Why is One Day on Netflix so sad?

One Day premiered on Netflix earlier this month, giving fans new and old the chance to meet and fall in love with Emma Morley (Ambika Mod) and Dexter Mayhew (Leo Woodall) over the course of twenty years.

The TV series adapts David Nicholls' book of the same name, which became a cultural phenomenon when it was originally released back in 2009. While fans of the book know exactly why the narrative is a bittersweet one, some Netflix viewers have wondered why the show is sad when it is advertised as a romantic drama.

If you are one of those people, here is everything you need to about One Day and why it's sad. But, be warned, this article contains spoilers for the show.

Why is One Day so sad?

One Day follows Emma and Dexter for two decades, exploring the highs and lows of their relationship during that time. The pair first meet at their graduation party in Edinburgh University but little do they know that their encounter will have such a huge impact on them for years to come.

Read more: How closely does Netflix’s One Day adapt David Nicholls’ book?

Viewers will watch the pair's will-they-won't-they romance develop as they get close to realising their true feelings for each other and telling the other how they feel but struggle because of various hurdles. In the end Emma and Dexter do get together, but only after they've known each other for more than ten years.

Things are looking good for them, right? So what is it that happens to make this story such a tragic one that has moved fans to tears? Well, Emma and Dexter do enjoy a beautiful romance for three years, even moving in together, getting married and trying for a baby in that time — but, in 2002 fate intervenes in their love story because Emma is killed.

The show's finale centres on Dexter as he tries to come to terms with his grief in the aftermath of Emma's death, and the story shows how much time they could have had together but didn't because they took so long to realise their feeling and act on them. This is what makes it sad, and Netflix has even used this narrative as a promotional tool by making a billboard telling people to "please just tell them how you feel."

How does Emma die in One Day?

Emma dies after she is hit by a car in a tragic accident, with the character seeing her life flash before her eyes after being struck whilst cycling in London. The character's death matches what happens in Nicholls' book, which is why fans of the novel knew what was coming even if they may have hoped it'd be different.

Does One Day have a happy ending?

To answer this question you'll have to ask yourself what you consider to be a happy ending. Emma's death in the show would class the series as having a sad ending for many viewers, but the series doesn't end on a sad note as such.

The finale ends with Dexter and his daughter Jasmine walking up Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, a walk that he and Emma embarked on the day after they first met. During the walk Dexter is reminded of his time with Emma, and his daughter's similarity to her is a moving experience for him.

By the time the pair come down from Arthur's Seat it appears that Dexter has come to a place of acceptance, and while his grief won't ever leave him he no longer feels consumed by it. In some ways this is arguably a happy ending.

One Day is available to stream on Netflix now.

Watch the trailer for One Day: