The One: Netflix’s new hit series that questions the advancement of technology

Netflix tends to have productions closely associated with science fiction and technology. We saw it in Black Mirror, the anthology series that poses dystopian situations where humanity changes due to the progress of technology. Another production is The dilemma of social networks, a documentary that explores the risks that these applications bring, especially in relation to influence and manipulation.

Netflix recently launched a new series that is a success: The One. Vogue affirms that this series is “rampaging” on Netflix, as it has become one of the most popular in recent weeks, engaging the audience through a structure that oscillates between suspense and science fiction, offering us an interesting and original premise.

Based on the book The One: A Novel, by John Marrs, the series takes as a starting point some of the bases on the dangers of the advancement of science and technology. Basically, throughout its 8 chapters of its first season, this production wonders what would happen if a simple DNA sample was used to find a perfect match. Let's see more about this story.

The success of The One

The first thing to say is that The One has a very good cast. For example, Hannah Ware (as Rebecca Webb), Dimitri Leonidas (as James), Amir El-Masry (as Ben), or Lois Chimimba (as Hannah), among others.

However, its charm does not lie solely in that. In fact, the story itself and the way it is told make it incredible. With a plot that looks like a classic thriller, the series surprises us, making different leaps into the past that make us wonder more about the mysterious protagonists.

Initially, the characters are connected to each other in a very simple way. However, little by little we realize that their ties are actually stronger than they appear. This makes us as viewers wonder what we would do in such a dystopian situation.

In addition, The One focuses on one of the pillars of every society: love. More specifically, in the possibility of having personal relationships with people suitable to us. There is a scientific method that, thanks to genetics, is able to determine who our soul mate is, all through a chemical and algorithmic question.

The CEO of the company, Rebecca Web, is in charge of marketing the application until she is involved in a criminal investigation when an old friend dies. This happens while society seeks to resort to the old traditional methods to fall in love with someone else, without the need for a "perfect" link determined by genetic reasons.

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The parallels with dating apps like Tinder make viewers wonder how far we decide which person is attractive to us. For example, the ability to filter according to tastes and interests is changing the way we relate to others, which also transforms love as we know it. 

The ideal couples, according to The One, would be those that have the most affinity with each other, according to specific tastes. In that society it is no longer necessary to go to a bar to flirt with people, but, on the contrary, everything is indicated by technology. That is to say, all this shows that technology can destroy such naturalized social customs, such as love.

Due to the success that this premise raised, a possible second season is already being considered. Although the first season answered the unknowns related to the main plot, it is also true that there are subplots that can be continued during a second batch of episodes.

In conclusion, The One is an unmissable series that invites reflection around the way we interact and get to know others, especially from a loving perspective. Although this story is seen from an extreme point of view of genetics, it is still a possibility that technology conditions our tastes and decisions in life.