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| [L-R] Josh Whitehouse as EDDIE, Sam Claflin as BILLY, Riley Keough as DAISY, Sebastian Chacon as WARREN in DAISY JONES & THE SIX |
Disclaimer: This show alert was written after watching three out of ten episodes. Update: I've now finished the show, and it's even better than I thought.
Daisy Jones & The Six lands on Amazon Prime on March 3, 2023. Based on the novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Daisy Jones & The Six is created by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (collaborators on 500 Days of Summer), with direction by James Ponsoldt, Nzingha Stewart, and Will Graham, starring Riley Keough, Sam Claflin, Camila Morrone, and Suki Waterhouse.
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| Will Harrison as GRAHAM, Sebastian Chacon as WARREN, Josh Whitehouse as EDDIE, Sam Claflin as BILLY in DAISY JONES & THE SIX |
What's it about?: In this ten-episode mockumentary, the estranged members of the fictional rock band Daisy Jones & the Six agree to be interviewed for a tell-all memoir of what was really going on behind the curtain during their explosive rise to fame in the 1970s.
Graham Dunne (Will Harrison) dreams of rock god fame. Banking on the natural charisma of his older brother Billy (Sam Claflin), a group of five gains a modest following under the title The Dunne brothers. They later add talented keyboardist Karen Sirko (Suki Waterhouse) and rename themselves The Six. But it's not until their producer, Teddy Price (Tom Wright), matches them with the gifted songwriter Daisy Jones (Riley Keough) that their popularity soars to chart-busting levels. Daisy and Billy's chemistry on stage burns bright, but where there's fire, there are always casualties. Everyone loves a scandal, so watch along as one unfolds before your eyes.
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| Riley Keough as DAISY in DAISY JONES & THE SIX |
Why should you care?
Daisy Jones & The Six has a lot going for it that will draw interest from a variety of audiences. A star is born.
- The book won both a GoodReads Choice Award and was a LibraryReads pick in 2019.
- Reese Witherspoon selected the novel for her Book Club in 2019. Witherspoon also serves as one of the executive producers for the show.
- Taylor Jenkins Reid is a popular BookTok author, and many readers have been waiting for this adaptation with anticipation.
- Sam Claflin (Peaky Blinders) has always been easy on the eyes, but indie film favorite Riley Keough has gained quite a following since starring in films such as American Honey, The Lodge and Zola. Plus she's the granddaughter of Elvis!
- Many readers feel the story revealed in the book mirrors the journey of Fleetwood Mac and the OTP of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham.
- If the realism of the film wasn't enough, a full studio album, Aurora, recorded by Daisy Jones & the Six, drops on March 3, 2023, the same day as the show. Lead producer Blake Mills created 11 1970s-inspired tracks. Contributing songwriters include Phoebe Bridgers, Madison Cunningham, Marcus Mumford, and Jackson Browne. Update: The album debuted at #1 on the iTunes charts and, as of March 11, 2023, sits comfortably at #18.
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| [L-R] Josh Whitehouse as EDDIE, Riley Keough as DAISY, Will Harrison as GRAHAM, Suki Waterhouse as KAREN, Sam Claflin as BILLY in DAISY JONES & THE SIX |
But is it worth watching?
In the short time I was able to watch the show before release, I definitely got swept up in the drama of this band's struggles and rise to fandom. The performances sell me on the fact that they are indeed being interviewed to talk about their pasts. The editors cleverly interject into the story at the right moments, delaying anticipation and sometimes refusing to show what you expect to see.
Both Billy and Daisy clearly have the hunger to make it big, and their hunger bleeds into their relationship with one another. They need each other for their dreams to come true, but that doesn't mean they are good for one another. Although those two are clearly the stars, there's plenty of drama unfolding for the other members of the band and the long-suffering wife of Billy, Camila. Meanwhile, Daisy's best friend Simone Jackson (Nabiyah Be) has struggles of her own in the disco scene.
As we get to know the band, many of the story beats you expect come to pass, such as drugs and infidelity. But I also appreciated the attention drawn to the fact that Daisy is a woman trying to make it into a boys' club. She's not just a muse. She's an artist with dreams of her own. Before she meets Teddy, the men she meets wants to use her talent for their own gain. So she's naturally prickly when she meets Teddy, who truly wants to help her find her voice and take her next big step. Most of the women in this story prove to be the smartest of the bunch (Karen is the only person who invests her first big paycheck in the stock market). But they are constantly having to protect their vested interests differently than their Y-chromosomed colleagues.
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| Riley Keough as DAISY in DAISY JONES & THE SIX |
It takes a little while for the show to get going. The band and Daisy don't get together until episode 3. I think they could have cut out some of the fluff and made that happen sooner. But once all the players on the chessboard come together, the drama begins and only grows more intriguing as the show continues.
Either way, I'm sure you are going to be hearing about this show in the socials. I recommend you check it out!
Update: After finishing the show, I am totally obsessed with this show. Even though I've never been a rock and roll star or been hooked on cocaine, the situations are relatable. Most of us can recall times we felt an unexplained connection to another person. That connection doesn't always come at a convenient time, but it's the boost we need to awaken from our stupor.
Riley Keough is absolutely stunning as our Stevie Nicks prototype. And while they could have made her a manic pixie dreamgirl, only there to act as Billy's muse, Daisy Jones is the somebody. She's far too good and talented to be a mere catalyst for Billy's growth. And Camila is far too amazing of a woman to be just a long-suffering wife to Billy.
Also, there's far more to this series than just their tumultuous relationship. The ending completely surprised me, which is tough to do.
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