Top 10 Reasons You NEED to Watch Dash & Lily

The Netflix series is based on the novel “Dash & Lily's Book of Dares”, which was co-written by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan and released in 2010. The book was the third time the two authors had collaborated, having previously worked on “Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist” and “Naomi & Ely's No Kiss List” together. “Dash & Lily” was picked up by Netflix and ordered to series in 2019. The book’s authors both acted as co-executive producers on the show, so you know it’ll maintain the spirit of the novel.

This series features eight episodes that range between 23 and 27 minutes in length, meaning you could easily binge the entire thing in one evening. And you’ll want to—it’s a love story full of twists and turns that starts with one of the main characters (Lily) leaving a red notebook in a bookstore for a stranger to find. She leaves a challenge in the book, which is eventually picked up by Dash. The two end up in a city-wide adventure around New York that will keep you engaged as you guess what they’ll get up to next.

If the trailer is any indication, with its inclusion of Kelly Clarkson’s song “Underneath the Tree”, “Dash & Lily” features some awesome holiday tunes. While there’s great music throughout the entire series, Jonas Brothers fans will be particularly pleased by an appearance by their favorite boy band. Nick, Joe, and Kevin make a cameo and perform their song “Like It’s Christmas” in a crucial moment on the show. It should come as no surprise that we got a glimpse of them because Nick Jonas is actually one of the show’s executive producers.

Any bibliophile who has visited New York has certainly paid a visit to The Strand, one of the world’s most iconic bookstores. The shop has been around since 1927 and has caused book lovers to flock to it from around the world. The action of “Dash & Lily” kicks off in The Strand because that’s where Lily leaves her notebook. Considering the store has been publicly asking for support due to a downturn in business caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, we’re hoping the popularity of this Netflix show will give them the boost they need.

“Dash & Lily” has a diverse cast of characters, featuring actors from across the racial spectrum. It also has excellent LGBTQ+ representation, with one of the primary characters being Lily’s brother, Langston, who is gay and is dealing with heartbreak. It's the type of show that manages to fit in diversity without seeming as though it’s trying to fill a quota, since all the storylines are organic. The queer characters don’t fall into simple stereotypes, which makes it all the more progressive.

We’ll get to the two protagonists in a minute, but for now let's focus on the awesome secondary characters that “Dash & Lily” has to offer. We’ve already mentioned Lily’s brother Langston, who acts as the person who urges her to get out of her comfort zone. There’s also Boomer, Dash’s best friend, who is played by Dante Brown and balances out his buddy with a little more positivity. Don’t miss a performance by Jodi Long as Mrs. Lilith St. Dubois slash Miss. Basil E., Lily and Langston’s eccentric great aunt.

Lily is a romantic who’s looking for love, but who needs help coming out of her shell. She’s portrayed by Midori Francis, a relative newcomer to the scene who has some stage, television, and film credits - but who will be a fresh face to many. Dash, who despises Christmas, is played by Austin Abrams, who you might recognize from movies like “Chemical Hearts”, “The Kings of Summer”, and “Paper Towns”. Both co-stars deliver memorable performances, and they manage to have great chemistry despite the fact that they rarely appear on-screen together.

There are plenty of holiday romance movies out there, but most of them follow a similar formula. This series, however, is much more unconventional and unfolds in a unique way because the leads aren’t necessarily looking for love with one another. In fact, they don’t even meet for much of the show’s run. Because they aren’t directly interacting, the bond that the two protagonists form is a less superficial one that is focused more on their respective personality traits than their outward appearances. It’s certainly not devoid of rom-com cliches, but it still manages to make them feel fresh.

Who isn’t enamored with the idea of New York at Christmas time? The city that never sleeps is always magical, but there’s something extra special about the twinkling lights and light dusting of snow that appear during the holiday season. Because of the nature of the dares and challenges that Dash and Lily set for one another, they’re sent all around the city to explore locations both familiar and brand new. It’ll make you wish you could leave everything behind and head to New York to celebrate this year.

“Dash & Lily” dropped on Netflix in November of 2020 when (let’s get real) the entire world needed a serious pick-me-up. This show is lighthearted and easy to watch, providing a few hours of pleasant viewing that will make you forget the troubles of the real world for a while. It’s the perfect piece of escapism, letting viewers enter a world that’s a little more appealing than the one they’re actually living in. It’s the perfect thing to get you into the holiday spirit and hopefully improve your mood.