An emotional rollercoaster of love, friendship, and the ups and downs of life, the book “One Day” comes to life with its new limited Netflix series warming the viewers’ hearts and taking them through a journey of happiness, laughter, and gut-wrenchingly sad stories all knit together into 14 episodes.
The series “One Day” premiered on Feb. 8, 2024. But this wasn’t the first attempt at an adaptation that does justice to the characters and the beauty of the story. In fact, a movie for the book was released in 2011, starring Anne Hathaway as Emma and Jim Sturgess as Dexter, However, it turned out to be a major flop, and did no justice for the book and left readers utterly disappointed.
On the other hand, I had an amazing experience with the show. I think everything about it was perfect. One of the first things that comes to mind is the cinematography: every scene filmed was so peaceful and tranquil that it almost feels like you’re there with the characters. The quiet energy that it gives off is very calming (in most scenes). It’s filmed in such a way that you can feel what the characters feel, whether it is a joyous occasion, a sorrowful moment, or just a normal day for them. It’s like you’re experiencing everything with each character and that would not be possible without the soft tones of each scene.
Along with the cinematography in the series, the setting and the portrayal of each character were exquisite. As an avid reader, I believe this is one of the first series I have watched where they didn’t completely butcher the book. The actors encapsulated the energy of Emma (Ambika Mod) and Dexter (Leo Woodall) very well. Although there has been a lot of opinions against Mod playing Emma in the series, I think that the fact that she is Indian in the series and white in the book does not make any changes to the story, nor does it change Emma’s personality as a character in any way.
Now, getting into the actual plot of the story: It all started when Emma and Dexter met at a party while in college in Edinburg. They seemed like an unlikely couple, complete opposites of each other. But they stuck together. Emma, an aspiring author and director, and Dexter, who wants to travel the world and thrives in chaos. Each episode is the anniversary of the day they met for the first time (although Emma has had a crush on him since long before they officially met). The episodes display the stage they’re at in their lives each year and their little catch-up sessions after they haven’t seen each other for a while.
As a rom-com reader, I have to warn you by saying that this is a slow burn. And to put that into context: Emma and Dexter met for the first time on July 15, 1988, and only officially started their relationship in 1999. So, if that’s not your type of book, I’d just keep that in mind, but I would still recommend it! Even though it covers approximately 20 years (continuing up until 2007) the book doesn’t describe the entire 20 years, it’s more of snippets of their lives, giving you an overview of the important things that have changed.
Nevertheless, their story isn’t about how it ended or when they fell in love. We have all heard the saying “It’s about the journey, not the destination” and I believe this quote captures this story perfectly. Because with Dexter and Emma, it’s about all their time together before the end. About all the unforgettable memories and moments they shared. As well as all the ones they didn’t. Such as time spent apart from other people while they were just young adults in their 20s trying to figure out who they were and what they were doing with their lives.
Of course, both of them made mistakes along the way but that’s the beauty of it. They’re people. They’re just normal people living their lives and not some romanticized knight-in-shining-armor story that has been overused. Dexter and Emma helped the other grow, knocked some sense into each other when they weren’t thinking right, and always motivated each other to become a better version of themselves. They bring out the best and worst in each other. They push each other to make it to their goals. They’re each other’s support system. They would always choose each other.
Overall, I think I’ve made it quite clear how much I love this series. If you’re looking for a heartfelt rom-com that’ll leave you in pieces, a story that will stay with you for days and weeks, even if you finish binge-watching it all in two days: you’ve come to the right place.
**Note: ’One Day’ is rated TV-MA on Netflix and contains mature themes. It is recommended for students 16 years of age or older.
