Black tv screen with red Netflix logo. Netflix's One Day

Devika Sreejith 

One Day has had us in a sobfest since 2009 when the story was originally published by David Nicholl. Lovers of romance and loss, this one is for you.

The story follows the lives and relationship(s) of Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew over 20 years, only giving the audience a glimpse on 15 July each year. The book was first adapted into a movie in 2011, starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess. The 2024 version is a limited series of 14 episodes starring Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall.

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20 Years

Emma and Dexter meet for the first time at the graduation afterparty at the University of Edinburgh, and the show establishes their personalities immediately. Dexter is a charming, easygoing person from London, who has allegedly slept with half of the girls in their year. Emma is a studious, ambitious young woman from Leeds (with a 1st in English literature). Admittedly, I did groan at yet another nerdy-girl-meets-jock-guy storyline, but kept watching.

On their first night together, Emma repeatedly steers away from Dexter’s sexual advances, though they do end up sleeping in the same bed. The next morning, Emma takes Dexter to climb Arthur’s seat. They decide to exchange contact details and keep in touch. And they go from “Emma” and “Dexter” to Em and Dex.

A lot happens in the following few years. Emma tours the country with a theatre group, works part-time in a Mexican restaurant and becomes a teacher, all while trying to pursue her dream of writing. Dexter travels around Europe, hosts multiple TV shows, dates many women, and realises that perhaps TV is not the right career for him. As the show progresses, the characters grow, and so does their friendship. Some episodes are dedicated to either Dex or Em to show their personal growths and motivations.

Television at its finest?

Netflix’s One Day, although a sweet and emotional show, has its issues. Throughout the one-day-per-year format, the audience can fill in most of the blanks. But it sometimes misses out major emotional, life-changing moments. For example, it is clear that Dex has an alcohol problem and around 1993 he faces a major loss in his life that pushes him deeper into alcoholism. This causes a rift in his relationships with everyone in his life, including Emma. We, the audience, can see the emotions behind the characters’ conversations but are sometimes left wanting a bit more depth.

Screenwriter Nicole Taylor succeeds in creating a slow burn that makes the audience root for the characters, but their dynamic can be confusing. Mod and Woodall have great chemistry on-screen in general, but it does seem awkward at times. Emma and Dexter have been interested in each other since they first met in 1988. This is evident until they finally decide to give their relationship a chance in 1999. However, despite their years-long friendship, some silences are more unpleasant than comfortable. Some glances are more uneasy than longing. Overall, Mod and Woodall portray their characters to have grown beyond lust and attraction, to intimacy and companionship.

“If anything, though, Netflix’s One Day is Dexter’s story”

Both Dexter and Emma are complex characters with their own aspirations. Emma’s dreams are clearer. She wants to do something that makes a difference in the world. When Emma asks Dexter what he wants to be when he is 40, he replies “rich and famous”. He points out in episode 7 (1994) that he is rich and famous, even though he is not 40, and mocks Emma for being a teacher. If anything, though, Netflix’s One Day is Dexter’s story.

The show briefly explores his relationship with alcohol. He indulges frequently, and a few episodes into the show, we can see that this is a recurring issue. Dexter’s life begins to go downhill in 1992 when he shows up to see his mother hungover and his father yells at him for it. He soon becomes rather unpopular on television and decides to leave it and work in a café owned by his friend. He tries to stay away from alcohol and smoking. Dex loses loved ones as the episodes go by, and he often turns to alcohol to cope. Emma points out in episode 7 (1994) that she had not seen him sober in about 3 years. He tries to turn his life around, becoming sober in episode 10 (1997).

Besides the past, what makes it even more of Dex’s story is his grief. Woodall truly shines in the last episode, as he tries to process the biggest loss of his life in 2002 – his greatest love. Dexter is a character who has been through a lot in life, something many audience members may be able to connect with. His grief is the emotional sucker punch the show had been building all along. He turns to alcohol again in 2003 and his friends and family support him in 2004. He finally may have begun to make peace with his life and loss when the show concludes in 2007.

Final Thoughts on Netflix’s One Day

I first watched One Day (2011) in 2020, expecting a fun rom-com. Not only was I wrong, but I was also devastated. Since I knew how it would end, I went into Netflix’s One Day expecting a calmer watch, but it still left me sobbing. The show successfully navigates the nuances of friendship, adulthood and relationships, and the complexities of love and grief. The performances by all the actors are exceptional, and so is the soundtrack. I highly recommend Netflix’s version. Just remember the ice cream and tissues to go with it.

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 Featured image courtesy of DCL “650” on Unsplash. No changes have been made to this image. Image license here.

Graduated with an MA in Communication and Media from the University of Leeds. Passionate about storytelling and journalism, LOVE movies, shows, and books, and happy to learn about pretty much anything!

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