Rating: 4 out of 5 Fictional Rock Bands
Julia McGrath ’23
Staff Writer
Based on the popular novel of the same name, the miniseries Daisy Jones and the Six chronicles the rise and fall of a ’70s rock band in a documentary-style format. The first three episodes, which premiered on March 3, initially center around two separate storylines: that of the titular singer-songwriter Daisy Jones, and an up-and-coming rock band led by brothers Graham and Billy Dunne. The two narratives eventually meet in the middle, but this setup excels in making the viewer get attached to Daisy and Billy as individuals before putting them in the same scene.
At first, Billy’s story seems to have more depth to it, but don’t be fooled; Daisy’s journey is just as entertaining. Actress Riley Keough’s performance as Daisy is just as bold and bubbly as the character was on the page. There’s a great quote from the book that’s repurposed in the first episode that, thanks to Keough, really nails who Daisy is and what she wants to do. After a one-night-stand steals one of the songs she was working on, another guy Daisy’s seeing calls her his muse. Daisy is rightfully offended by this, saying: “I’m not interested in being anybody’s muse. […] I’m the somebody.” That outburst gives her the motivation to play one of her songs out loud for the first time. Using that quote as a turning point in Daisy’s story is a great choice on the writers’ part, since it was originally a more passive afterthought in the novel.
At the same time that Daisy is finding herself in LA, Billy is just getting his start across the country in Pittsburgh. Not long after they start booking gigs, Billy falls in love with the charming girl-next-door Camila, who, when interviewed about when they met, admits she pretended not to know who he was. As Billy and Camila’s relationship progresses into a marriage, The Six’s success skyrockets. They go from playing weddings and grad parties to moving to LA, recording a debut album and scoring a national tour. Because of everything happening so fast, Billy begins struggling with addiction. He falls so far off the deep end, going as far as to cheat on Camila, that he misses the birth of his daughter Julia. Six months later, Billy comes home from rehab with a canceled tour and a strained relationship with Camila. He quits the band and devotes himself to being a good husband and father.
As depressing as Billy and Camila’s story is, it probably wouldn’t be as compelling if Hunger Games actor Sam Claflin and newcomer Camila Morrone weren’t playing them. Their chemistry is undeniable, and Claflin is the right mix of earnest and angsty for Billy to be likable despite everything he did. Their relationship is one the viewer wants to work out, which becomes more complicated once Daisy joins the band.
When Daisy hears Billy’s new song “Honeycomb” and attempts to rewrite it, she ends up meeting Billy and getting the Six back in the studio. Their first meeting is underwhelming, since it flashes so quickly to Daisy and Billy’s future selves that the viewer doesn’t really process what’s happening. But once they start singing together, it all comes into place. They sound amazing together, which becomes a problem once Billy realizes he’s attracted to her. The third episode ends with Billy listening to “Honeycomb” while on the phone with Camila, calling the studio session a “nightmare.”
Even though this love triangle is a core part of the series’ plot, the rest of the band members have their fair share of screen time as well. Billy’s younger brother Graham has unrequited feelings for Karen, the band’s keyboardist, bassist Eddie resents Billy for his status as the band’s unofficial leader, and drummer Warren is just happy to be here. Together they not only make great music, they also are an entertaining group of people to watch offstage. It’s enough to make a person wish this band were real.
Daisy Jones and the Six is available to watch on Amazon Prime for $12.99 a month. The band’s album Aurora is available to stream on Spotify for $9.99 a month and on Apple Music for $4.99 a month.
