TV shows we love: The One

By Gina Agapiou

Dating can sometimes seem to be obsolete in the modern world. It takes up way too much time and there’s no guarantee; you have to stomach dozens of disinteresting people to finally, hopefully, find ‘the one’.

Well Rebecca Webb won’t have it anymore! The DNA researcher collaborates with her best friend and discovers a way to identify people’s ‘certified’ soulmate – all it takes is a single hair. Ten years later, in a world where everyone is getting ‘matched’ old fashioned dating is almost frowned upon.

The plot does hide its Easter Eggs, but the show’s creator Howard Overman added the extra element of transferring the viewer back in time to the creation of the app… and other situations.

Despite the seeming ‘brightness’ of a show that sounds as if it revolves around love, the series’ colour palate is rather dull, a characteristic I found peaceful.

Throughout the eight episodes, I grew keen on actress Hannah Ware’s mild but meaningful facial expressions and enigmatic blue eyes. But mostly, and as a proper patriot, I was pleasantly surprised with Dimitri Leonidas, her business partner. With a Greek Cypriot father, the London-born actor shares his passion with two of his three sisters.

I feel obliged to make a comment about the ending of the first season but to avoid any spoilers I will remain diplomatic: ‘Interesting’.

The soundtrack mirrors the modernity of the show featuring mainly young artists and mainstream music including British pop singer Dua Lipa and American singer-songwriter Janelle Monáe.

The series is based on a science fiction novel of the same name by John Marrs. I won’t pretend to have had read the book but the synopsis suggests that certain aspects, and a few murdered women, were left out of Netflix’s adaptation.

Perhaps viewers should wait for a possible second season or read the book for a different experience.