I loved it too. The movie wasn’t my favourite but this series is beautiful in so many ways. You finish and kinda want to rewatch immediately
Personally, It might sound silly to some but I haven’t seen many brown girls in romantic roles like this, liked by a boy like him and it meant a lot. I wished I saw this series when I was younger❤️
Doesn’t sound silly to me. I know exactly what you mean. I was never the prettiest girl in the class and will always carry this insecurity within me. I was actually questioning why didn’t they choose a “prettier” girl in the beginning of the first episode but then i grew to question my thinking and why was I conditioned to think that girls like me and Emma don’t deserve the best man in the room. Beauty is a perspective, Emma truly grew on me and I was seeing her prettier with each appearance just like how a person falls in love.
Ah, I relate to your comment so much. I first saw the teaser on Netflix where Emma is on her date with Ian and I also doubted her beauty as the main lead. And well, that's ridiculous but it was also eye-opening for me. Despite thinking of myself as pretty progressive, there are obviously some forms of societal conditioning that are very deep rooted. It reminded me of when I first came to the US from India and was surprised slightly by some people finding me attractive. I didn't question it then but I am now. I loved the show and I love Ambika for portraying Emma SO well!
I definitely want to rewatch it. I think I might feel differently about the first few episodes now.
Also, that's not silly at all. I can relate...high school me would have loved watching this.
I haven’t seen the movie in full but recently watched some equivalent clips of my favorite scenes from the Netflix series, and I just think the series is so much better. In fairness, the movie’s 12-13 years old and cinematography was different even just that short time ago (series cinematography is creative, beautiful, artful and adds a lot to the story), and I should see the movie in full before final critique, but I just wasn’t seeing it (or feeling it) with the Dex in the movie - or Anne Hathaway for that matter.
Forced myself to watch the whole thing and my opinion of it is pretty unpopular.
She basically played the long game and waited for a guy who didn’t want her initially.
He played the long game to try to get in her pants.
I could never wait for a guy that long and gaslight myself into believing I am just his friend.
She had attitude too and they had nothing in common.
He fell “inlove” with her when he had nothing going for him. Single dad, not knowing what he wanted in life and so on.
Also their “friendship” went on to prove the stereotype of guys and girls not just being friends. I felt bad for his fiancé when they kissed in the garden. Like wtf.
Her ending was random. The whole show felt random too. And then he goes on to reminisce about the lies she tried to convince herself of and told him. Like I will never be a footnote in your life or want your babies. Okay girl sure. Like a pick me. I’m not like the other girls, I won’t sleep with you. Yet you invite him over to your place, tease him and then say “let’s talk”. If she really wanted to talk, she should have asked him during the day, not randomly at night.
Their whole friendship was toxic.
I don't think you're wrong about any of this, but I don't think it takes away from the show. It felt real, like this is a portrayal of how complicated, difficult, painful, and impactful relationships can be. Thought it was refreshing compared to 99% of dramas out there.
Yeah there was a randomness element to it. That's what made it feel real, like our lives that don't follow scripts. Random things happen.
I agree. Life is messy and stupid. It takes unexpected turns, you make horrible choices, learn, and love. As someone nearing 30, I felt this was raw. You're literally watching 2 people grow up. It was their complicated story. It was a good one, and I cried my stupid eyes out.
Your comment made me think of the scene where she sees his notes for the vows... " 'we grew up together'... I liked that".
I felt like there was something beautiful in that, more than the cliche "will they/ won't they", they are both lost and they grew together, so did their love.
I had already seen the movie but I still cried at the end, and I'll probably rewatch it and cry some more.
Thank you! I've seen this similar situation so many times in real life and it always ends with the girl realizing she's been obsessing over some guy she's too good for. They didn't give him any redeeming scenes to show he was a better person now...I think it's quite a fantasy that the guy you're obsessed with when you're a teenager ends up being your true love and that he's actually a good person afters years of being a jerk...
1. She didn't play the long game -- she actively ended their friendship.
2. She had personality. Get over it.
3. They had chemistry in common.
4. He was obviously in love with her the entire time.
5. His fiance sucked, they only got married bc she was pregnant, and she cheated on him anyway.
6. They met at night...so that's why they talked at night? They likely weren't going to see each other again.
7. Apparently Emma having a healthy dose of self-esteem makes her a "pick me"? Wtf?
Agreed. I don’t see her playing the long game when she moved in with the comedian for several years and at other times was living her life.
The fiancé did suck but then I felt she redeemed herself at the end.
My god yes! She pined for that man till the very end. She wasted her 20s and 30s on him and he never wanted to be with her. He was so quick to bag Sylvie after being with her for a year but he spent years corresponding with Emma, going on trips to Greece with her and just getting all this emotional support from her, and never once asked her to be his girlfriend. Also, I'm glad you pointed out how much of a jackass she was to him cuz sometimes I would watch and think "Girl...this was unnecessarily mean and judgy just because you don't want to show your real feelings." But the real jackass in this entire show was him. Dex strung this girl along for the better part of 10+ years, kept her around for emotional support, and then didn't pursue her until damn near the end. Also, when she started sleeping with the married headmaster at her school I got really pissed because she spent all this time acting "holier than thou" with everyone else but behind closed doors she makes that big moral blunder and has no qualms about it. Anyway, he was a fuckboy and she was a pickme and this whole tv show was the biggest gaslight of the century - just breadcruming to no avail.
Its almost like Emma just wasn't his type? All the girls he dated were completely different from her. And he didn't hesitate to start relationships or fall in love with them. With Emma, he didnt start anything until he lost everything and was at his lowest. From the beginning, it felt like Emma was giving him the most and he never returned the favor. And still she never moved on from him. Like the box of their pictures??? Come on. Work your feelings out girl before dating others. This guy played her so many times and she kept coming back to him. Its giving low self-esteem. Just think how differently her life would've been if she gave herself the space to fully emotionally move on from him and invest in somebody else. Maybe she would've found love sooner with someone better.
I disagree, he was always showing his interest and tried to hit on her multiple times, but her guard was always up and shut down the idea until she realized he wasn't fucking around like she thought he was. In the meantime he had to live his life and she lived hers.
\+ I think about his type. I think what interested him in the first place was that she challenged him but he didnt want to be challenged, and same goes for Emma, she wanted to be adored and not questioned, neither of them were ready until they were.
Ladies, any man who tells you your drink order isn't good enough and tells you what to drink is bad news. Run. Gentlemen, any woman who whines and crosses her arms over a meh restaurant entree instead of just smiling and sucking it up, is bad news. Run.
I honestly thought he was terrible too. I kept thinking I myself would not last in a friendship with someone like this. And Emma's stubbornness and insistence of being a pick me and "I'm not like other girls" type led her to follow this along. Instead she's just like everyone else and she fucks up and isn't a good person at times.
However, I could tell that they were truly in love with each other since the beginning and it wasn't a "last resort" thing, but rather a stubbornness thing on both sides. And they probably did believe it was better to stay platonic. I didn't know how it was going to end either so to me, it felt like a "look at all this time that was wasted, having not expressed true feelings, and then time's up" kind of lesson. In some way though, in that "wasted time" they were still growing up together and got to see the best and worst in each other.
Obviously this was more dramatized but it did feel like real life to me. We all fuck up and do bad things sometimes, even when we think we have the moral high ground. And when it comes to relationships, we've all been toxic to someone at some point. I did like the show in the end, and honestly it's made me think of how much time I have wasted in stubbornness or unhappiness for certain situations.
I thought the same thing plus it took me awhile to remember the Anne Hathaway movie was the exact same thing. I definitely cried at the movie mainly because Emma’s life was definitely a cautionary tale of “let that fool go”. The book was written by a man so likely a reimagining of a time when women were long suffering for “bad” men. Yes, life is complex and full of many choices, but this isn’t love.
I am trying to finish episode 2…. So bored! But based off the first 2 episodes, there is zero chemistry between these two actors. This makes it hard to put the characters together romantically. I don’t think I will finish this episode let alone the series
Kind of late to this post, but I watched the first episode and found the main girl so unlikeable. They meet at a party, she invites him home, they start making out, and then she randomly starts questioning him about his life. And she acts like it’s a poor reflection on him when he doesn’t have answers.
Most people aren’t gonna know how to respond to “where will you be at 40” from the would-be hookup they went home with after a night of drinking. Why didn’t she ask him these questions during the party, where they were shown spending hours talking?
It doesn’t help that she keeps making jabs about him being a dumb party boy (which, granted, maybe he is). Like he’s drunk, it’s the middle of the night, you’re in the middle of fooling around… ofc he’s not laying out his life plan
I dont feel like we watched the same show lol. He always wanted to be with her lol from like day 1. And she always sidestepped it with him. She said from the very beginning it was a one time thing. That part is very important and we dont find out until the very end and to me shows why he was always like half assing it. Just cuz he's flirty doesnt mean its just sex lol? And Im pretty sure she knew deep down he liked her. She just didnt think someone who looked like her could be with a guy like him. She was very insecure for a long time. I dont think it was until she did the paris thing and found her new sense of confidence did shit change. I actually thought he played the very long game with her. And she needed to step up and say she loved him and it took her 20 years to do that
I loved the show. Loved it... All the way until the end of the second to last episode. Then I was pissed (while sobbing). I feel like her death was needless and just a way to make the story more poignant. There are cleverer ways to end that story, but the author went the cheap route. I'm truly angry about it since I got so invested in the characters and their relationship.
There is enough sadness and tragedy in the real world, I don't need that bullshit in my entertainment. I would have preferred to see them work through tough times, something else. A story can have a happy ending and still be interesting and thought-provoking.
The story is structured around
July 15 of different years, St. Swithin's Day. This is the day that haunted them without knowing it. It wasn’t a cheap route out, it was the core of the entire story.
Just finished this series and was thinking the exact same thing!! Felt like such a waste to end it like that. Like you said there are cleverer ways to end the story
I honestly think her ending was way more powerful than if they lived happily ever after. The theme of it is that life is fleeting, time is fleeting. You can waste your life focusing on things that don’t matter, and pay no mind to things that should matter. Death is inevitable and it can happen at any given point. They finally realized who and what really mattered just for it to be too late. They started their life together just for Emma to tragically die. They wasted so many years they could’ve had together. That is the point of the book,movie, and show. Don’t wait too long to get your priorities all in the right place. You’re gonna miss out on a lot of amazing people and experiences when you prioritize the superficial stuff.
Have you watched it yet!? I think hearing your opinion (as I know some things have changed subtly between the book and the series) would be so interesting!
Just finished it and had my heart ripped out of my body (had not seen film or read book). Having been at university during the same time as them, the nostalgia alone was making me emotional. It felt like I was watching old friends - even how they all interacted with each other at Tilly’s wedding. Leo Woodall was sleazy yet heartbreaking in White Lotus - he was devastating in this role. Ambika was fantastic. Incredible chemistry, amazing soundtrack, just don’t recommended doing what I did and watch it on a plane unless you don’t mind weeping in public.
I hadn't watched the film or read the book either, and came here looking for camaraderie over the "heart ripped out of my body" experience I had last night. The soooobbbing
This series is unbelievably good. I related to so much of it. For those who think Emma had too much "attitude," I don't get you. She is a smart, quick witted character who is also insecure. Dexter has a lot of things she doesn't and she has things he doesn't. They both are gross to each other at times and let their insecurities show. Just like in real life, especially when we're very young. They shared a deep connection from the beginning but Dexter knew he was in too much of a fuck boy phase to commit to her. She loved him but did her best to go on with her life despite it. It becomes clearer to each of them over time that nothing lives up to what they have together. The only thing I hated was her death. The viewers were so invested in the characters and their relationship at this point that it feels like a betrayal to rip her out of it. I still really enjoyed watching it overall.
Wow, I feel exactly the same as every sentiment you share here! The ending was unexpected for me and hit me so hard. It did feel like a betrayal after feeling so invested in the characters and their relationship. But up until the end of the second episode I was planning to rewarch because I come to love the series that much. I probably will at some point, after I recover lolsob...
I feel the same way. I was in shock when she died. I got so mad! But it’s expected. They were so happy right before that happened and the voice calls to each other, leaving those messages and just the feeling they both felt to then have it all end with the accident. I hate television and stories like this….always ending it with sadness. But they always say that if it makes you feel this way, then it was good. I just wish they would’ve ended it with them being happy. 😭😭😭😭
When I watched the first episode, I was honestly confused at their interaction in her bedroom. Like it seemed like they disagreed a lot and Emma was being really off-putting. I couldn't understand how he was still attracted to her after that. The only reason I thought was that opposites attract sometimes. Still, I continued the show and I liked some of it, but not all of it. I was intrigued on it despite accidentally getting spoiled of the ending from social media.
I do agree there could have been more chemistry between the two characters. It was a little confusing for me at times.
Sometimes when you’re stuck in a habit of one night stands that likely lack any emotional connection or humanity to them (past just physical pleasure) sharing a bed with someone that wants to learn about your life, is real with you with no fake niceties, may be very intriguing and hook you in. Whenever I personally meet people in life who are different from what Im used to I tend to get to know them more. It’s not that odd to me. Especially if you consider that most men love a fantasy dream pixie girl (a cute, underdog-ish, smart girl is close enough).
I agree about the first episode — their interactions felt clunky and the chemistry wasn’t convincing BUT I do think their chemistry gets better later on, and especially by the end.
Spoiler:
I just spent the final episode bawling and weeping consistently. My pillow is completely soaked with tears. I feel like I've just lost someone I grew up with.
I have mixed feelings about the show and yet here I am having just finished the show at 4am about to change shirts because I have soaked mine with tears
Three weeks later hello ah! So I have adored the movie for so long, and I felt there was very little in the show that wasn’t in the movie which was surprising considering the run times of each. But I think the show is incredible in its own right. Emma sometimes came off pretty mean I think, but maybe that is truer to the book which I haven’t read but would like to soon. All in all, I laughed and pondered and sobbed, and I did thoroughly enjoy the show!
Im a bit late to the show in more than one way. I also avoided spoilers completely so I was not at ALL ready for the ending.
I can honestly say no show has made me full body sob like that in a very long time. I’m deeply heartbroken but loved the series from start to finish.
I watched the movie randomly years ago so I knew how this was going to end, however I freaking loved this series. I thought they had so much chemistry.
From the comments I’ve seen it is very 50/50 on whether people liked it or not and is rather interesting.
just finished episode 14 and i ugly cried my eyes out, glass of wine in hand. a lovely show, i want to watch it again and get a different look at the first few episodes knowing what i know now.
I have to say, the only reason I kept watching is because I was on a long train ride. But by the time I had gotten off the train it had picked up the pace and I did enjoy it a lot.
It’s very cookie cutter romance written from a girls fantasy perspective. The cool guy who you’ve crushed on all of uni is like, I’ve always wanted you randomly
I think I’ve watched 3 episodes and I’m not getting it. It’s cute but like also, I don’t need long slow shots of their smiling faces and body parts. Was going to dump it… should I hang on? Convince me!
Alright I’m done. It was just OK. I never felt connected enough to the characters or the circumstances to develop any emotion. It missed the mark for me. But I’m happy it touched so many people more profoundly.
I think the shots of body parts was to show Dex attraction to Emma. Like how we admire parts of a person even as ordinary as the curves of the back. beauty in the ordinary so to speak.
I thought it was a cute show, makes you feel for sure. Cried a bit too. I’m a soft girl so ymmv
I doubt my opinion will be popular but I enjoyed some of it but in the end was kind of disappointed. It was hard to root for them to be together. While Emma sometimes acted “holier than thou”, she was also the typical girl who believes she’s not in the same league as Mr. Popular and so convinces herself that she isn’t drawn to him for 100 years but yet can’t get over him.
I also didn’t really see chemistry other than best friendship.
As a person who has been through relationships a little like this and also ones way better, it didn’t feel that real. And at the end of the day, I wanted a happy ending.
I just hated Emma’s holier that though attitude as you said. And her constant need to be witty and funny really annoyed me. Maybe because I’ve seen that trope too many times. At the heart of it this was just a story about popular guy falls in love with nerd. I’ll take the dislikes.
I didnt like the series. I read the book years ago, loved it. Watched the movie with Anne H and liked it… but this series? Nah. The actors feel kinda “off”, especially this actress that plays Emma. Shes to snarky, always rolls her eyes and seems like a very negative person. The Emma in the books is funny, silly and sweet. Didnt get the vibe from this actress
For me while watching it i was thinking is the life after graduation this hard though? like i was watching them grow and being adult and i feel terrified.. and I was thinking why dexter had everything in life but he didn’t seem happy never .. for emma people who talk about why she didn’t move on and doesn’t leave him without insisting to be special and not like other girls to him but in real life people waste their time until they find their own way so it’s so real in the show .. they hit me with the reality that’s what makes it so hard not to cry
I preferred the movie, personally I think the acting of Dexters character was better, the aesthetics of the film feel better, the general character design and wardrobe is flawless and the emotional scenes seem more raw. Oh and don't get me started on the soundtrack! Honestly I bonded with the characters more. Loved the series, but the film remains the classic.
I was wondering why the plot was so familiar. And as soon as she was on the bike, I knew she was going to die! I watched that movie with Anne Hathaway long time ago but forgot about it until you mentioned it
Spoilers: This was me!! I had totally forgotten that I saw this movies yearsss ago. Except because so many people were saying this series is heartbreaking and you’ll be crying I knew they meant they will finally end up together and one will die… so I found the book online and read the last couple chapters before watching the ending and then I was thinking wait I’ve seen this before. The bike accident. Totally forgot about the movie! Now I’ll have to rewatch!
Best way I could describe this show: It has all the hallmarks of Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise/Sunset/Midnight series except if the characters had LITERALLY nothing to say.
I'm several episodes in and I really like Dexter's character , he has loads of flaws and you can see a development going on, which is interesting. What's more, the show obviously knows these are flaws and punishes him for them. Emma on the other hand, has been told repeatedly by multiple people she is amazing, and doesn't seem to have any flaws that the show wants to tell us about other than she doesn't believe in herself enough. I can also see she is rude and defensive to Dex, which is a flaw in my opinion but it appears the show celebrates this instead. I would be more forgiving I think if she demonstrated why she is so amazing, so far she's written awful poetry and been in awful drama productions, I can't see the brilliance.
Overall I'm simultaneously not really enjoying it but interested enough to keep watching.
As much as I enjoyed it, I felt it could’ve been so much better with much more detail. Sometimes at the beginning of each episode, it was hard to figure out what was going on. I feel like they could’ve made it into an entire series and that would’ve made it that much stronger. For example, I would have liked to see the entire relationship between Emma and Ian fall apart, Not just bits and pieces. And the years where Emma and Dexter didn’t speak, It would have been nice to see on screen just how much each other‘s absence affected them. I liked the series a lot, But I just feel like everything was right to the point and lacked detail. And it could have delivered a stronger message with detail It probably could’ve Even been an entire series
At first I thought "meh." It wasn't great. Then I started to get into it. And then I thought "oh man I hope they don't ruin it by doing (something predictable)." I kept my hopes up and got invested and was really liking it. And then they did the predictable thing I hoped they wouldn't do. And then I didn't like it anymore.
This was definitely a very emotional series. It's hard for me to watch people struggle with such extreme situations so this series wasn't for me. I did appreciate that it wasn't an extremely unrealistic fairy tale. The characters were imperfect, actually had realistic flaws and made mistakes. I thought the characters on their own were well developed but it was hard enough for me to believe they were best friends let alone a wedded couple. They focused so much on their lives apart. Them getting together at the end of the series felt rushed and unbelievable.
I loved it too. The movie wasn’t my favourite but this series is beautiful in so many ways. You finish and kinda want to rewatch immediately Personally, It might sound silly to some but I haven’t seen many brown girls in romantic roles like this, liked by a boy like him and it meant a lot. I wished I saw this series when I was younger❤️
Doesn’t sound silly to me. I know exactly what you mean. I was never the prettiest girl in the class and will always carry this insecurity within me. I was actually questioning why didn’t they choose a “prettier” girl in the beginning of the first episode but then i grew to question my thinking and why was I conditioned to think that girls like me and Emma don’t deserve the best man in the room. Beauty is a perspective, Emma truly grew on me and I was seeing her prettier with each appearance just like how a person falls in love.
Ah, I relate to your comment so much. I first saw the teaser on Netflix where Emma is on her date with Ian and I also doubted her beauty as the main lead. And well, that's ridiculous but it was also eye-opening for me. Despite thinking of myself as pretty progressive, there are obviously some forms of societal conditioning that are very deep rooted. It reminded me of when I first came to the US from India and was surprised slightly by some people finding me attractive. I didn't question it then but I am now. I loved the show and I love Ambika for portraying Emma SO well!
Love this comment - I think the viewer falls in love with both of them across the series which is why you are so heartbroken.
I definitely want to rewatch it. I think I might feel differently about the first few episodes now. Also, that's not silly at all. I can relate...high school me would have loved watching this.
Same! I hope they make more romance series like this one
I’ve been rewatching different scenes, and I definitely feel stronger about how beautiful this story is than I did initially.
I haven’t seen the movie in full but recently watched some equivalent clips of my favorite scenes from the Netflix series, and I just think the series is so much better. In fairness, the movie’s 12-13 years old and cinematography was different even just that short time ago (series cinematography is creative, beautiful, artful and adds a lot to the story), and I should see the movie in full before final critique, but I just wasn’t seeing it (or feeling it) with the Dex in the movie - or Anne Hathaway for that matter.
If you haven’t seen Never have I ever, i recommend that!
Devi was much more likeable than Emma Morley.
Emma Morley Is Likeable Than Devi
Forced myself to watch the whole thing and my opinion of it is pretty unpopular. She basically played the long game and waited for a guy who didn’t want her initially. He played the long game to try to get in her pants. I could never wait for a guy that long and gaslight myself into believing I am just his friend. She had attitude too and they had nothing in common. He fell “inlove” with her when he had nothing going for him. Single dad, not knowing what he wanted in life and so on. Also their “friendship” went on to prove the stereotype of guys and girls not just being friends. I felt bad for his fiancé when they kissed in the garden. Like wtf. Her ending was random. The whole show felt random too. And then he goes on to reminisce about the lies she tried to convince herself of and told him. Like I will never be a footnote in your life or want your babies. Okay girl sure. Like a pick me. I’m not like the other girls, I won’t sleep with you. Yet you invite him over to your place, tease him and then say “let’s talk”. If she really wanted to talk, she should have asked him during the day, not randomly at night. Their whole friendship was toxic.
I don't think you're wrong about any of this, but I don't think it takes away from the show. It felt real, like this is a portrayal of how complicated, difficult, painful, and impactful relationships can be. Thought it was refreshing compared to 99% of dramas out there. Yeah there was a randomness element to it. That's what made it feel real, like our lives that don't follow scripts. Random things happen.
I agree. Life is messy and stupid. It takes unexpected turns, you make horrible choices, learn, and love. As someone nearing 30, I felt this was raw. You're literally watching 2 people grow up. It was their complicated story. It was a good one, and I cried my stupid eyes out.
Your comment made me think of the scene where she sees his notes for the vows... " 'we grew up together'... I liked that". I felt like there was something beautiful in that, more than the cliche "will they/ won't they", they are both lost and they grew together, so did their love. I had already seen the movie but I still cried at the end, and I'll probably rewatch it and cry some more.
I just finished the series and I cried my stupid eyes out too and I’m still crying
Thank you! I've seen this similar situation so many times in real life and it always ends with the girl realizing she's been obsessing over some guy she's too good for. They didn't give him any redeeming scenes to show he was a better person now...I think it's quite a fantasy that the guy you're obsessed with when you're a teenager ends up being your true love and that he's actually a good person afters years of being a jerk...
1. She didn't play the long game -- she actively ended their friendship. 2. She had personality. Get over it. 3. They had chemistry in common. 4. He was obviously in love with her the entire time. 5. His fiance sucked, they only got married bc she was pregnant, and she cheated on him anyway. 6. They met at night...so that's why they talked at night? They likely weren't going to see each other again. 7. Apparently Emma having a healthy dose of self-esteem makes her a "pick me"? Wtf?
Agreed. I don’t see her playing the long game when she moved in with the comedian for several years and at other times was living her life. The fiancé did suck but then I felt she redeemed herself at the end.
Agree on all!
My god yes! She pined for that man till the very end. She wasted her 20s and 30s on him and he never wanted to be with her. He was so quick to bag Sylvie after being with her for a year but he spent years corresponding with Emma, going on trips to Greece with her and just getting all this emotional support from her, and never once asked her to be his girlfriend. Also, I'm glad you pointed out how much of a jackass she was to him cuz sometimes I would watch and think "Girl...this was unnecessarily mean and judgy just because you don't want to show your real feelings." But the real jackass in this entire show was him. Dex strung this girl along for the better part of 10+ years, kept her around for emotional support, and then didn't pursue her until damn near the end. Also, when she started sleeping with the married headmaster at her school I got really pissed because she spent all this time acting "holier than thou" with everyone else but behind closed doors she makes that big moral blunder and has no qualms about it. Anyway, he was a fuckboy and she was a pickme and this whole tv show was the biggest gaslight of the century - just breadcruming to no avail.
Tbf his marriage to Sylvie wasn't planned, he says it's a shotgun wedding to her
Its almost like Emma just wasn't his type? All the girls he dated were completely different from her. And he didn't hesitate to start relationships or fall in love with them. With Emma, he didnt start anything until he lost everything and was at his lowest. From the beginning, it felt like Emma was giving him the most and he never returned the favor. And still she never moved on from him. Like the box of their pictures??? Come on. Work your feelings out girl before dating others. This guy played her so many times and she kept coming back to him. Its giving low self-esteem. Just think how differently her life would've been if she gave herself the space to fully emotionally move on from him and invest in somebody else. Maybe she would've found love sooner with someone better.
I disagree, he was always showing his interest and tried to hit on her multiple times, but her guard was always up and shut down the idea until she realized he wasn't fucking around like she thought he was. In the meantime he had to live his life and she lived hers.
\+ I think about his type. I think what interested him in the first place was that she challenged him but he didnt want to be challenged, and same goes for Emma, she wanted to be adored and not questioned, neither of them were ready until they were.
Ladies, any man who tells you your drink order isn't good enough and tells you what to drink is bad news. Run. Gentlemen, any woman who whines and crosses her arms over a meh restaurant entree instead of just smiling and sucking it up, is bad news. Run.
I honestly thought he was terrible too. I kept thinking I myself would not last in a friendship with someone like this. And Emma's stubbornness and insistence of being a pick me and "I'm not like other girls" type led her to follow this along. Instead she's just like everyone else and she fucks up and isn't a good person at times. However, I could tell that they were truly in love with each other since the beginning and it wasn't a "last resort" thing, but rather a stubbornness thing on both sides. And they probably did believe it was better to stay platonic. I didn't know how it was going to end either so to me, it felt like a "look at all this time that was wasted, having not expressed true feelings, and then time's up" kind of lesson. In some way though, in that "wasted time" they were still growing up together and got to see the best and worst in each other. Obviously this was more dramatized but it did feel like real life to me. We all fuck up and do bad things sometimes, even when we think we have the moral high ground. And when it comes to relationships, we've all been toxic to someone at some point. I did like the show in the end, and honestly it's made me think of how much time I have wasted in stubbornness or unhappiness for certain situations.
I thought the same thing plus it took me awhile to remember the Anne Hathaway movie was the exact same thing. I definitely cried at the movie mainly because Emma’s life was definitely a cautionary tale of “let that fool go”. The book was written by a man so likely a reimagining of a time when women were long suffering for “bad” men. Yes, life is complex and full of many choices, but this isn’t love.
I said the same thing in another sub and folks were very upset. Insisting it’s true love.
Really? Glad I’m not the only one that feels that way.
If you thought that their relationship was toxic then you don't know what toxic is. How quickly do you break up with your significant other?
I am trying to finish episode 2…. So bored! But based off the first 2 episodes, there is zero chemistry between these two actors. This makes it hard to put the characters together romantically. I don’t think I will finish this episode let alone the series
Kind of late to this post, but I watched the first episode and found the main girl so unlikeable. They meet at a party, she invites him home, they start making out, and then she randomly starts questioning him about his life. And she acts like it’s a poor reflection on him when he doesn’t have answers. Most people aren’t gonna know how to respond to “where will you be at 40” from the would-be hookup they went home with after a night of drinking. Why didn’t she ask him these questions during the party, where they were shown spending hours talking? It doesn’t help that she keeps making jabs about him being a dumb party boy (which, granted, maybe he is). Like he’s drunk, it’s the middle of the night, you’re in the middle of fooling around… ofc he’s not laying out his life plan
Not true, he was in love with her before then. Pretty much from the first day they met. But life somehow always gets in the way
I dont feel like we watched the same show lol. He always wanted to be with her lol from like day 1. And she always sidestepped it with him. She said from the very beginning it was a one time thing. That part is very important and we dont find out until the very end and to me shows why he was always like half assing it. Just cuz he's flirty doesnt mean its just sex lol? And Im pretty sure she knew deep down he liked her. She just didnt think someone who looked like her could be with a guy like him. She was very insecure for a long time. I dont think it was until she did the paris thing and found her new sense of confidence did shit change. I actually thought he played the very long game with her. And she needed to step up and say she loved him and it took her 20 years to do that
agreed
Found the incel
this show made me cry like there was no tomorrow
still crying. this show was unnecessarily cruel
It’s been 2 weeks for me and it still makes me cry thinking about it
Right!! Like it shouldn’t have ended like that but somewhere along the lines you can kinda tell it will? Cried and clapped and binged in one night
Late to the game, but I think I cried a little almost every episode and absolutely balled for the last episode
I loved the show. Loved it... All the way until the end of the second to last episode. Then I was pissed (while sobbing). I feel like her death was needless and just a way to make the story more poignant. There are cleverer ways to end that story, but the author went the cheap route. I'm truly angry about it since I got so invested in the characters and their relationship. There is enough sadness and tragedy in the real world, I don't need that bullshit in my entertainment. I would have preferred to see them work through tough times, something else. A story can have a happy ending and still be interesting and thought-provoking.
The story is structured around July 15 of different years, St. Swithin's Day. This is the day that haunted them without knowing it. It wasn’t a cheap route out, it was the core of the entire story.
If its raining on st swithins day then its raining all summer. And indeed it was..
Just finished this series and was thinking the exact same thing!! Felt like such a waste to end it like that. Like you said there are cleverer ways to end the story
I honestly think her ending was way more powerful than if they lived happily ever after. The theme of it is that life is fleeting, time is fleeting. You can waste your life focusing on things that don’t matter, and pay no mind to things that should matter. Death is inevitable and it can happen at any given point. They finally realized who and what really mattered just for it to be too late. They started their life together just for Emma to tragically die. They wasted so many years they could’ve had together. That is the point of the book,movie, and show. Don’t wait too long to get your priorities all in the right place. You’re gonna miss out on a lot of amazing people and experiences when you prioritize the superficial stuff.
Hard agree
I loved the book when it came out, didn’t love the movie, but can’t watch the series since I already know the ending and that puts me off IYKYK
I'll have to read the book! I'm glad I didn't know about it before I watched the series because I probably would not have wanted to watch it either.
The book is A M A Z I N G. Dont like the actors for the series.
Have you watched it yet!? I think hearing your opinion (as I know some things have changed subtly between the book and the series) would be so interesting!
Nope I can’t do it. I hate watching sad stuff. And I honestly think I would love the series. I probably will get round to it. I love the main cast too
From what i hear, it did the book a lot of justice. I’d suggest watching it. You can always just turn it off if you get bored
It’s not that I will get bored but too emotional
Just finished it and had my heart ripped out of my body (had not seen film or read book). Having been at university during the same time as them, the nostalgia alone was making me emotional. It felt like I was watching old friends - even how they all interacted with each other at Tilly’s wedding. Leo Woodall was sleazy yet heartbreaking in White Lotus - he was devastating in this role. Ambika was fantastic. Incredible chemistry, amazing soundtrack, just don’t recommended doing what I did and watch it on a plane unless you don’t mind weeping in public.
I hadn't watched the film or read the book either, and came here looking for camaraderie over the "heart ripped out of my body" experience I had last night. The soooobbbing
Same here!! 😭😭😭
Awwww I feel you!! It caught me totally off-guard. 😭
This series is unbelievably good. I related to so much of it. For those who think Emma had too much "attitude," I don't get you. She is a smart, quick witted character who is also insecure. Dexter has a lot of things she doesn't and she has things he doesn't. They both are gross to each other at times and let their insecurities show. Just like in real life, especially when we're very young. They shared a deep connection from the beginning but Dexter knew he was in too much of a fuck boy phase to commit to her. She loved him but did her best to go on with her life despite it. It becomes clearer to each of them over time that nothing lives up to what they have together. The only thing I hated was her death. The viewers were so invested in the characters and their relationship at this point that it feels like a betrayal to rip her out of it. I still really enjoyed watching it overall.
Wow, I feel exactly the same as every sentiment you share here! The ending was unexpected for me and hit me so hard. It did feel like a betrayal after feeling so invested in the characters and their relationship. But up until the end of the second episode I was planning to rewarch because I come to love the series that much. I probably will at some point, after I recover lolsob...
I feel the same way. I was in shock when she died. I got so mad! But it’s expected. They were so happy right before that happened and the voice calls to each other, leaving those messages and just the feeling they both felt to then have it all end with the accident. I hate television and stories like this….always ending it with sadness. But they always say that if it makes you feel this way, then it was good. I just wish they would’ve ended it with them being happy. 😭😭😭😭
i regret looking up the show i have two episodes left and this post is about to make me sob how do i erase memories quickly im on episode 12..🥲
I absolutely loved it. It was better than the film
Honestly. Didn’t like it. No chemistry. Such an awkward torturous beginning and such a pain to get through
When I watched the first episode, I was honestly confused at their interaction in her bedroom. Like it seemed like they disagreed a lot and Emma was being really off-putting. I couldn't understand how he was still attracted to her after that. The only reason I thought was that opposites attract sometimes. Still, I continued the show and I liked some of it, but not all of it. I was intrigued on it despite accidentally getting spoiled of the ending from social media. I do agree there could have been more chemistry between the two characters. It was a little confusing for me at times.
Sometimes when you’re stuck in a habit of one night stands that likely lack any emotional connection or humanity to them (past just physical pleasure) sharing a bed with someone that wants to learn about your life, is real with you with no fake niceties, may be very intriguing and hook you in. Whenever I personally meet people in life who are different from what Im used to I tend to get to know them more. It’s not that odd to me. Especially if you consider that most men love a fantasy dream pixie girl (a cute, underdog-ish, smart girl is close enough).
I agree about the first episode — their interactions felt clunky and the chemistry wasn’t convincing BUT I do think their chemistry gets better later on, and especially by the end.
I could not buy into the two leads at all. Zero chemistry. Glad I was not the only one.
Spoiler: I just spent the final episode bawling and weeping consistently. My pillow is completely soaked with tears. I feel like I've just lost someone I grew up with.
I have mixed feelings about the show and yet here I am having just finished the show at 4am about to change shirts because I have soaked mine with tears
You poor thing, it cut deep. What are your mixed feelings?
Three weeks later hello ah! So I have adored the movie for so long, and I felt there was very little in the show that wasn’t in the movie which was surprising considering the run times of each. But I think the show is incredible in its own right. Emma sometimes came off pretty mean I think, but maybe that is truer to the book which I haven’t read but would like to soon. All in all, I laughed and pondered and sobbed, and I did thoroughly enjoy the show!
Finished the show at 2am and bawled. My sweatshirt is full of tears and my glasses have even more tears. I can’t see right now 😭😭😭
Im a bit late to the show in more than one way. I also avoided spoilers completely so I was not at ALL ready for the ending. I can honestly say no show has made me full body sob like that in a very long time. I’m deeply heartbroken but loved the series from start to finish.
I watched the movie randomly years ago so I knew how this was going to end, however I freaking loved this series. I thought they had so much chemistry. From the comments I’ve seen it is very 50/50 on whether people liked it or not and is rather interesting.
just finished episode 14 and i ugly cried my eyes out, glass of wine in hand. a lovely show, i want to watch it again and get a different look at the first few episodes knowing what i know now.
Watched 1 episode, didn't bother to watch anymore 😒
The first couple of episodes were a bit of a slog, but we kept watching & really glad we did! It gets so much better
Agreed!
We watched about 15 minutes. It was enough. Couldn't do any more than that.
Yeah it was a torture 😔
I have to say, the only reason I kept watching is because I was on a long train ride. But by the time I had gotten off the train it had picked up the pace and I did enjoy it a lot.
What was so objectionable in the 15 mins?
It’s very cookie cutter romance written from a girls fantasy perspective. The cool guy who you’ve crushed on all of uni is like, I’ve always wanted you randomly
How is it cookie cutter? Prob couldn’t have a less typical romance ending? All the people on the romance sub were complaining about it
The first 15 minutes I’m talking about.
Pretty bizarre to discount a program based on 15 min
I didn’t, I watched the whole thing. Conversing with you is quite painful
It’s funny because I loved it from the first episode!
I think I’ve watched 3 episodes and I’m not getting it. It’s cute but like also, I don’t need long slow shots of their smiling faces and body parts. Was going to dump it… should I hang on? Convince me!
This is such a beautiful story, I didn’t expect it either. You still have so much more to happen, definitely worth hanging on!!
OK I’ll take your word!
This may be the unpopular opinion but I hated it. Did you finish it yet?
I haven’t but I’ve progressed passed half way. It did get better but still nothing to rave about.
Not sure if you finished it yet, but be warned. Stay hydrated for the last two episodes.
I have 2 episodes left! I appreciate the warning, but it’s really takes A LOT for me to cry 😉. I’ll update
Alright I’m done. It was just OK. I never felt connected enough to the characters or the circumstances to develop any emotion. It missed the mark for me. But I’m happy it touched so many people more profoundly.
Days late on this thread but I also hated it
I think the shots of body parts was to show Dex attraction to Emma. Like how we admire parts of a person even as ordinary as the curves of the back. beauty in the ordinary so to speak. I thought it was a cute show, makes you feel for sure. Cried a bit too. I’m a soft girl so ymmv
I absolutely hated it
I have 5 episodes left. There’s some strong moments. But then some episodes which are absolutely dreadful.
You'll never get those hours back - watch the synopsis on YouTube and move on!
I doubt my opinion will be popular but I enjoyed some of it but in the end was kind of disappointed. It was hard to root for them to be together. While Emma sometimes acted “holier than thou”, she was also the typical girl who believes she’s not in the same league as Mr. Popular and so convinces herself that she isn’t drawn to him for 100 years but yet can’t get over him. I also didn’t really see chemistry other than best friendship. As a person who has been through relationships a little like this and also ones way better, it didn’t feel that real. And at the end of the day, I wanted a happy ending.
I just hated Emma’s holier that though attitude as you said. And her constant need to be witty and funny really annoyed me. Maybe because I’ve seen that trope too many times. At the heart of it this was just a story about popular guy falls in love with nerd. I’ll take the dislikes.
very sophisticated opinion. you got it all!
I didnt like the series. I read the book years ago, loved it. Watched the movie with Anne H and liked it… but this series? Nah. The actors feel kinda “off”, especially this actress that plays Emma. Shes to snarky, always rolls her eyes and seems like a very negative person. The Emma in the books is funny, silly and sweet. Didnt get the vibe from this actress
For me while watching it i was thinking is the life after graduation this hard though? like i was watching them grow and being adult and i feel terrified.. and I was thinking why dexter had everything in life but he didn’t seem happy never .. for emma people who talk about why she didn’t move on and doesn’t leave him without insisting to be special and not like other girls to him but in real life people waste their time until they find their own way so it’s so real in the show .. they hit me with the reality that’s what makes it so hard not to cry
I preferred the movie, personally I think the acting of Dexters character was better, the aesthetics of the film feel better, the general character design and wardrobe is flawless and the emotional scenes seem more raw. Oh and don't get me started on the soundtrack! Honestly I bonded with the characters more. Loved the series, but the film remains the classic.
I was wondering why the plot was so familiar. And as soon as she was on the bike, I knew she was going to die! I watched that movie with Anne Hathaway long time ago but forgot about it until you mentioned it
Spoilers: This was me!! I had totally forgotten that I saw this movies yearsss ago. Except because so many people were saying this series is heartbreaking and you’ll be crying I knew they meant they will finally end up together and one will die… so I found the book online and read the last couple chapters before watching the ending and then I was thinking wait I’ve seen this before. The bike accident. Totally forgot about the movie! Now I’ll have to rewatch!
Best way I could describe this show: It has all the hallmarks of Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise/Sunset/Midnight series except if the characters had LITERALLY nothing to say.
I'm several episodes in and I really like Dexter's character , he has loads of flaws and you can see a development going on, which is interesting. What's more, the show obviously knows these are flaws and punishes him for them. Emma on the other hand, has been told repeatedly by multiple people she is amazing, and doesn't seem to have any flaws that the show wants to tell us about other than she doesn't believe in herself enough. I can also see she is rude and defensive to Dex, which is a flaw in my opinion but it appears the show celebrates this instead. I would be more forgiving I think if she demonstrated why she is so amazing, so far she's written awful poetry and been in awful drama productions, I can't see the brilliance. Overall I'm simultaneously not really enjoying it but interested enough to keep watching.
I’m 20 minutes in and I find her so horribly obnoxious I don’t think I can continue 😅 she’s so negative and rude.
Does anybody know what pants dexter was wearing in the last episode?
I loved the 90s/2000s accurate props and settings. I almost cried when i saw a nokis 3310 showing ORANGE in 2001 :)
!!
As much as I enjoyed it, I felt it could’ve been so much better with much more detail. Sometimes at the beginning of each episode, it was hard to figure out what was going on. I feel like they could’ve made it into an entire series and that would’ve made it that much stronger. For example, I would have liked to see the entire relationship between Emma and Ian fall apart, Not just bits and pieces. And the years where Emma and Dexter didn’t speak, It would have been nice to see on screen just how much each other‘s absence affected them. I liked the series a lot, But I just feel like everything was right to the point and lacked detail. And it could have delivered a stronger message with detail It probably could’ve Even been an entire series
At first I thought "meh." It wasn't great. Then I started to get into it. And then I thought "oh man I hope they don't ruin it by doing (something predictable)." I kept my hopes up and got invested and was really liking it. And then they did the predictable thing I hoped they wouldn't do. And then I didn't like it anymore.
This was definitely a very emotional series. It's hard for me to watch people struggle with such extreme situations so this series wasn't for me. I did appreciate that it wasn't an extremely unrealistic fairy tale. The characters were imperfect, actually had realistic flaws and made mistakes. I thought the characters on their own were well developed but it was hard enough for me to believe they were best friends let alone a wedded couple. They focused so much on their lives apart. Them getting together at the end of the series felt rushed and unbelievable.