The Prime Video Series Adaptation That Outdoes The Book
Daisy Jones and The Six is one of those rare stories that works incredibly well as a written novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid and works even better as a limited series. The writing is fabulous, the directing makes you feel like you’re inside the band’s experiences, and the acting is charged with emotion, passion, and chemistry. Even if you have not read the book, stream the 10 episode series on Amazon Prime ASAP.
Daisy Jones and The Six
Daisy Jones and The Six is a story about the rapid rise and fall of a hugely successful band. Jenkins Reid says she based the story around her perception of Fleetwood Mac while they were making their Rumors album.
She notes that looking at the two singers, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, you feel like they’re deeply in love, but you never know the story behind the scenes. So, she made one up.
Perfectly Follows The Book
The Daisy Jones and The Six series almost perfectly follows the book, which is the great joy of turning a novel into a series rather than a movie.
There’s time to develop character, build suspense, reach a climax, and examine the aftermath.
The show does this with grace and rigor. First, we meet Daisy Jones and the band that becomes The Six separately.
Starts Writing Songs
You see, Daisy Jones and the Six come from dramatically different backgrounds. Daisy was born into rich parents in Hollywood, far more interested in their social status than in their daughter.
As a result, she begins taking drugs and sneaking into music clubs at the age of 14. She starts writing songs but finds all the older men she dates take her music for themselves. Finally, she hooks up with a disco starlet and finds an avenue that will take her music seriously.
Meteoric Rise
While Daisy Jones is on her meteoric rise, The Six begins playing music in a garage in Pittsburgh, on the other side of the country.
The band is led by the Dunne Brothers, Billy and Graham, and they pick up Karen, Pete, and Eddie along the way, bringing the number of members to 5.
When Billy falls in love with Camila, despite her not being in the band, they decide to call themselves The Six. The band heads to California to make it big.
An Amazing Story
It is at this point that Daisy Jones and The Six are brought together by a producer named Teddy Price. From here, the drama, the music, the drugs, the sex, and the wildlife that is music takes us on a roller coaster ride.
The story makes the book great. What makes the series even better is the fact that Riley Keough as Daisy and Sam Claflin as Billy have so much magical energy together on screen that it practically sizzles.
Add to this energy the many songs from the album being made by the band, their performances on stage, and their collaborative process, and you have a perfect gem.
Tragic And Enchanting
REVIEW SCORE
Daisy Jones and The Six is at once tragic and enchanting. You both want to be these musicians and you sympathize with their plight and that of the people they hurt. Keough gives an electric performance as Daisy Jones that makes you want to rush out and watch everything else she’s in. Then, you’ll want to go read everything else Jenkins Reid has written; it’s that good.
I give Daisy Jones and The Six 6 stars out of 5 (is that even possible?), and if I could give it more, I would. Stream this series on Amazon Prime. I guarantee you won’t be able to turn your television off.
