Based on the bestselling book by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, Dash & Lily is a new Christmas series that premiered on Netflix on Nov. 10. Starring Austin Abrams and Midori Francis as Dash and Lily respectively, the show takes on a whirlwind tour of New York City at Christmas time, all while exploring themes of love, belonging, and the holiday season. Don’t worry, this review will be completely non-spoiler!
Dash is a disgruntled teenager who hates Christmas. Lily, on the other hand, is a Christmas obsessed teen girl looking for love. In a search to find her perfect boyfriend, Lily hides a notebook in the Salliengar section of a bookstore. When Dash finds the notebook, he is intrigued and thus their penpal/scavenger hunt relationship is formed. It is the ultimate cute first meetup, but without actually meeting.
The two only communicate through the notebook and some mutual friends, including members of Lily’s quirky, equally cheery family and Dash’s best friend, Boomer. They take turns writing in the notebook and then hiding it for the other to find. Because both are quite shy, the notebook allows them to connect on a deeper level that makes way for loads of cute interactions without being face to face. The notebook also evolves into a place for one to ask the other to complete a dare. Such dares include stealing the hat of the Macy’s Santa or attending a Chaunakah-themed punk rock show. The dares take us on a tour of New York and show the beautiful atmosphere of the city at the holidays.
Unlike most Netflix Christmas shows and movies, Dash and Lily have a surprising amount of substance and heart. Lily is Japanese and we see much of her culture explored, including one dare that invites Dash to try the art of mochi-making. We see Dash struggle with his parents and family. Both Dash and Lily’s mental health is a recurring theme throughout the show as they learn to get out of their comfort zones and lean on each other. While on the surface, the advertisement of the series may seem like a sweet and sugary romcom, Dash & Lily strikes at the core of growing up, finding oneself, and exploring culture.
Dash & Lily is perhaps one of the most adorable shows that provides a healthy dose of serotonin while still allowing for deeper meaning. It is the perfect watch to get you in the mood for the holidays, especially if you are missing a city Christmas. Curl up with some hot chocolate and melt into the world of Christmas lights, bookstores, and NYC. And if you are still craving more Dash & Lily, check out the book “Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares” for even more Christmas cheer.
Dash & Lily is now available on Netflix.
Featured Image courtesy of daniel groeneweg via Flickr Creative Commons
