Top 10 Differences Between One Day: TV Show & Book

In the show's opening "1988" episode, we see the students at the University of Edinburgh celebrating graduation with a blow-out party. And on that fateful night, Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew hit it off, eventually going back to her place and starting a life-long connection. Well, in the book, we begin with the two already in Emma’s bedroom, chit-chatting about the future. At the same time, we learn many of the reveals in the first episode that the book doesn’t explain until the end. This includes Dex calling the Talking Clock instead of speaking to his parents, the two ascending Arthur’s Seat, and Emma meeting his parents. But they did keep one secret until the end: that kiss on the steps.

During the “1989” episode, Dexter is in Italy for his version of a gap year. And by “1990,” he was a TV presenter. However, in the novel, Dex isn’t there yet. Instead, he was in India, even getting a yin-and-yang ankle tattoo against Emma’s advice. During this chapter, Dex writes a long letter to Emma, where he essentially confesses to some feelings for her and asks her to come to India. He then places it into a copy of E. M. Forster’s “Howards End” that Emma gave him. However, Dex left the book at a bar. Another woman found it and the letter. But with no return or send address,, the novel with the letter is still on her bookshelf decades later.

In the series, Tilly is a vital character as Emma’s close friend from her uni days. She uses humor, kindness, and enthusiasm to encourage Em in her relationship with Dex, all while getting married and having a family. If there was a third main character in “One Day” show, it would definitely be Tilly. Yet, in the novel, Emma and Tilly have a vastly reduced connection and remain distant uni friends. For example, Em doesn’t give a speech at Tilly’s wedding and isn’t sat next to the couple. Instead, she’s placed at a table with the groom’s obscure family members from New Zealand. Tilly is less caring and more flakey towards Emma.

Speaking of the wedding in the “1997” episode, when it opens, Sylvie jabs Dex with a comment that he’s looking around the room and mentally noting all the people he had relations with. Well, in the book, there is one illicit incident mentioned that we never saw in the series: that of the infamous foot massage. At one point, Dex rubbed Tilly’s feet when it “spun out of control” and got more intimate. While he believed Emma never knew about it, she always did. Thankfully, with Tilly and Emma having a stronger relationship, this saucy and scandalous storyline was dropped from the show.

In most careers, there are plenty of professional setbacks. But few are more embarrassing than what happened to Emma in the book that was skipped over in the show. As Dex is dealing with his own career issues as he loses his TV job, Em is off to meet the legendary publisher, Marsha Francomb, about her novel. And the questions Emma gets are very weird. As it turns out, she wasn’t invited there to discuss publishing her work. Instead, it was all a misunderstanding, as Marsha thought she was there to interview for the position of nanny in her household. Yikes! Apparently, she hadn’t gotten around to reading Emma’s material, and the meeting was meant to be rearranged.

A few months before the show was released, author David Nicholls was interviewed about what would be different from the source material. His biggest reveal was the series would feature a lot more intimate scenes. Nicholls stated he tended to “fade to black” during those moments, while head writer Nicole Taylor stayed in color on screen. And that was pretty obvious early into the show. By “1989,” Dex was getting risqué in Italy, while Em was getting sort of steamy in a minibus. The show stuck with this adult format for Em’s affair with the headmaster and when she and Dex got it on in Paris.

Early into their blossoming relationship, Dexter and Emma head off to Greece for a nice trip with plenty of guidelines to keep their friendship intact. And during the evening, the duo go skinny dipping. But instead of things getting steamy, it gets awkward with Dex’s “friends with benefits” offer. While all this is going on, he suddenly spots someone running off with his clothes and the cash in his wallet. After chasing them, Dex returns to the beach, in the buff, having not found the thief, while Emma’s stuff is untouched. Dexter had to walk to the apartment with a blue trash bag he had made pants from. Sadly, the show skipped this humiliation, which could have been quite entertaining in live-action.

Known for his social media comedy skits about being an actor, Jonny Weldon knocked it out of the park with his portrayal of awkward comedian and Emma’s ex, Ian. In the final episode of the show, as Dexter goes into the garden during the second anniversary of Emma’s death, Ian follows him. He then tells Dex about his life in Taunton and how happy Dexter made Emma. It’s a touching moment for the former rivals for Emma’s affections, showing their connection in grief. In the book, after Dex is thrown out of the strip club, we read Ian’s letter to Dex on the first anniversary. It’s the same touching content from the show, offering closure between the two characters.

In the show, Maddy has a brief cameo as a worker in Dexter’s cafe as he heads off to meet Emma at the ill-fated house viewing. For the people who didn't read the book, she held no significance. But in the novel, Maddy is a big part. After Emma’s demise, Maddy is there when Dex is grieving, trying to support her friend. Eventually, this leads to the two getting together. Maddy helps him process the devastating event while also respecting Emma’s memory. It shows that life does go on. In the series, Dex’s dad is with Dexter and Jas in Edinburgh before ducking out when the duo goes up to Arthur’s Seat. In the book, that role is played by Maddy.

In the final episode, during the second anniversary of Emma’s passing on St. Swithin’s Day, the characters close to Emma arrive to support Dex. Those involved include Ian, Dex’s dad Stephen, Tilly, Sylvie, and Jasmine. It’s a heartwarming moment that shows how loved she was and Dexter is. In the book, Dex speaks to some of these people over the phone. Preferring to be alone, he goes through a list of people to check in with them. He chats with Emma’s parents, his sister and father, Sylvie, Jasmine, Tilly, and Ian. When it gets too much, and Dex is tempted to drown his sorrows, he finally calls Maddy, who calms his spiral. Having everyone turn up is more uplifting, while the novel version is arguably more realistic.

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