‘Daisy Jones & The Six’ is a godsend for music lovers. Based on Taylor Jenkins Reid’s 2019 book, the story follows a fictional rock group from the 1970s. The band is inspired in part by Fleetwood Mac, but there are enough distinctions to set this show apart from a biographical story. What makes this story so distinctive is that both the book and series use a documentary/interview framing device that gives the characters a sense of realism. The use of different filming techniques also adds age to the piece. The 70s portions are warm and sepia-toned, while the documentary commentary, set twenty years later, has a lined quality to the screen. These flashforward scenes ask the viewer to take what’s said with a grain of salt. This distancing technique also allows the characters to reflect on and add insight into past behaviors. The show uses frequent namedrops and needle drops to incorporate the culture of the 70s LA music scene. While there has recently been a saturation of movies and shows about musicians, there are outstanding qualities here that give this show an invigorating edge over similar content.
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Inside the Band
It goes without saying that one of the most important aspects of a show is the quality of the characters and actors. The main stars of the cast include Elvis Presley’s granddaughter, Riley Keough, and Sam Claflin of The Hunger Games. As Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne, respectively, their star-making qualities allow them to captivate the audience. Riley Keough, in particular, plays Daisy with a fierce drive that brings her character to life. Her impulsive nature never feels tiring or stereotypical. Sam Claflin’s Billy is a more guarded character whose facial expressions convey a deeper emotional life. Their singing abilities add an extra layer of respect for the actors and their talents. The tunes, written in part by singer-songwriters Phoebe Bridgers, Marcus Mumford, Jackson Browne, and Madison Cunningham, are catchy enough to earn a spot on your current playlist. They don’t feel like direct copies of songs from the era, nor like parody songs that feel dated.
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The other members of the band act as the voices of reason to the troubled lead performers. Suki Waterhouse plays Karen Sirko, the cool and collected pianist, and Will Harrison is Graham Dunne, Billy’s sweet younger brother. Camilla Morrone plays Billy’s devoted and creative wife, Camilla. Timothy Olyphant brings humor and edge as Rod Reyes, the opinionated tour manager who helps get the band on its feet. Tom Wright appears as Teddy Price, the group’s manager and legendary producer. Nabiyah Be plays Simone Jackson, one of Daisy’s early confidantes and a disco singer in her own right. These supporting characters help provide insight into the emotional and creative dynamics of the band as it grows and evolves.
This show includes the familiar themes often seen in stories like this: sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll play important roles. However, these elements never feel tired or over-exaggerated. They are especially poignant given the unique stakes and relationships the characters navigate. This is due in part to the fast-paced nature in which these behaviors begin and escalate. While the story reinforces the wild and chaotic temperaments of its characters, the way Daisy and Billy turn to these substances doesn’t necessarily serve as a cautionary tale.
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Story Tropes
These story tropes can be compared to the ways recent films like Elvis and Rocketman depict larger-than-life rock stars with similar trajectories. In all of these pieces of media, the music is what drives and reflects the characters’ emotions. The new songs created for the show respond to the characters’ emotional states, but since they’re original, it never feels like a jukebox musical where songs are shoehorned in to match plot points. Perhaps what allows this deeper exploration of the characters is the fact that they are fictional. Because of this, there’s freedom to explore choices and mistakes without the constraints of real-life legacies. In contrast, biopics about musicians may not always be as thorough due to the sensitive nature of portraying actual people and respecting their families’ sensibilities.
Another element that sets the show apart is the medium in which the story is told. Daisy Jones & The Six was released in batches of three episodes on Fridays on Amazon Prime. This allows the story to unfold in a controlled, paced manner. Instead of cramming a life story into one or two hours, the audience gets to witness the gradual growth and development of the characters. Films often skip over the songwriting process to focus on the performers’ personas, but this show gives that process ample space. It reveals a lot about the temperament and style of the band members and strips away the glitz of performance to reveal the people behind the music.
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The Power of Perspective
Another strength of the series is the way it incorporates personal bias. The framing device of the mockumentary format allows for multiple versions of the same events to be shown or hinted at. This storytelling choice mirrors how real-life memories are often colored by emotion, personal growth, or lingering regret. It’s a smart and effective way of immersing the viewer in the character’s inner worlds without relying on heavy exposition.
Daisy and Billy’s creative tension becomes the focal point of the band’s success and turmoil. Their chemistry is electric but also fraught with jealousy, insecurity, and miscommunication. Rather than glamorizing their struggle, the show highlights the damage they do to themselves and others. It’s not just a story about fame or the price of success; it’s also about addiction, healing, and forgiveness. The way the show treats Camilla’s role is another example of its nuance. Camilla is not just a side character or a victim of the band’s chaos. She has her own arc, ambitions, and emotional depth. Her presence adds complexity to Billy’s decisions and helps ground the show in a more realistic emotional framework.
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Conclusion
What stands out about this show is the clear passion beaming from the screen. The love for music and the creative process comes through strongly. The attention to set design, costume, soundtrack, and cinematography shows a clear intent to immerse the audience in the characters’ world and mindset. The actors bring an excited, intrepid, and tough energy that invites viewers to stay with them on the journey. These characters also share similarities with other musicians of the era, allowing audiences to draw connections to real-life figures and experiences. However, it never feels like a one-to-one copy of another band’s story. That’s what makes it so compelling: viewers can recognize the warning signs and possible trajectories ahead for the band while still feeling like they’re watching something new. These fresh characters breathe new life into a well-trodden subject.
Cast and Crew of ‘Daisy Jones & The Six’
- Riley Keough as Daisy Jones
- Sam Claflin as Billy Dunne
- Camila Morrone as Camila Dunne
- Suki Waterhouse as Karen Sirko
- Will Harrison as Graham Dunne
- Nabiyah Be as Simone Jackson
- Timothy Olyphant as Rod Reyes
- Tom Wright as Teddy Price
- Created by: Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber
- Based on the book by: Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Music by: Blake Mills, with contributions from Phoebe Bridgers, Marcus Mumford, Jackson Browne, and Madison Cunningham
By Julia Caldwell
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Julia Caldwell believes that writing is an important way to foster debate and discussion. She is passionate about fairness and research when reporting on the entertainment industry . The Hollywood Insider’s dedication to ethics based reporting highly aligns with her values. She is dedicated to making media relevant to real life and what can be appreciated from different kinds of content.
Julia Caldwell believes that writing is an important way to foster debate and discussion. She is passionate about fairness and research when reporting on the entertainment industry . The Hollywood Insider’s dedication to ethics based reporting highly aligns with her values. She is dedicated to making media relevant to real life and what can be appreciated from different kinds of content.
