One Day is a 2024 Netflix miniseries, which is based on David Nicholl’s bestselling 2009 novel. The series follows the lives of Emma Morley (Ambika Mod) and Dexter Mayhew (Leo Woodall), who meet on their graduation night, and continue to intersect on the same day of each year for the next twenty years.
After their graduation ball, Emma and Dexter end up spending the night together. At first glance, there an unlikely couple and they shouldn’t work; she is a working-class girl from Leeds, and he is a privileged, charming boy from Oxfordshire. The two hit it off in the early hours of the morning of 15 July 1988: St Swithin’s Day, both liking each other more than they wish to admit. After spending the day together, they must go their separate ways, but resolve to stay in touch.
The audience revisits them on the same day of each year, for the next twenty years, and follow the ups and downs of their lives.
As they move through their 20s, the relationship they want to maintain becomes strained. In the early years, Emma has big dreams; she can’t change the world, but she can change some of it. She has an aspirational but rigid plan for her life, and when things don’t go seemingly, she begins to struggle. Dexter, on the other hand, lacks drive, but he has an affluent upbringing which allows him to effortlessly breeze through life with his charm and good looks. Emma is aware that he has the ‘playboy’ reputation and has no illusions about his true intentions.
The brilliance of this series lies in the ability to weave a narrative that allows us to see the evolution of their relationship in such depth. We witness their personal struggles, career aspirations, triumphs, and their heartaches.
The chemistry between Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall is effortless, and they both deliver captivating performances, portraying the growth and development of their characters with great authenticity.
One Day is not a typical romantic comedy; it features themes of regret and redemption, where the characters grapple over missed opportunities and wasted time, but it also involves loyalty, acceptance, friendship, and growth.
Through the nonlinear narrative, a unique perspective on the passage of time is given, which allows viewers to witness the transformations of each character over the years, The story unfolds across multiple timelines which allows viewers to be immersed in their lives, and they can also reflect on their own relationships and experiences.
This passage of time proves that even the best people are capable of doing terrible things.
However, the show does not villainise Emma or Dexter when they are at their worst, instead, the series unpacks their decisions, and explains the reasons behind them.
The series is accompanied by an evocative soundtrack, featuring nostalgic tunes of the late 1980s, to contemporary music of the 2000s. The music evolves alongside Emma and Dexter, and captures each period with precision.
Lately, there has been discussions surrounding whether the age of high-quality television is coming to an end, but One Day is here to prove that wrong. Some may find the series predictable or slow paced, but others may value it for the emotional depth and realism; but overall, in my opinion, this heartfelt and bittersweet portrayal of love and friendship will captivate you from start to finish.