TV viewers looking for an emotional autumn watch are rediscovering an Edinburgh-set romantic drama that has left audiences reaching for the tissues — and wishing they could experience it for the first time all over again.

The 14-part Netflix series One Day, adapted from David Nicholls’ bestselling 2009 novel, stars Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall in a love story spanning almost two decades.

Released in 2024, the series has earned a 92 per cent Rotten Tomatoes score and continues to attract glowing reactions from viewers, with some describing it as one of the most genuine portrayals of love they have seen.

One fan simply called it a “must watch,” while another admitted they consumed the entire series in a single day.

Emma and Dexter’s story begins in Edinburgh

At the centre of One Day are Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew, played by Mod and Woodall.

The pair meet after graduating from the University of Edinburgh and form a connection, but instead of immediately becoming a conventional romantic couple, their lives begin moving in different directions.

They remain connected as the years pass, drifting into and out of each other’s worlds while careers, relationships, disappointments and major personal milestones reshape them.

Their friendship remains platonic for years, even as deeper feelings gradually complicate the bond between them.

That slow evolution is central to the series.

Rather than presenting Emma and Dexter as perfect romantic leads, One Day allows both characters to make mistakes, change and grow independently.

One viewer praised exactly that quality, describing it as “the most genuine story of love” they had seen in some time.

“Neither was perfect, but their relationship was as perfect as it could be for them,” the fan wrote.

Every episode returns to the same date

The structure gives One Day its distinctive identity.

Each episode returns to Emma and Dexter on the same calendar date — July 15 — but in a different year.

Through those snapshots, viewers gradually discover how much their lives have changed since the previous encounter.

Sometimes they are close. At other points, circumstances have pulled them apart.

Nearly 20 years unfold this way, allowing audiences to see relationships begin and end, ambitions evolve and the characters themselves become very different people from the young graduates introduced at the beginning.

The format also means important stretches of their lives happen between episodes, leaving viewers to piece together what has changed when the story catches up with them again.

Edinburgh becomes part of the romance

For Scottish viewers in particular, there is another attraction.

Edinburgh provides the backdrop to important parts of Emma and Dexter’s story, with several recognisable locations appearing onscreen.

The series features the Grassmarket, Arthur’s Seat and the Vennel Steps among its locations.

The city is particularly important to the beginning of the story, establishing the place where Emma and Dexter first become part of each other’s lives before their journeys take them elsewhere.

That setting, combined with the series’ intimate tone, has helped make it an appealing choice for viewers looking for something romantic to settle into during the colder months.

Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall win over viewers

Much of the praise has focused on the chemistry between the two leads.

Mod plays Emma while Woodall takes on Dexter, and their performances have been singled out by viewers who became invested in the pair across the series.

“One of the best rom-coms I’ve seen in a while,” one fan wrote. “I was fully engaged from start to finish and absolutely loved the chemistry between the leads.”

Another viewer described the series as “the most beautiful, heart wrenching story” they had watched in a long time, adding a warning to anyone planning to start it: “Get the tissues ready!”

Others were even more emphatic.

“This is the best show I have ever seen in my life,” one viewer declared.

Another praised the story and performances before admitting: “Binged it all in a day.”

Viewers warn that it packs an emotional punch

Despite being frequently described as a romantic comedy-drama, audiences have warned that anyone expecting 14 episodes of uncomplicated escapism may be caught off guard.

Emma and Dexter’s relationship develops across years rather than following an easy path towards romance.

Both experience other relationships, heartbreak and major changes while repeatedly finding their way back into one another’s lives.

That combination of romance and emotional weight appears to be one of the biggest reasons the adaptation has stayed with viewers.

One fan summed up the experience by writing: “I did not want this to end. I want to see it again for the first time.”

They described it as “utterly romantic and devastating at the same time.”

For viewers who missed the series when it first arrived — or those looking for an excuse to revisit Emma and Dexter’s story — all 14 episodes of One Day are available to stream on Netflix.