Taylor Jenkins Reid’s book Daisy Jones & The Six has been transformed into a limited series under the same name. Its March debut saw a staggered release with a few episodes each Friday, which maintained the anticipation instilled in the first episode—why did they break up mid-way through their sold-out tour? And in the words of the fictional band’s hit song, how did they make “a good thing bad”?
★★★★★
Off the recent success of Where The Crawdads Sing and Your Place Or Mine, Hello Sunshine studios join forces with Amazon Studios and Circle of Confusion to showcase another book adaptation. Immersive from the get-go, Daisy Jones is character-driven at its core, yet extremely transportative with its realistic ‘70s costume (think flared sleeves and messy bangs), filming locations and sets (like Sound City), and most importantly, the ’70s lifestyle (from the Volkswagen tour bus intrinsically tied with American culture to the drug-use).
Daisy Jones & The Six follow two separate narratives that eventually collide: Daisy Jones (Riley Keough) and her growing confidence as a singer, and The Six’s evolution as a band. Other characters emerge in and out of the story as a result: the manager (Tom Wright as Teddy Price), the touring manager (Timothy Olyphant as Rod Reyes), Camila who’s a major part of the up-and-coming band and Billy’s wife (Camila Morrone), as well as Daisy’s best friend and emerging disco-star Simone Jackson (Nabiyah Be). Although largely involving the entire band throughout, Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne (the lead of The Six played by Sam Claflin) take centre stage literally and within the narrative. Largely following the band as they meet, form, and tour in the ’70s; it is spliced with interviews from the band being conducted 20 years later—including all those retrospective thoughts about their success.
The core part of adapting the book is its music. Charged with bringing the lyrics to life were Jake Mills and Tony Berg, and despite the challenge of igniting book fan’s acclaim, both the cast and crew managed to produce a soundtrack (and the visual performances to coincide) with these atmospheric and addictive songs—reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac yet distinctively their own. Music Supervisor Frankie Pine spoke of recording the songs for ‘Aurora’ and filming at Sound City, where the infamous ‘Rumours’ by Fleetwood Mac were recorded. This bid for authenticity carried over into their performances (musical or otherwise), offering this captivating narrative with realism in its touring and staging, yet wholly creative in the journey towards their eventual breakup.
Each band’s performance in their instrument makes Daisy Jones & The Six seem wholly non-fictional. The commitment to showing the band in concert realistically, by utilising all the stage lights possible and having the band performing the vocals/instrumentals themselves built this very authentic performance. These conjured cinematic visuals and euphoric snapshots of the tour (particularly their final performance in Chicago). Altogether, you were able to submerge yourself into the world (or better yet, ‘The River’) of Daisy Jones & The Six.
Compared with other series on bands or singers of the past (admittingly non-fictional ones like the recent Pistols or Selena: The Series), Daisy Jones & The Six had a different take with an interview/commentary portion complimenting the story of the band’s formation and each member’s own journeys. With the interviewer off-screen, you witness their unloading in real-time, and all the revelations that come with the docu-style—like Billy’s alternate description of a recording session as “a nightmare” versus Daisy’s “probably the best day of my life”. Unlike anything out right now, it recalled this realistic ’70s era—an intrinsic part of the vibrancy of Daisy Jones.
Filming at these real locations like The Viper and The Whiskey gave authenticity to the entire series. Working in tandem (sets and style), Daisy Jones & The Six truly delved into ’70s LA. Behind costumes was Denise Wingate, who curated the looks to deviate from the stereotypical “’70s costume movie”. The authentic look mixed with the stylised editing (montages, quick pacing) complement each other in producing a visually-pleasing TV series that keeps you coming back.
Each band member added their own charm: Warren’s (Sebastian Chacon) comic-relief and idealism, Eddie’s (Josh Whitehouse) subtle combativeness and wit with quotes like “she’s been saying things I’ve been saying since ’69”, the intuitive and forth-right Karen (Suki Waterhouse), and finally, the hopeful Graham and creator of the original ‘Dunne Brothers’ (Will Harrison). Yet, Camila is the one truly transforming from page to screen. Tasked with emotional performances by the actress Camilla Monroe, they exude the up-and-down journey of following their own dream whilst battling with their partner’s rise to fame. Bound to the band and considered the sixth member (hence the naming of The Six), with the opening credits even showcasing Camila’s own photographs of the band, her part and presence remains integral, even when off-screen. Along with Keough and Claflin’s performances full of turbulence, sacrifice, and addiction, the performances across the cast held honesty and commitment to being a band.
Coming from a music dynasty herself, Riley Keough was formidable as the titular Daisy Jones—and in the words of Daisy, “more than a muse” for any character. Embodying her look with the bangs, trumpet sleeves, and Daisy’s desire for love and music; she also brought the vocals and the dominant presence required of a one-woman show joining a tight-knit band with a single-minded leader in Billy Dunne.
Paced perfectly, the tension came to a head with the final performances, showcasing the series’ main allure—the music. The evolution of the band over the course of the series gave every scene purpose, building to the big question—why did they break up?
The Verdict
The raw portrayal of addiction, sacrifice, domesticity, as well as the ups and downs of touring and fame offers a dense narrative. Yet, Daisy Jones & The Six maintains its pace with swift editing, key commentary in the interviews, and montage sequences of either the band’s success or the domestic peace. You encounter these flawed characters and the wreckage they launch, but the honest performances ultimately connect an audience with the characters. Jenkins Reid’s source material may have been the inspiration behind this series, but the performances, music, and ’70s immersion enable this adaptation to be a visual and audio delight.
Daisy Jones & The Six is out now on Amazon Prime Video.
Words by Annabel Smith
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