A New Netflix Series Adaptation Has Audiences Absolutely Bawling
Note: This article contains major spoilers for "One Day."
In 2011, Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess starred in a romantic drama called "One Day," about two friends who meet up on July 15 every year for 20 years, slowly falling in love in the process. While this may sound like the rosier version of 1978's "Same Time, Next Year," it is actually an adaptation of the novel "One Day" by David Nicholls. It was a modest hit at the box office but underwhelmed critics, and with Hathaway appearing in both "The Dark Knight Rises" and her Academy Award-winning turn in "Les Misérables" the following year, "One Day" has mostly been forgotten by the general public. One of the most common complaints lobbied against the film was that the 20-year timeline was too big to be condensed for a movie, but limited series weren't as plentiful in 2011 as they are now.
Over a decade later, Netflix has given "One Day" the series treatment starring Ambika Mod ("This is Going to Hurt") as Emma Morley and Leo Woodall ("The White Lotus") as Dexter Mayhew, and it seems like the extended time with the characters was the key to success. The duo plays star-crossed lovers who start to get to know one another after a failed one-night stand at Edinburgh University, with each episode focusing on a new meeting in a different year. As time carries on, so do Emma and Leo. Emma becomes a published writer and finally develops a sense of worth, while Dexter, who starts out as a television host, is unfortunately pummeled with tragedy and a series of self-destructive behaviors.
It has all the makings of a will-they/won't-they classic for the ages, but in typical romance fashion, it also has no problem ripping your heart out.
Only love can break your heart
For a majority of the 14-episode run of "One Day," the series throws viewers into a whirlwind of emotions. Emma and Dexter are so clearly, obviously in love with one another, but are such frustrating communicators that they fail to tell each other how they really feel. It's the ultimate show in inspiring you to scream "OH MY GOD, JUST ADMIT IT ALREADY!" at your TV screen, with episodes fluctuating between the painfully awkward and the heartbreakingly yearnful. Show creator and lead writer Nicole Taylor spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the series and said, "I wanted to be as faithful to the book as possible, and I wanted to snapshot this day every year, whether they're together or they're not."
She continued, "The question was the same: Where are they at in relation to each other, even if they're not in the same frame, even if they're not in the same episode? That is the overarching question for the series. I felt that was very truthful to those kinds of relationships."
The original plan was to have 20 episodes for all 20 years of their story, but condensing the series to 14 was still plenty of time to devastate audiences. By the time episode 13 rolled around, viewers were already hooked on Emma and Dexter's love story, having watched them evolve and dance around their feelings amidst massive life changes for each of them. But episode 13 is the moment those who have read the book were likely dreading: Emma's death.
Fans (and this writer) are devastated by One Day
For those who weren't aware that "One Day" ends with Emma dying and Dexter being forced to live without the true love of his life, it's an absolutely devastating reveal. The fact that the series debuted on February 8, meaning audiences were binge-watching in the lead-up to Valentine's Day, is almost like Netflix pulled a cruel prank on hopeless romantics everywhere. One Twitter/X user wrote, "I can't believe I thought this would be a cute rom-com with a happy ending, my heart hurts so much," and included the famous meme gif of John Phillips aka the "Crying Northwestern Kid." Another included a gif of the scene in "Mean Girls" when the entire junior class raises their hands, with the caption "Raise your hand if you've been personally victimized by #OneDayNetflix."
A real stand-out favorite is the user who wrote, "Didn't read [the] book, didn't watch the movie, I had absolutely NO idea what I was getting myself into," and included a 40-second clip of the "Succession" scene where Kendall Roy is slowly breaking down after his sister Shiv called him a "junkie" on live TV to discredit him. But the reaction I related to the most is probably the user who wrote, "The montage of all of their kisses was my last f***ing straw," complete with a Michael Scott gif from "The Office" screaming "AAAAAAAAHHHHH! I'M GONNA KILL MYSELF!!" (Don't worry, I'm in therapy).
So if you're looking for something romantic to watch, "One Day" is definitely worth it. Just make sure to bring a box of tissues ... or maybe those packs of 40 that parents have to buy for elementary school classrooms. You're gonna need it.