Daisy Jones and The Six, by Taylor Jenkins Reid, was one of my favorite reads during the pandemic. I was enthralled by the storytelling style, and characters, as well as the rise and fall of this fictional band. I also listened to the audiobook, which has a stellar cast and adds a different perspective. The story is read by Jennifer Beals (The L Word), Benjamin Bratt (Poker Face), Judy Greer (Reboot), and Pablo Schreiber (Halo)! How could it not?

So, when Prime Video announced a mini-series based on the acclaimed novel ecstatic, doesn’t cover it. I’ve been on top of all the news as casting for the series was announced, as well as the slow rollout of their PR campaign. The fact that they’re treating them like a real band and spending the time to write and perform songs is genius. All that said, does the series live up to the expectations I have in my head?

THE MUSIC OF DAISY JONES AND THE SIX: AURORA

Phoebe Bridgers, Madison Cunningham, Marcus Mumford, Jackson Browne, and Blake Mills do an amazing job at bringing the music of Daisy Jones and The Six to life. I will be listening to the album on repeat once it’s fully released.

You can hear the influence of bands like Fleetwood Mac, whose story is also an influence on the book. Personally, I find the similarities to be fun, but I understand if others disagree. 

“Aurora” is very much a take on Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumors” where the band isn’t really talking to each other. Instead, they’re writing songs about their feelings they can’t express just yet.

DAISY JONES AND THE SIX’S IMPECCABLE CASTING

When it comes to book adaptations, whether for film or television, there tends to be a lot of liberties taken. Some examples are casting, storytelling, or the writer wanting to piss off everyone. That said, when it comes to Daisy Jones and The Six, it’s almost perfectly done. 

First off, I need to talk about the incredible casting. Every character, with the exception of one, seems to have been ripped out of my head. My standout performance is from Camila Morrone (Valley Girl) who plays Billy’s wife, Camila. As the mother of the band, the woman willing to risk it all for her husband’s success is incredible. Every time she’s on the screen you can’t help but watch. Morrone adds so much to a character that’s easily glossed over in the novel, but she refuses to be left behind in the series.

Sam Claflin (The Hunger Games) as Billy Dunne is as charming, dark, and as brooding as I need him to be. Suki Waterhouse, while being an incredible musician already, is showing she is a powerhouse when it comes to acting as keyboardist Karen Sirko. Her chemistry with newcomer, sweet angel baby Will Harrison as Graham Dunne, is everything I needed and more!

Sebastian Chacon (Emergency) is fantastic as Warren Rojas (changed from Rhodes for the series). He adds charm, levity, and words of wisdom where it’s desperately needed. Josh Whitehead (The Knight Before Christmas) is the perfect green-eyed monster as Greg. Nabiyah Be (Black Panther) is exactly how I imagined Simone Jackson, Daisy’s supportive best friend. Tom Wright (Barbershop) is the perfect Teddy. 

WHAT THE ADAPTATION GETS RIGHT AND WHERE THE ADAPTATION GOES ASTRAY

While watching Daisy Jones and The Six I LOVED the first half. It felt like I was watching the book come to life while also fleshing out the characters I love even more. Karen and Graham’s story is even more heartbreaking than when I originally read it. Billy and Camila’s love is palpable and doesn’t feel like he’s settling in a way that the book made the original feel. 

However, once we get the band together things are still fun to watch, but they take a few liberties that I just don’t love. While Riley Keough (The Runaways) does a lovely job as Daisy Jones, there is something that holds her back from fully expressing the mess that Daisy truly is. I’m unsure if it’s the acting, writing, or the director’s refusal to allow her to be dirty from the beginning. Daisy is supposed to be a neglected child of the 70s who grew up on the sunset strip. She surrounds herself with musicians, drugs, and alcohol every day…and doesn’t hide it. She’s the girl who is a high-functioning addict, and even though she’s a mess–she still looks amazing.

However, in the series, there are too many scenes where she looks freshly showered, sober, and like your popular sister. Daisy starts at 100 and throughout the book series gets even wilder. In the show, she starts at a 10 and works her way to 100. So, while we eventually see her pop a pill in one episode, do a line in another, or drink from a bottle (oooo) in the series it’s not enough to sell the addicted and wildly talented character. Instead of it looking like progression, it reads more like fear of fully embracing the character or even a misunderstanding of addiction.

Without giving too much away, there’s a lot more added for Camila and Eddie. Even more so with the relationship between Billy and Daisy that I don’t love. The core of Billy’s character, for me, is old-school loyalty which basically gets thrown out the window. I’m also missing the manipulation between Niccolo and Daisy. 

After Billy rejects her…which is another change I won’t fully go into…she supposedly runs off and marries Niccolo. He is a monster who fills her with more illegal substances in order to keep her. That’s important when it comes to the downfall of her character in the pivotal moment where Billy saves her. 

DOES DAISY JONES AND THE SIX STICK THE LANDING?

I’m unsure why the series is afraid of fully embracing the dark side of the Daisy Jones character. In the end, she even has a lovely redeemable moment, which I actually did enjoy. The finale episode is a bit of a letdown. I wish we got a full concert instead of a choppy back-and-forth of what happened throughout the day. Personally, I find it kills the momentum of the story that they’ve been building since episode one.

That said, I did really enjoy the mini-series version of Daisy Jones and The Six. All the gripes are nitpicky and the hopes of perfect book adaptation – which doesn’t exist. Give it a watch and let me know what you think!

Daisy Jones and The Six premieres on Prime Video on Friday, March 3, 2023. New episodes will be released weekly.