Netflix's Dexter Adaptation Improved by Omitting This Book Element

Netflix's adaptation of One Day, based on David Nicholls' 2009 novel, left out a crucial part of Dexter's story from the book. This omission could have negatively impacted the TV version. One Day follows the intricate love story between Emma Morley (played by Ambika Mod) and Dexter Mayhew (played by Leo Woodall), exploring the line between friendship and romance. The story begins on the night of their first meeting at their university graduation ball on July 15, 1988. The show then unfolds over a 20-year period, depicting the ups and downs of Emma and Dexter's lives, both together and apart, with each new episode set on the same day of the following year.

Interestingly, July 15 marks St. Swithin's Day in the UK, an annual holiday traditionally used to forecast the weather. According to the belief, if it rains on St. Swithin's Day, it will continue to rain for the next 40 days.

The TV show, created by Nicole Taylor, is a pretty faithful adaptation of the novel, but Netflix's One Day did make some changes to the 2009 book. Most of the alterations and exclusions are pretty minor or inconsequential, like the name of the protagonist in Emma's novels or Dexter getting his clothes stolen in Greece.

One of the Dexter details that Netflix's One Day leaves out from the book may seem insignificant at first, but it would've been a disaster if it had been included in the show. One Day was adapted into a feature film in 2011 starring Anne Hathaway as Emma and Jim Sturgess as Dexter and written by the author of the novel, David Nicholls, who also wrote the penultimate episode of the Netflix series.

Dex & Tilly Sleep Together In The One Day Book, But Not The Show

Dexter's sexual encounter with Emma's roommate was not included in the series

Tilly (Amber Grappy) holds a drink while smiling at Dexter (Leo Woodall) who looks annoyed in One Day (2024). - Dexter's sexual encounter with Emma's roommate was not included in the series - Dex & Tilly Sleep Together In The One Day Book, But Not The Show

In One Day, Emma's friend Tilly Killick, played by Amber Grappy, is a significant supporting character. Tilly and Emma start off as college roommates and continue living together in London after graduation. In the story, Tilly and Dexter have a brief encounter in December 1992 at their shared apartment. Described by Dex as "fast, unhappy sex," it all started as a foot massage that went awry while Emma was out shopping for Christmas decorations.

Why Netflix's One Day Cutting Dex & Tilly's Story Was The Right Choice

Dex and Tilly's rendezvous is seen as an open secret, with Dex unaware that Emma knows about it until she brings it up years later. Emma found evidence of their encounter at home and Tilly also confirmed it. However, in the One Day show, Dexter and Tilly remain just friends through Emma and nothing more. This decision to omit their sexual encounter further highlights Dex's immature playboy behavior.

It would've been a way bigger deal in the show

Dexter (Leo Woodall) watches Sylvie (Eleanor Tomlinson)'s family play Are You There Moriarty in One Day (2024). - It would've been a way bigger deal in the show - Why Netflix's One Day Cutting Dex & Tilly's Story Was The Right Choice

The decision to cut Dex and Tilly sleeping together from Netflix's One Day was definitely for the best considering how different Emma and Tilly's dynamic is in the show. In the book, the girls have a more distant relationship, so Emma isn't all that hurt by Tilly's actions, even though Tilly knew she had feelings for Dex. Dex also worried that Emma would think he was "shallow or seedy" if she found out (not realizing that she already knew), but Emma is pretty unfazed as it was the exact kind of behavior she expected from him then.

In Netflix's One Day, Tilly and Emma are much better friends and never seem to butt heads. Therefore, Tilly hooking up with Dex at any point would've been a huge betrayal of Emma's trust.

In the novel, it wasn't a big deal, but it would've been a disaster in the series. Tilly and Emma are close friends in Netflix's One Day and never argue. So, if Tilly had gotten involved with Dex, it would've been a huge betrayal of Emma's trust. Show Emma likely would've been turned off by Dex's actions and lost any remaining feelings for him.

By leaving out this detail, Netflix's One Day kept Emma and Tilly's friendship strong and avoided creating more conflict between Emma and Dex.

Netflix's One Day Made Tilly A Lot Better Than The Book

If this part of the story had been included in the show, it couldn't have been treated as just some trivial incident. There's no way something of that magnitude wouldn't cause drama and create a massive rift between the three of them, which would've soured Emma's relationships with Tilly and Dex and been pretty difficult for the series to recover from. By removing this detail, Netflix's One Day kept Emma and Tilly's friendship loyal and avoided adding yet another point of conflict between Emma and Dex.

Tilly is a much more well-rounded character and better friend to Emma in the show

Tilly (AMber Grappy) talks to Emma (Ambika Mod) at her wedding in One Day (2024). - Tilly is a much more well-rounded character and better friend to Emma in the show - Netflix's One Day Made Tilly A Lot Better Than The Book

Erasing Dexter and Tilly's sexual history was one of the ways Netflix's One Day changed and improved Tilly's character. In the book, Tilly is mostly known for her bad roommate habits and how she annoys Emma. Emma and Dex often make fun of Tilly and don't seem to like her much. After they stop living together, Emma and Tilly have a falling out in the book. Emma even thinks about not attending Tilly's wedding because they are not close anymore.

In the show, Tilly plays a bigger and more significant role in Emma's life, which naturally makes the audience want to support her.

Tilly is portrayed as a more developed and likable character in the show. She and Emma are depicted as true best friends who constantly support each other and spend quality time together over the years. In a touching moment, Emma delivers a heartfelt and funny speech at Tilly's wedding, where she affectionately describes Tilly as “the most important person in [her] life." This strong bond between Tilly and Emma in the show makes viewers naturally want to cheer for Tilly as she starts a family.

In Netflix's adaptation of One Day, Tilly's husband, Graham, receives a significant upgrade from his book counterpart. Renamed Malcolm in the book, Graham in the show is given a distinct personality, characterized by an awkward sense of humor and the nickname "Acid House Graham." These new traits make Graham a memorable and standout character in the series, unlike his forgettable and insignificant portrayal in the book. Overall, Tilly's character shines brighter in One Day on Netflix.

Editor's P/S:

The article provides an insightful analysis of the changes and exclusions made in Netflix's adaptation of "One Day" compared to the original novel. I appreciate the author's detailed examination of how the omission of Dexter's sexual encounter with Emma's roommate, Tilly, significantly impacts the show's narrative and character dynamics. The decision to exclude this detail highlights the show's focus on preserving the close friendship between Emma and Tilly, as well as avoiding unnecessary conflict between the main characters.

Furthermore, the article effectively demonstrates how Netflix's adaptation enhances Tilly's character. By removing her negative qualities and emphasizing her supportive role in Emma's life, the show creates a more likable and relatable character. This transformation aligns with the show's overall approach of presenting a more optimistic and hopeful portrayal of the characters and their relationships compared to the novel.