Anything can happen over the course of a day. In Nicole Taylor’s new Netflix limited series One Day — based on the bestselling novel by David Nicholls that was adapted into a 2011 feature film starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess — that idea is presented in the form of an extremely poignant and bittersweet love story. Dex and Em, the two characters in this Netflix release coming on Feb. 8, connect and build a relationship that spans decades, which also makes this a perfect Valentine’s Day Netflix binge.
If you’ve read the book and/or seen that earlier movie, this 14-episode British series needs no introduction. For the rest of you: Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew, two attractive and obviously likable singles, speak to each other for the very first time on graduation night in July of 1988. University is coming to an end, and by the time morning comes, they’ll both be going their separate ways. From the Netflix summary: “Where will they be on this one ordinary day the next year, and the year after that, and every year that follows?
“Each episode finds Dex and Em one year older on this one particular date as they grow and change, move together and apart, and experience joy and heartbreak.”
The two leads are played by Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall, and as for what to know about each character — Em is a serious-minded English manager who wants to do her part to change the world (somehow, and eventually). Bumping into Dex on the college green, of course, changes her own world.
Dex, meanwhile, is brought to life by an actor we last saw in season 2 of HBO’s The White Lotus, and here he’s portraying a playboy who comes from money and privilege. He’s one of those bro-y guys who doesn’t need to be reminded that he has good looks and charisma — but, even so, his introduction to Emma changes everything. It’s a relationship that will impact the trajectory of the rest of their lives, and you should definitely make sure you’re strapped in for the emotional rollercoaster that follows.
All that said, though, One Day is certainly not the only new title coming to the streaming giant over the next seven days. As for what other new Netflix releases are worth checking out next week, especially if your cold, black heart isn’t in the mood for romance, here’s a look at some other great binge-worthy titles:
Killer Paradox: In this K-drama, Parasite’s Choi Woo-Shik stars as a normally submissive, ordinary man named Lee Tang who accidentally kills someone … who turns out to have been a serial killer. Lee then evolves into a kind of vigilante, meting out justice to evildoers, while the series explores themes of morality, justice, and personal transformation. Release date: Feb. 9.
Ready Player One: These final two releases are third-party titles that are being added to Netflix in the coming days, which thankfully makes up for the dearth of new original Netflix material at the moment. The first, of course, is Steven Spielberg’s 2018 VR-heavy drama based on Ernest Cline’s beloved sci-fi novel of the same name. And what great timing, by the way, with sales finally launching for Apple’s Vision Pro headset. Now streaming.
Monk (Seasons 1-8): Finally, if you like your detective show presented in the package of a TV sitcom, then Monk is the show for you. The series stars Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk, a brilliant detective who has obsessive-compulsive disorder, as well as a variety of phobias. And by the way, let’s not forget what happened the last time a fan-favorite USA Network TV show hit Netflix. That show, of course, was Suits, which became one of the biggest releases of 2023. Release date: Feb. 5.
