Is ‘One Day’ appropriate for kids? ‘One Day’ parents guide

‘Tis the year of movie-to-television-series adaptations as Netflix‘s One Day, based on the novel of the same name by David Nicholls, takes over from Prime Video’s Mr. and Mrs. Smith as the year’s most talked about romantic show.

Starring The White Lotus‘ Leo Woodall and newcomer Ambika Mod, this rom-com tells the story of two star-crossed lovers whose paths cross every year over one day after meeting on graduation day in Edinburgh in 1988. Viewers quickly made their way through the limited series’ 14 episodes after they dropped on Netflix on Feb. 8, falling in love with it at the same time as Dexter and Emma fell for one another. Described as “charming,” “devastating,” and “swoon-worthy” by critics, the adaptation boasts a certified fresh 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes, but is it fitting for children?

One Day‘s rating and parents guide

According to Rotten Tomatoes, Netflix’s One Day is rated TV-MA, meaning it’s suitable for mature audiences only. Depicting a romantic relationship across several years, the show features partial nudity, frequent make-out sessions, and some intimate, albeit not explicit sexual scenes.

The characters use expletives like “bloody” and “f–k” and can be seen frequently drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes, sometimes getting intoxicated. Overall, the show’s themes involving life choices and the passage of time, as well as the exploration of complex and strong emotions, might prove alienating to younger audiences.

One Day‘s target audience is older teens and young adults, among which it appears to be resonating strongly. Two weeks after its debut, it was still the number one most-watched show on Netflix, gracing the Top 10 in over 80 countries.