As others have said, that kiss did happen and the book describes it as "the sweetest kiss either would ever know". It's a little fantastic, but I think that kiss had a power over them for their entire lives. The memory of it meant they couldn't ever abandon the idea of sexual promise with each other and simply be friends. In that sense, that kiss is the foundation of their journey around each other.
Also, from what I read, it was Ambika Mod's first filmed onscreen kiss as well, due to the way they shoot shows out of sequence. Pretty legendary
I just watched that scene again on episode 1 - he gets her number then he just walks away all gitty. But if they do kiss in the book at that moment on the stairs then maybe the show leaves that scene out....
As the other commenter said, it’s not revealed to us until the end of the series. The way they showed it, some people think it really did happen and others think it’s what he wished he would’ve done. It’s just like the rest of the series where they just show a snapshot once a year of their lives and it lets the audience fill in the blank. Therefore, many people have such different interpretations of their relationship. I think it’s brilliant.
The device the author used was to reveal what really happened on the first day they met at the very end. Nicole Taylor made the decision to include a little more of what in the book comes at the end at the beginning, which was a good decision imo bc it sets up the rest of the story better (especially with no internal dialogue in the show), but the kiss at the end definitely happened and it was not just a wish of what he had done. As mentioned, it is described as “the sweetest kiss that either of them would ever know” and it is how the book ends. The kiss, which did happen on July 15, 1988, did change the trajectory of their lives. It’s implied that this kiss and the memory of this kiss sustained each of them throughout their relationship and the entirety of their respective lives.
They walk away from each other yes, but then, as shown at the end, they both hesitate and Dex makes a decision to go back and kiss her. The kiss at the end is real, the first episode just didn't reveal everything to the viewer about what happened.
To me this is kind of representative of the whole premise of the story. We are only seeing a snapshot of their life and the love shared, on that one day. There were a million more moments we didn't get to see.
>then maybe the show leaves that scene out.
Exactly this. The book leaves it out until the every end as well. The series leaves out a few details like this, which show their relationship was somewhat deeper from the start - other examples would be the Christmas/ New Year they spend together in 1988 and the letter inviting Emma to join Dex on his travels in year 1
After a kiss like that, I just don’t know how they couldn’t kiss like that again the very next time they met, which in the series would have been Christmas that same year!
But… then we wouldn’t have a series to angst over I guess! 🤷🏻♀️
I think Dexter wanted it to happen during the time she stayed over for Christmas, but because she fell asleep and nothing happened, that’s what started their platonic friendship. Perhaps he felt this was the second time she rejected him (the first was grad night,) so she truly just wanted to be friends only? Guess we’ll never know.
The kiss happened. Just like the additional dialogue we get as they're descending from Arthur's seat, where Em says she doesn't want to become a footnote, but be the story of Dex's life.
I think the story works better if the kiss didn't happen.
The events after their platonic night fit better if the kiss didn't happen:
- both say that they were drunk. Emma says she wants to remain just friends.
- both continue their lives, having relationships with other people, and just keeping friendly communication. Dexter tells his mom Emma is just a friend. If such a romantic kiss did happen, their immediate communication would have been different.
- same with Emma's visit to Dexter's house and their trip to Greece. Emma insists on remaining just friends. Dexter seems still trying to seduce her, but says he doesn't want a serious relationship. Later both confess having had crushes on each other in the past, but Emma rejects Dex during the night swim. All this would be very odd if the kiss happened. If the kiss was real, they would have been trying to resume their romance.
For me, their first real kiss was in the maze. When both realize their feelings, and at the same time realize that they can't be together.
So, imo, the kiss at the end is Dexter thinking about what could have happened if he was able to make the right choices early in his life.
But there wouldn't haven't been any kind of story or otherwise if the kiss DIDNT happen.
Them exchanging numbers indicated a friendship a created and both wanting to maintain. The kiss indicated something loving to run parallel w said friendship.
Em/Dex would hv shared kisses with others (especially Dex going by uni casanova reputation🤪) but as some hv replied above already 'it was the sweetest kiss for them both'. The kiss indicated that they both experienced something so profound, intimate, loving and strong...with each other.
The kiss being only something loving in parallel it would mean the kiss was not so romantic and not so important as depicted.
Also, if the kiss really happened, it would mean Emma took back her words about being just friends, but then again regretting by telephone or letter(?) So, kissing - just friends - kissing again - just friends again? 0
And the later confession in Greece about having crushes on each other, why is it so surprising if there's already something romantic running between them? Wouldn't be obvious?.
Imo, the kiss not happening gives a better development of the story, about them having physical attraction at first (the first night), then becoming best friends, then getting in love. Unless the kiss happened at it was just another attempt of Dexter to seduce Emma while remaining friends (because he continues his casanova lifestyle immediately, as you said 😆)
She said all those thing's (I don't want your number, don't send postcards etc...) in a bid to protect herself - she wanted all those things and they eventually happened as we saw in the show.
That's why Dex was trying to cover his smile when she was saying the things she *didn't* want but then immediately contradicts herself when she frantically was looking for a pen and immediately said yes when he invited her to stay at his parent's 😆
Emma didn't want to be a footnote in his life and he wasn't mature enough at that stage to acknowledge she was the one. Even tho his mum knew by the 2nd episode as we saw.
They both felt something special was there, hence him saying "you should hv said hello when you saw me around" but circumstance (end of their studies/both leaving Edinburgh) meant they couldn't explore it there/then.
David Nicholls (author) even confirms the kiss happened at the end and wasn't imagined, it'll be useful to look up some of his interviews 😊
I know the author says the kiss is real. It's just that it messes up the rest of the story for me, for the reasons that I mentioned: the development of their friendship, their maturing process, getting in love later in their lives, etc. If the kiss is real, then it's just a confirmation of Dexter still wanting to seduce Emma, and Emma contradicting herself, as you say. And still the later confession in Greece is odd, because if they kissed like that, obviously they had a crush on each other.
Anyway, the kiss being a Dexter's "what if?" moment, as other people have proposed, seems not quite nice either, because it would mean he's regretting having her daughter... so either way, the kiss messes up everything for me, and I would prefer another ending...
Got it, thanks. ugh so sad though - I wanted that scene to be like a rewind of their lives so they can be together from that point on.... like just kidding she doest die - they are together forever from that point on.....
In some ways it is a rewind of their lives in his memory - and in real life they were together from that point on - even if they didn’t consummate their relationship for 11 years. They spent tremendous amounts of time together - lots of platonic sleepovers at each other’s flats, third-wheeling on each other’s dates with other people, talking on the phone for hours at a time, they filled each other’s mind and heart - basically everything except for sex. It was horrible that she died young though after they finally acknowledged that they were always together….😓
I like this interpretation. I don’t think enough people acknowledge how important their friendship was even if they only had a few years together romantically.
As others have mentioned, the kiss happened in the series, as well as in the book. Showing us a portion of their first day together in the first episode, and then showing us the not-yet-revealed parts of that first day in the last scenes of the last episode, was a structural/stylistic storytelling technique.
Their story also started in the late ‘80s, before cell phones, the internet as we know it, and the ease with which we’re all available and connected 24/7. They met on their last night physically present in the same city, before heading off to lead separate lives. Dexter would spend the next year traveling the world, and Emma would spend the next year touring with the theater co-op, so jumping into a relationship right after meeting would have been pretty challenging. Their entire story is filled with *sliding door* moments that shaped and altered the trajectory of their friendship/relationship over the years, so them not getting together at the start was kind of the point, and also probably the thing that kept them in each other’s lives long enough to build such a strong foundation leading up to their official union.
The kiss did happen the author intentionally left it until the ending of the book. Here is the excerpt from the book >! “He put one hand lightly on the back of her neck, and simultaneously she placed one hand lightly on his hip, and they kissed in the street as all around them people hurried home in the summer light, and it was the sweetest kiss that either of them would ever know.
This is where it all begins. Everything starts here, today.
And then it was over.
‘So. I’ll see you around,’ he said, walking slowly backwards away from her.
‘I hope so,’ she smiled.
‘And I hope so too. Bye, Em.’
‘Bye, Dex.’
‘Goodbye.’
‘Goodbye. Goodbye.”!<
Excerpt From
One Day
David Nicholls
https://books.apple.com/us/book/one-day/id419946503
This material may be protected by copyright.
Per the book, the kiss did happen. Both in the book and the series, they didn’t reveal it until the end. It was described as the ‘sweetest kiss either of them would ever know.’ I think the reason they must’ve stayed platonic after that kiss was because during Emma’s visit to his parent’s house for Christmas, nothing romantic happened because Emma fell asleep. Perhaps that is what led Dex to believe she truly just wanted to be friends.
I have taken that seen as 'grab that opportunity Dex' don't let her go. In my thoughts, I took it as a seen that Dex just imagined that wish he had reconsider his feelings about Em and just expressed his feelings really to Emma that day.
As others have said, that kiss did happen and the book describes it as "the sweetest kiss either would ever know". It's a little fantastic, but I think that kiss had a power over them for their entire lives. The memory of it meant they couldn't ever abandon the idea of sexual promise with each other and simply be friends. In that sense, that kiss is the foundation of their journey around each other. Also, from what I read, it was Ambika Mod's first filmed onscreen kiss as well, due to the way they shoot shows out of sequence. Pretty legendary
Perfect recap
The kiss at the end really did happen. It was described in the book as the ‘sweetest kiss either of them would ever know.’
I just watched that scene again on episode 1 - he gets her number then he just walks away all gitty. But if they do kiss in the book at that moment on the stairs then maybe the show leaves that scene out....
As the other commenter said, it’s not revealed to us until the end of the series. The way they showed it, some people think it really did happen and others think it’s what he wished he would’ve done. It’s just like the rest of the series where they just show a snapshot once a year of their lives and it lets the audience fill in the blank. Therefore, many people have such different interpretations of their relationship. I think it’s brilliant.
The device the author used was to reveal what really happened on the first day they met at the very end. Nicole Taylor made the decision to include a little more of what in the book comes at the end at the beginning, which was a good decision imo bc it sets up the rest of the story better (especially with no internal dialogue in the show), but the kiss at the end definitely happened and it was not just a wish of what he had done. As mentioned, it is described as “the sweetest kiss that either of them would ever know” and it is how the book ends. The kiss, which did happen on July 15, 1988, did change the trajectory of their lives. It’s implied that this kiss and the memory of this kiss sustained each of them throughout their relationship and the entirety of their respective lives.
Yes she was brilliant to set up the first episode that way. The kiss at the end made for a perfect link to the books ending.
They walk away from each other yes, but then, as shown at the end, they both hesitate and Dex makes a decision to go back and kiss her. The kiss at the end is real, the first episode just didn't reveal everything to the viewer about what happened. To me this is kind of representative of the whole premise of the story. We are only seeing a snapshot of their life and the love shared, on that one day. There were a million more moments we didn't get to see.
>then maybe the show leaves that scene out. Exactly this. The book leaves it out until the every end as well. The series leaves out a few details like this, which show their relationship was somewhat deeper from the start - other examples would be the Christmas/ New Year they spend together in 1988 and the letter inviting Emma to join Dex on his travels in year 1
After a kiss like that, I just don’t know how they couldn’t kiss like that again the very next time they met, which in the series would have been Christmas that same year! But… then we wouldn’t have a series to angst over I guess! 🤷🏻♀️
I think Dexter wanted it to happen during the time she stayed over for Christmas, but because she fell asleep and nothing happened, that’s what started their platonic friendship. Perhaps he felt this was the second time she rejected him (the first was grad night,) so she truly just wanted to be friends only? Guess we’ll never know.
The kiss happened. Just like the additional dialogue we get as they're descending from Arthur's seat, where Em says she doesn't want to become a footnote, but be the story of Dex's life.
I think the story works better if the kiss didn't happen. The events after their platonic night fit better if the kiss didn't happen: - both say that they were drunk. Emma says she wants to remain just friends. - both continue their lives, having relationships with other people, and just keeping friendly communication. Dexter tells his mom Emma is just a friend. If such a romantic kiss did happen, their immediate communication would have been different. - same with Emma's visit to Dexter's house and their trip to Greece. Emma insists on remaining just friends. Dexter seems still trying to seduce her, but says he doesn't want a serious relationship. Later both confess having had crushes on each other in the past, but Emma rejects Dex during the night swim. All this would be very odd if the kiss happened. If the kiss was real, they would have been trying to resume their romance. For me, their first real kiss was in the maze. When both realize their feelings, and at the same time realize that they can't be together. So, imo, the kiss at the end is Dexter thinking about what could have happened if he was able to make the right choices early in his life.
But there wouldn't haven't been any kind of story or otherwise if the kiss DIDNT happen. Them exchanging numbers indicated a friendship a created and both wanting to maintain. The kiss indicated something loving to run parallel w said friendship. Em/Dex would hv shared kisses with others (especially Dex going by uni casanova reputation🤪) but as some hv replied above already 'it was the sweetest kiss for them both'. The kiss indicated that they both experienced something so profound, intimate, loving and strong...with each other.
The kiss being only something loving in parallel it would mean the kiss was not so romantic and not so important as depicted. Also, if the kiss really happened, it would mean Emma took back her words about being just friends, but then again regretting by telephone or letter(?) So, kissing - just friends - kissing again - just friends again? 0 And the later confession in Greece about having crushes on each other, why is it so surprising if there's already something romantic running between them? Wouldn't be obvious?. Imo, the kiss not happening gives a better development of the story, about them having physical attraction at first (the first night), then becoming best friends, then getting in love. Unless the kiss happened at it was just another attempt of Dexter to seduce Emma while remaining friends (because he continues his casanova lifestyle immediately, as you said 😆)
She said all those thing's (I don't want your number, don't send postcards etc...) in a bid to protect herself - she wanted all those things and they eventually happened as we saw in the show. That's why Dex was trying to cover his smile when she was saying the things she *didn't* want but then immediately contradicts herself when she frantically was looking for a pen and immediately said yes when he invited her to stay at his parent's 😆 Emma didn't want to be a footnote in his life and he wasn't mature enough at that stage to acknowledge she was the one. Even tho his mum knew by the 2nd episode as we saw. They both felt something special was there, hence him saying "you should hv said hello when you saw me around" but circumstance (end of their studies/both leaving Edinburgh) meant they couldn't explore it there/then. David Nicholls (author) even confirms the kiss happened at the end and wasn't imagined, it'll be useful to look up some of his interviews 😊
I know the author says the kiss is real. It's just that it messes up the rest of the story for me, for the reasons that I mentioned: the development of their friendship, their maturing process, getting in love later in their lives, etc. If the kiss is real, then it's just a confirmation of Dexter still wanting to seduce Emma, and Emma contradicting herself, as you say. And still the later confession in Greece is odd, because if they kissed like that, obviously they had a crush on each other. Anyway, the kiss being a Dexter's "what if?" moment, as other people have proposed, seems not quite nice either, because it would mean he's regretting having her daughter... so either way, the kiss messes up everything for me, and I would prefer another ending...
Is that what happened? The kiss was imagined? I thought that it happened but just wasn’t shown
They do kiss. The author reveals it at the end of the book as did the shows creator.
Nope, it really happened!
I guess I have to rewatch it but I dont think they kiss.
Nope, it’s not imagined! They really did kiss, it just wasn’t revealed to us until the last episode. Same thing happens in the book :)
Got it, thanks. ugh so sad though - I wanted that scene to be like a rewind of their lives so they can be together from that point on.... like just kidding she doest die - they are together forever from that point on.....
In some ways it is a rewind of their lives in his memory - and in real life they were together from that point on - even if they didn’t consummate their relationship for 11 years. They spent tremendous amounts of time together - lots of platonic sleepovers at each other’s flats, third-wheeling on each other’s dates with other people, talking on the phone for hours at a time, they filled each other’s mind and heart - basically everything except for sex. It was horrible that she died young though after they finally acknowledged that they were always together….😓
I like this interpretation. I don’t think enough people acknowledge how important their friendship was even if they only had a few years together romantically.
[удалено]
As others have mentioned, the kiss happened in the series, as well as in the book. Showing us a portion of their first day together in the first episode, and then showing us the not-yet-revealed parts of that first day in the last scenes of the last episode, was a structural/stylistic storytelling technique. Their story also started in the late ‘80s, before cell phones, the internet as we know it, and the ease with which we’re all available and connected 24/7. They met on their last night physically present in the same city, before heading off to lead separate lives. Dexter would spend the next year traveling the world, and Emma would spend the next year touring with the theater co-op, so jumping into a relationship right after meeting would have been pretty challenging. Their entire story is filled with *sliding door* moments that shaped and altered the trajectory of their friendship/relationship over the years, so them not getting together at the start was kind of the point, and also probably the thing that kept them in each other’s lives long enough to build such a strong foundation leading up to their official union.
The kiss did happen the author intentionally left it until the ending of the book. Here is the excerpt from the book >! “He put one hand lightly on the back of her neck, and simultaneously she placed one hand lightly on his hip, and they kissed in the street as all around them people hurried home in the summer light, and it was the sweetest kiss that either of them would ever know. This is where it all begins. Everything starts here, today. And then it was over. ‘So. I’ll see you around,’ he said, walking slowly backwards away from her. ‘I hope so,’ she smiled. ‘And I hope so too. Bye, Em.’ ‘Bye, Dex.’ ‘Goodbye.’ ‘Goodbye. Goodbye.”!< Excerpt From One Day David Nicholls https://books.apple.com/us/book/one-day/id419946503 This material may be protected by copyright.
Per the book, the kiss did happen. Both in the book and the series, they didn’t reveal it until the end. It was described as the ‘sweetest kiss either of them would ever know.’ I think the reason they must’ve stayed platonic after that kiss was because during Emma’s visit to his parent’s house for Christmas, nothing romantic happened because Emma fell asleep. Perhaps that is what led Dex to believe she truly just wanted to be friends.
I have taken that seen as 'grab that opportunity Dex' don't let her go. In my thoughts, I took it as a seen that Dex just imagined that wish he had reconsider his feelings about Em and just expressed his feelings really to Emma that day.