Show: "Daisy Jones & The Six"
Release Date: March 3, 2023
Season: 1
Episodes: 10
Genre: Drama, Musical
The new television adaptation of the bestselling novel "Daisy Jones & The Six" transports viewers back in time to a vibrant world of the groovy 1970s music scene.
The TV version of "Daisy Jones & The Six" immerses viewers into the captivating world of 1970s rock. American author Taylor Jenkins Reid released the novel of the same name in March 2019, and it quickly rose up the charts. Reid sold over one million copies, and the book is now a No. 1 national bestseller in 2023.
Since the show's release, both the show and the book have gained a large following on social media platforms, including TikTok and Instagram, and many fans of the show are now going back and reading the original novel.
The book's unique narrative format makes it a standout, as the story is told in the form of interviews. The show follows the same format, allowing the characters to reflect on their past as members of a band and as individuals 20 years into the future. After a scene from the 1970s, the show will cut to the same characters in the 1990s, reminiscing on the good times of their youth.
The show follows the story of one band, originally called The Dunne Brothers because of its founders: Billy Dunne, played by Sam Claflin, and Graham Dunne, played by Will Harrison. When Graham expresses his desire to form a band with his two best friends, Eddie and Warren, Billy initially declines. However, after watching the band fail on its own, Billy soon joins as the group's lead singer and guitarist.
Thanks to one notable performance, the band catches the attention of both Rod Reyes, who would later become its tour manager, and its new keyboardist, Karen Sirko, played by Suki Waterhouse.
After The Dunne Brothers take on a new name, The Six, its producer suggests they amp up one of their upcoming songs by bringing in Daisy Jones as a co-lead singer. Though Billy is not thrilled by the change, he quickly develops an admiration for Daisy. From their very first scene together, audience members can agree that their chemistry throughout the remainder of the show is undeniable.
Although the band is fictional, the album they create on the show is very much real and is now available on most music streaming platforms. "Aurora" boasts many 70s-rock-inspired songs, including "Regret Me," "Look At Us Now (Honeycomb)" and "More Fun To Miss," all of which appear throughout the show as the band goes on a nationwide tour.
Fans have speculated that this could grow the on-screen band into one day performing live as an actual band. A cryptic message from actor Josh Whitehouse, who plays Eddie, has further fanned those flames, creating a wave of excitement on social media.
The show does an incredible job of showcasing the trials and tribulations that come with rising fame, such as tackling issues from addiction to dishonesty to self-doubt. The character of Billy Dunne experiences each of these struggles once he meets Jones.
Jones, played by Riley Keough, is a wild and carefree character with a troubled past. Throughout the show, she often abuses substances to cope with her deep-rooted trauma. Having spent much of her adolescence sneaking into band performances at bars and making connections through seduction, Jones counts on fate to bring her to fame.
Reid, the book's author, was heavily involved with the production of the show and attended every character's audition, having the final say in who would be cast. The on-screen relationships she helped create have an organic feel due to close connections developed between the actors off-screen.
The most authentic experience also comes through with the cast members ability to play their characters' instruments throughout the show, mainly due to the year of music lessons they took to prepare, which creates a connection with the audience and adds fuel to a potential real-life tour.
Overall, the on-screen adaptation of "Daisy Jones & The Six" successfully produced one of the most accurate book-to-screen translations this year. From the cast's strong chemistry to the quality of the script itself, the show almost feels as though a group of people are directly reading and acting out the book.
Unfortunately, these characters' stories only span 10 episodes, as the show has not yet been renewed for another season. Fans of the show are left to watch the never-ending TikTok edits, read the original novel and listen to the "Aurora" album in order to live out their Daisy Jones 1970s rock fantasy for years to come.