It grew on me As someone who turned 18 around the same time as the characters in One Day and whose 'soundtrack' at the time was remarkably similar (some great tracks feature throughout the series including New Order, The Fall, Pixies, Nick Drake, VU) and, on top of that, broadly sharing in some of the notable plot points (no major spoilers ahead) - you would think this series was made for me.
Strange then, that I felt an initial disconnect. Perhaps, it didn't help that I found both lead characters unlikeable and irritating, at least to begin with, that I found the depiction of late 80s Britain, although superficially okay, missed the feel of the era, but most of all I just didn't empathise much with this couple.
Following a couple immersed in self-doubt and self absorption for a long period, is occasionally testing.
But perhaps this is the main point of One Day - this is not just a love story, it's a coming of age story too - we all go through that period of immaturity, often vainly thinking we will have some major impact on the world, only for life to batter us into some more grounded sense of 'getting over ourselves'.
Leo Woodall's character, Dexter, is, at times, supremely arrogant, whilst at others disarmingly innocent, self-deprecating and capable of genuine selflessness. His initial swagger and self confidence, together with a seeming ability to glide through life aided by class privilege, mask a deeper sense of displacement, lack of direction and desire for meaning. For me, his character and depiction were the stand out elements.
Meanwhile, Emma, played by Ambika Mod, has an off-putting abrasive 'humour' (too unkind to be banter) which thinly veils her insecurity. She is intellectually superior to Dexter, but life seems to initially favour Dexter, which she obviously resents. Mod's performance isn't quite up to Woodall's, but there is a certain chemistry between the pair.
Sticking with it, these people did grow on me, and by the end I did care what happened to them.
Plus, it's not just about those two people. We also get occasional insight into supporting characters. There's an amusing scene involving one of Dexter's later love interests playing a bizarre family game, for example, and a main plotline involving one of Emmas admirers, Ian (played adeptly by Jonny Weldon) that is as interesting as it is sometimes painful to watch.
One additional problem that does need mentioning is the ageing process. We are following two people from age 18 to sometime in their 30s, yet neither age significantly resulting in a lack of immersion, for example a late scene where Emma comments how she has 'lost her youthful looks', but still looks about 14.
Putting all this criticism aside, I did, ultimately, enjoy the series. It's considerably better than the forgettable movie.