DAISY JONES & THE SIX Review: The Prime Video Adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Novel Soars

I first became enamored with the world of DAISY JONES & THE SIX in 2019, after hearing the (incredible) audiobook.

The Taylor Jenkins Reid novel reflects on the rise and fall of Daisy Jones & The Six, a doomed ‘70s rock group who are thrown together by a producer who can sense The Six—led by Billy Dunne—and Daisy could help each other’s music out. And with the story being told as an oral history, the audiobook (which was led by Jennifer Beals, Pablo Schreiber, Benjamin Bratt, and Judy Greer) added an extra kick, as the characters got to reflect on the highs and lows of their time together.

So when it came time for the Prime Video series, I was simultaneously elated and absolutely terrified. I had already fallen in love with a cast via the audiobook. (Jenkins Reid is an executive producer on the series and has jokingly called it her “grandchild.”) It’s easy to talk about an incredible album, but having to produce it is a whole other issue. And there were some moments in the book which seemed like they would be a real, real challenge to translate with the same effectiveness on-screen.

But—thankfully—after watching all ten episodes of DAISY JONES & THE SIX, I’m obsessed with this world all over again.

The series bows on Friday, March 3 with the first three episodes (three episodes also drop on March 10, with March 17 and 24 being two installments each), and largely sets up the earliest days of Daisy (Riley Keough) and Billy’s (Sam Claflin) musical careers.

Keough and Claflin play off each other beautifully, both on stage and when Daisy and Billy are trying to figure out how they can work with each other. Their chemistry is gorgeous and compelling, and many of the show’s best moments are when Keough and Claflin are center stage; I got literal chills the first time Billy and Daisy sang together.

But they aren’t alone. The cast—which also includes Camila Morrone, Suki Waterhouse, Nabiyah Be, Will Harrison, Josh Whitehouse, Sebastian Chacon, Tom Wright, and Timothy Olyphant—is fantastic, bringing great depth to the series, as well as a bit of unexpected humor.

And, of course, the music. Even if the show had been incredible, if the music had been forgettable, it would have taken you out of the experience. Well, it’s almost embarrassing how many times I’ve already listened to “Look at Us Now (Honeycomb)” and “Regret Me,” the first two released songs from the AURORA album…and how fast I would buy tickets to a real-life concert. The music, in general, plays incredibly in the series (frequently as a background for the band’s drama), but it also stands on its own outside of it.

But, yes, of course, there are changes from the book. There would have to be. And, for what it’s worth, virtually all of them work for me. Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, who developed the show for television, plus Will Graham, who is co-showrunning alongside Neustadter, do a really great job of taking what’s important for/to the story and bringing it to the series, while also not being overly committed to translating every single moment, beat by beat. (Sorry to book character Pete, who is not in the television show.)

As someone who has been waiting almost four years for this show, I loved it. I’m so glad to live in this world again, and, honestly, can’t wait to find time to watch it again.

DAISY JONES & THE SIX, Series Premiere, Friday, March 3, Prime Video

RELATED:

• DAISY JONES AND THE SIX: Daisy and Billy Duet on ‘Honeycomb’ in New Trailer
• DAISY JONES & THE SIX: Watch the Music-Filled Teaser Trailer for the New Prime Video Series
• DAISY JONES & THE SIX: Prime Video Sets March Debut, Release First Photos
• Y: THE LAST MAN, DAISY JONES & THE SIX and Ten More Books to Catch Up on Before They’re Adapted for TV
• DAISY JONES & THE SIX: Amazon Bosses on the Original Songs, the Search for Billy
• DAISY JONES & THE SIX: Jennifer Beals, Judy Greer Open to Appearing in Amazon Adaptation

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