Updated on 18 February 2021: It’s official: Netflix has met its match… so to speak, anyway.

The One – John Marrs’ unputdownable psychological thriller – has always been primed for a TV adaptation. It makes sense, then, that Netflix has teamed up with Misfits creator Howard Overman to snap up the filming rights to the book.

Here’s what you need to know about the series.

What’s the plot of Netflix’s The One?

Set five minutes in the future (or thereabouts), The One sees scientists discover that everyone has a gene matched with one other person. One other person, mind, who they are destined to be with, irrespective of sexuality, race, age, or location.

This means that, yes, a simple DNA test can find your perfect partner. Your soulmate. The one person you’re genetically predisposed to fall passionately in love with. 

As per the official synopsis: “No matter how good your relationship, which one of us can honestly say we haven’t thought about whether there is someone better out there? What if a hair sample is all it takes to find them?

“The idea is simple, but the implications are explosive. We will never think of love and relationships in the same way again.”

And, as the people at MatchDNA soon attract the attention of Kate, a straightforward and sceptical Detective Inspector at the Metropolitan Police, it’s worth noting that this isn’t your typical sci-fi; rather, it’s a crime drama… with a twist.

Who makes up the cast of Netflix’s The One?

Hannah Ware will star in the series as Rebecca, the ambitious and impulsive CEO and founder of MatchDNA, a company that pairs people with their soulmates.

Dimitri Leonidas, meanwhile, will appear as James, Rebecca’s best friend and the co-founder of MatchDNA until he abruptly departed at the height of the company’s success (but only she knows why).

Amir El-Masry, Stephen Campbell Moore, Wilf Scolding, Diarmaid Murtagh, Lois Chimimba, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Pallavi Sharda, Soë Tapper as Kate, and Gregg Chillin round off the cast.

What are people saying about Netflix’s The One?

Netflix has yet to reveal any information on the cast. And, if you think that Marrs might have spilled something, you’d be mistaken. In fact, the author has revealed that he’s been working hard to keep The One’s secrets to himself.

“I knew about it three months before I could officially say anything, so trying to keep my mouth shut was a bit of a nightmare,” he told the BBC.

“It’s totally up to the production company what they want to do with it. They can change locations, characters, anything they want to. I don’t think I’ll be loaded [financially]… but hopefully it will be enough to keep the dog in food for a little bit longer.”

Does Netflix’s The One have a trailer yet?

As mentioned already, Netflix is keeping its cards very close to its chest when it comes to this sci-fi thriller, so there’s no trailer yet. It’s worth remembering, though, that the streaming service has a habit of dropping its Original trailers as close to their release dates as possible, so we’re hoping to bring you one very soon.

When will Netflix’s The One be available to stream on Netflix?

Filming on the series took place in Bristol, Cardiff, and Newport in January 2019, so there’s no need to worry about any Covid delays with this one.

In fact, it’s been confirmed that all eight episodes of the series will become available to stream from 12 March.

This article was originally published in September 2020, but has been updated throughout.

Images: Getty