The novel That Day, once a huge success, has been given a new lease of life on Netflix, generating considerable pressure for its cast, according to HS’s culture editor, Jussi Lehmusvesi.
Literature is becoming increasingly popular, particularly on television screens. Various streaming services are serializing novels from past years. Notable examples include Salley Rooney’s Normal People, Margaret Atwood’s Your Slave, Elena Ferrante’s My Great Friend, and L.M. Montgomery’s Anna series.
The most recent additions to the hundreds of titles available include All the Light We Can’t See (2023) and That Day (2024). The first has received poor reviews, but That Day has enjoyed significant success.
Literature’s union with television series is no miracle. For years, authors have seen their works lose their essence on the big screen. However, TV series avoid this problem, allowing for the same psychological developments found in the books to be included. The resulting series often matches or even surpasses the depth of the original novel.
For authors, TV series offer a ready-made audience in addition to the story: those who have read the book. That Day was first published as a novel in 2009, selling millions of copies. Fans of the book have been active on social media, contributing to the popularity of the series. The Netflix series has also boosted the novel’s popularity in audio book format.
The author claims the TV series contains more sex than the book. The major change in the TV series relates to Emma’s background. In the original novel and film, Emma is white, but in the series, her family has roots in India as well as Britain.
The main characters’ relationship remains unchanged. The series appeals to the mutual solidarity of the main characters, Em and Dex, who support each other during difficult times. For Emma, her artistic passions often lead to humiliation, mirroring the experiences of Ambika Mod, who plays Emma, in her own life.
Mod has spoken of her struggles with depression in 2019 due to her stalled comedy career. Her uncertainty continued during the auditions for the Netflix series. She found it difficult to picture herself as the lead in a romantic series and almost turned down the role. Once filming began, she felt immense pressure and frequently experienced moments of despair. She later spoke of how she thought she was a terrible actor and should quit immediately.
Fortunately, Leo Woodall, who plays Dexter, was also nervous. The actors supported each other, their anxiety faded, and the series was a success. Life is now undoubtedly good for them, although we may need to check in again in a year’s time.
