with typical toff types, even though they are his people) and in Emma he finds someone who resonates with him better than his usual crowd. I’m not sure that comes across enough, though.

And isn’t the whole point that there’s not meant to be any chemistry? That it’s about that awkwardness of being in your late teens and early 20s, spending so much intense time with a few people that likes become blurred, campus setting, confusion of finding yourself etc. What would Emma see in Dex if she had met him in Wandsworth, for example?

I think both leads are great but the actor who plays Dex is tremendous. Huge range. The Emma actress is also very good but there’s a part of her character missing: she’s too angry and frustrated for such a young person in the 90s, I think she’s missed out on portraying the lightness of youth. Maybe that’s the script, though. (Also I haven’t finished it yet)