Summary
- "You've never seen me before in your life." - Dexter and Emma's opposite worlds collide in a playful yet significant first meeting.
- "Are people really having that good a time?" - Emma questions her post-college life compared to Dexter's success, hinting at insecurities.
- "I'm not being a footnote." - Emma wants to remain a constant in Dexter's life, showcasing their deep connection and friendship.
The themes in Netflix's One Day are wonderfully represented in the series' best quotes. One Day follows two individuals, Emma Morley (Ambika Mod) and Dexter Mayhew (Leo Woodall), reuniting on the same day every year after first meeting in 1988. The series focuses on the romantic nature between the two and with this comes significant quotes that are both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
One Day is based on a novel of the same name by David Nicholls, which was also previously adapted for a film in 2011. Throughout their story, Emma and Dexter experience many personal changes, but the other remains a constant key figure in their lives. One Day is a romantic drama but still manages to spotlight other relatable topics, such as transitioning into life after college and the loss of loved ones. These quotes best represent the themes in One Day and the significant points throughout Emma and Dexter's decade-plus journey together.
One Day Cast & Character Guide
Netflix's miniseries One Day includes a number of lovable characters played by a cast of mostly phenomenal upcoming actors with a few big names too.
Dexter, Episode 7, "1994"
Emma and Dexter are such an endearing couple in the Netflix series due to their playful banter, and one of the best One Day quotes comes from this aspect of their relationship in the episode "1994". Emma often teased and made fun of Dexter due to his privileged upbringing and his ambitions for wealth. Emma came from a working-class background in Leeds.
A running joke the couple shared prior to becoming an item is that, every time Dexter compliments Emma, she replies with a price as though she's a sex worker he's attempting to engage the services of. In 1997, the two bump into one-another once again and, although the meeting doesn't exactly go well, there is a sweet moment when Dexter compliments Emma, and she rebuffs with their shared joke. Dexter points out that one day she'll learn to accept his compliments, and she responds, a smile on her face, with with "no, never."
14 "So, Unimaginable, Is It, That Someone Might Decline To Have Sex With You That It Could Only Be Explained As An Order From God Himself?"
Emma, Episode 1, "1988"
The first time Emma and Dexter spend a night together in 1988, the pair don't become physical, despite there being a clear mutual attraction between the two of them. Emma takes Dexter back to her apartment after their Graduation Ball to celebrate the end of their education at the University of Edinburgh. They stay up for the entire evening having deep discussions about many topics, from their plans after college to previous relationships.
When Dexter asks why Emma never became intimate with a previous boyfriend, Emma claps back with this incredibly memorable One Day quote.
When Dexter asks why Emma never became intimate with a previous boyfriend, Emma claps back with this incredibly memorable One Day quote. Emma sees Dexter as a little arrogant at first, and she ties this into his questioning whether not having sex with her former partner was on religious grounds. While Dexter laughs off the obvious joke, it was a strong early sign that Emma wasn't going to suffer Dexter's perceived arrogance lightly, something that made her all the more endearing to him.
13 "I Just Thought I'd Finally Got Rid Of You."
Emma, Episode 12, "1999"
One Day stood out among the many romance shows on Netflix for several reasons, but a key one was how it showed Emma and Dexter's relationship over the course of many years. By episode 12, "1999", Emma and Dexter had been through many ups and downs and had known each other for well over a decade. Dexter had even gotten married and had children, though when his relationship with Sylvie broke down, he and Emma spent the night together.
This One Piece quote came after Dexter and Emma once again slept together, though not before having a fiercely emotional misunderstanding after he flies to Paris to see her only to discover she's in a relationship. Emma confesses after they become intimate that she'd thought she'd finally managed to end their cycle of growing apart only to find one-another again, a pattern that had been going on for almost a decade by that point. The scene was even more memorable due to Dexter's reponse of "I don't think you can."
12 "It Wasn't A Night Wasted. It Was Memorable. Not Having Sex With You Was Highly Memorable."
Dexter, Episode 1, "1988"
Dexter and Emma didn't sleep together on their first shared night back in 1988, when Dexter went back to Emma's apartment. While this laid the foundations for what would eventually be the most important relationship either of them would have, Emma was a little concerned at first that the lack of physical intimacy would be thought of as a missed opportunity by Dexter.
By spending the night talking instead of having sex, Dexter's first night with Emma turned out to be incredibly important to him.
When she questions him about this, Dexter assures her (in quite a flirtatious and playful way, as many of the couple's positive conversations seem to be) that the truth was exactly the opposite. By spending the night talking instead of having sex, Dexter's first night with Emma turned out to be incredibly important to him. The restraint they both exercised also, in many ways, was the beginning of their feelings for one-another growing beyond lust into genuine love, and strong enough that they settled down together despite years of distance and more than one fierce argument.
11 "Fancy Restaurant, Rude Waiter. It's The Law"
Emma, Episode 5, "1992"
One of the reasons Dexter finds Emma so attractive in the Netflix series is that she has an excellent sense of humor, but also that she's straight talking and makes some incredibly astute and hilarious observations about the world around her. This One Day quote comes in the 5th episode of the series, "1992", the pair aren't yet a couple despite having known each other for several years and going on holiday to Greece together.
This particular quote doesn't really pertain to their relationship, though it does show some of Emma's astute humor that Dexter is so very attracted to. Dexter, coming from a privileged background, is used to upper class dining and the somewhat haughty behavior of the table staff at fine establishments. Emma very much isn't, but she expresses this hilariously by pointing out that it's "the law" for waiters at posh eateries to also behave in a way that most would consider rude.
10 "You've Never Seen Me Before In Your Life."
Emma, Episode 1, "1988."
Whilst drunk and dancing in the first episode of One Day, Emma laughs off Dexter's attempt at recalling where he'd seen her before in school, telling him, "You've never seen me before in your life." While the quote is said playfully, it still holds a lot of significance and sums up their relationship. Emma finds it slightly humorous that Dex would have seen her before that night because they ran in opposite social circles and spent their years in college differently.
Emma and Dexter's complicated friendship and love story fit within the trope of opposites-attract couples.
Emma and Dexter's complicated friendship and love story fit within the trope of opposites-attract couples. Their differing approaches to life come up multiple times throughout the series, as Dexter becomes a large TV personality and Emma is focused on her writing. When Emma and Dex see each other during their yearly reunion, their contrasting lifestyles always either lead to defensive arguments or a much-needed push in the right direction.
9 "Are People Really Having That Good A Time?"
Emma, Episode 3, "1990."
1990 wasn't a high point in Emma's life as far as years on the show go, with her career not going the way she'd planned (in contrast to Dexter, who'd just started his career as a TV presenter). However, her cynicism about the world also led to an incredibly relatable One Day quote. When outside, Emma observes two people tossing around a frisbee and asks Dexter, "Are people really having that good a time?"
Among the themes of friendship and romance in One Day, there's also an important theme of adulthood, and finding one's place in the world after college. Up until this point, Emma had been working unfulfilling jobs, such as touring with a theater group and working at a dismal Mexican restaurant. Especially after meeting up with Dexter, who's become a TV personality and appears to be happy and successful, Emma's question seems to be asking what she is doing wrong.
8 "One Selected Day Struck Out Of Your Life."
Emma, Episode 10, "1997."
There are many memorable One Day quotes that relate to classic literature, a key love of Emma's and an interest of hers that Dexter finds incredibly endearing. In episode 10, "1997", Emma makes a speech at her friend Tilly's wedding in which she quotes Charles Dickens and says, "Imagine one selected day struck out of your life and think how different its course would have been."
When Dexter and Emma spent their first night together and stayed up talking, it impacted both of their lives, with their shared hours coming to define everything that happened to them thereafter.
Although Emma is talking about Tilly's relationship, there's an obvious parallel to her connection with Dexter as the quote symbolizes their entire journey together. When Dexter and Emma spent their first night together and stayed up talking, it impacted both of their lives, with their shared hours coming to define everything that happened to them thereafter. They each greatly affected one another, and it's difficult to imagine the course their lives would have taken had they not made a tradition of meeting every year around St. Swithin's Day.
7 "I Was Just Waiting For You."
Dexter, Episode 13, "2000. 2001. 2002."
It took Emma and Dexter over a decade to finally settle down, and it wasn't until the 13th episode of the show, "2000. 2001. 2002." that they were officially an item. It's understandable that, after so much buildup, this episode also contained some of the best One Day quotes. After finally starting a proper relationship with one another, Emma tells Dexter she's ready to start a family.
When she asks how he feels about doing so, he tells her, "I was just waiting for you." His response is endearing during the moment and heartbreaking by the end of the episode. The romantic relationship between Dex and Emma is captivating and believable due to their connection being grounded in friendship, rather than fleeting lust. From Dexter's response, it appears he's always known exactly what he's wanted with Emma and now all the pieces have finally fallen into place.
7 Reasons Netflix's One Day Show Is Way Better Than The Anne Hathaway Movie
Netflix's One Day makes some substantial improvements over the 2011 film starring Anne Hathaway when it comes to adapting the book of the same name.
6 "You Used To Make Me Feel Good About Myself."
Emma, Episode 7, "1994."
Not all of the best One Day quotes are from positive or happy conversations, nor are they lines that highlight just why Emma and Dexter are so right for one-another. The pair go through several arguments, many quite intense, and the show handles them incredibly well. No romantic drama is complete without conflict looming over the couple and, during an argument, Emma tells Dex, "You used to make me feel good about myself."
This argument, while difficult to watch, proves to be beneficial to Emma and Dexter as they spend some time apart and better themselves as individuals
This occurs after the two meet up in 1994 and during their conversation, Dexter boasts about his extravagant lifestyle, which makes Emma feel poorly about herself. Emma's tearful comment is a sad juxtaposition to Dexter's compliments towards her earlier in the series. This argument, while difficult to watch, proves to be beneficial to Emma and Dexter as they spend some time apart and better themselves as individuals before coming together at the end.
5 "We Grew Up Together."
Dexter, Episode 13, "2000. 2001. 2002."
Dexter and Emma had incredibly strong feelings for one-another for over a decade before acting on them in a meaningful way by settling down into a relationship. At this point in the series, Emma and Dexter are engaged, and she comes across Dexter's outline for his wedding speech. One of the lines reads, "We grew up together." They had an incredibly engaging love story because of it, and it's as this story reaches its peak that many of the best One Day quotes arise.
Similarly to Emma's speech at Tilly's wedding, this line greatly depicts the years Emma and Dex have spent with one another. There were many instances over the years when it was clear the two needed to find their footing in life before being with one another. Still, even through many changes in their individual lives, they could always rely on each other during hard times.
4 "There Was Yet Another Date Of Greater Importance."
Thomas Hardy, Episode 14, "2003. 2004. 2007."
When Emma spent Christmas with Dexter and his family in 1988, she reads him a passage from a novel by Thomas Hardy, which says, "There was yet another date of greater importance...her own death. A day which lay sly and unseen." Although the scene in which this quote is heard takes place at the beginning of Emma and Dexter's story, it's not seen until One Day's final episode. It comes after Emma's death, making her fascination with the passage all the more tragic.
Dexter and Emma at that moment were unaware that the "sly and unseen" day would fall on the anniversary of their meeting, years earlier.
Considering the entirety of One Day is centered on one important date, the quote has a heavier meaning beyond what Dexter and Emma are discussing in 1988. It just so happens the date of Emma's death becomes significant for two reasons. Meaning that starting the final episode with this quote and the flashback scene is saddening, as Dexter and Emma at that moment were unaware that the "sly and unseen" day would fall on the anniversary of their meeting, years earlier.
3 "You Should Have Said Hello."
Dexter, Episode 1, "1988."
Dexter and Emma's love story was captivating from start to finish, primarily because it wasn't a traditional 'love at first sight' narrative. While their attraction to one-another was more-or-less instant, it took them many years to fully admit their feelings to themselves and each-other with the honesty needed to settle down into a healthy partnership.
The idea of fate and 'what-ifs' is present throughout all of One Day, so when Dexter tells Emma, "You should have said hello," it's worth wondering where they would've ended up had they met sooner. As a matter of fact, while on a trip to Greece together earlier in the series, Emma confesses she had a crush on Dex before they properly met. Therefore, it's reasonable for audiences to ponder the outcome of their connection, had they begun dating sooner.
2 "It Won't Always Be Like This."
Emma, Episode 14, "2003. 2004. 2007."
This is one of the most hearbreaking quotes in One Day, and it's a line of dialogue that almost certainly had many viewers reaching for a tissue to wipe away tears. Emma's death was an incredibly unexpected moment and it, understandably, emotionally destroyed Dexter. Despite his best attempts, he simply couldn't heal from the loss. During a conversation in which Dexter imagines after Emma has passed away, she reassures him, "It won't always be like this" and that "time" is the solution to feeling better.
Following this scene, Dexter visits the places he and Emma spent during their early years, reflecting happily on old memories.
Though this scene wasn't present in the novel, it's an important moment in Dexter's ending. After Emma's death, Dexter struggles immensely and is unsure of how to move on. Emma's reassurance was another helpful push, and likely not the last, to get Dexter's life back on track. Following this scene, Dexter visits the places he and Emma spent during their early years, reflecting happily on old memories.
Emma, Episode 14, "2003. 2004. 2007."
One Day's ending wraps up Emma and Dexter's story in a bittersweet way. While visiting places Dexter and Emma spent time at, scenes from their earlier days together appear as flashbacks. One of these scenes is when they are coming down from Arthur's Seat, discussing the previous night. Emma tells Dexter she'd like to remain friends and says, "I'm not being a footnote," referring to being a footnote in his life story.
It's the final tearful moment in the series, as Emma's insistence on being a part of Dexter's life is touching, knowing just how important she'd become to him. This One Day quote was an incredibly poignant note to end the show on, and a reminder that the Netflix series hadn't simply given viewers a love story but the tale of two people's entire shared life together. Emma assured Dexter at the beginning that she wouldn't just be a fleeting appearance in his life, and by the end of the show she'd managed to prove herself exactly right — making her death all the more tragic.
One Day
Based on the novel by David Nicholls, One Day is a 2024 romantic drama series created by Nicole Taylor. Despite their lives drifting apart after high school, Dex and Emma reunite one day every year as their lives run parallel. Love, heartbreak, and the experience of growing apart together lie at the center of this decade-spanning love story.
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- Cast
- Leo Woodall , Ambika Mod , Amber Grappy , Tim McInnerny , Jonny Weldon
- Writers
- David Nicholls
- Directors
- Molly Manners
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