On February 8, 2024, Netflix dropped a limited series called One Day. Although the show was released a month ago, its popularity has started to pick up among social media platforms. While this show was a cute watch, it was unconvincing in many aspects and had the potential to be much better. If you are desperate for a quick romance, One Day will fill that gap. However, if you want a show with a deeper plot and more character analysis, that can be found elsewhere. While some argue that this was a heart-wrenching show that leaves viewers torn, I am arguing that it lacked substance and failed to live up to other classic romance shows.
Inauthentic relationship
The relationship between Dexter and Emma felt forced. I mean of course it was, it’s a TV show after all. Maybe there wasn’t enough character development for the relationship to seem authentic, or maybe the acting wasn’t as good as it could have been. In the show, the audience is supposed to believe that the couple is suddenly married, yet the show barely spends any time emphasizing this aspect. In one episode they just met, yet a few episodes later they have their whole lives intertwined. So many details to convince the audience that the relationship was genuine were overlooked to rush the timeline. For a big part of the series, each character was seeing a different partner, further making their love seem less authentic. Their unconvincing romance made the overall show feel fake and overhyped.
Time was hard to perceive
In the beginning of each episode, the day and year was featured to show the time period of which each series of events took place. The main characters, Emma and Dexter, have an annual meeting where they are connected. Each episode features a different year where the two meet. While it was directly said when they were together, it would be completely unnoticeable if it weren’t specified. The show was supposedly set from 1988 all the way to 2007. That is almost 20 years featured in a show that took less than a year to film. Since the lead actors were never changed, it was difficult for the viewers to grasp the time change. The natural processes of aging like thinning hairs, wrinkles, or voice changes were difficult to perceive since it never actually existed. A show with that long of a time period is difficult to make seem realistic and in this case, the acting was not enough to portray this idea.
Cliche ending
Really? Did the main character really need to die? I wasn’t sad, just upset with this generic ending. What a lame way to end it! The producers really wanted to make sure there wasn’t any hope for a season two. When the main character, Emma dies, the whole show was over. There was not enough substance in the show to focus on after her death. No side plots—because there were none. The only thing happening was the core relationship between Emma and Dexter. The once lack of plot turned into no plot with the cliche death. Killing off the main character is the most upsetting way to finish a series. As popular as the show was, I thought the ending could have been more creative.
****
With all of these factors adding up, the One Day series was another one of Netflix’s disappointments. While the show wasn’t a complete flop, the majority of the series was disappointing. This limited series has already been removed from Netflix, so if you never got the chance to watch it, you are best off without it. Instead, use your time to watch a real romance show with thought-provoking plots and satisfactory character development.
