Sofia Bouma — Staff writer

Two years ago, when I first turned to the first page of Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, I was captivated. The interview format of the novel, the intricate relationships between characters, and the book’s message on what love is and what it should be, all contributed to my enthusiasm for the book. So, when Amazon Prime announced they had bought the rights to make the book into a ten-episode mini-series, I was very excited to tune in and see what the show would have in store.

The first three episodes of the new series premiered on March 3, just in time for spring break and my ten-hour car drive to Colorado. I watched the episodes in rapid succession, immediately hooked all over again by the story of The Six, a promising (though struggling) band, and how their path intersects with wild, beautiful Daisy Jones. This collision eventually leads them to become the most famous band of the 70s, releasing their first album, Aurora, to record-breaking success.

Despite the band’s promise, the viewer immediately knows their story will not have a happy ending. The very first episode opens with a series of clips of the band’s unplanned, final performance, and proceeds to reveal that the show, like the book, is told through a series of interviews with the former Daisy Jones and the Six band members, twenty years after their infamous break-up. These interviews ultimately serve to answer one question: why did a band so prolific call it quits at the peak of their success?

The compelling storyline is made even more so by the excellent actors cast within the show. Sam Claflin, king of book-to-movie adaptations, plays the difficult front man of The Six, Billy Dunne. Big blue-eyed, red-haired Daisy is played by Riley Keough, granddaughter of Elvis Presley, and judging from her beautiful vocals in the show, music might run in the family. The other cast members of The Six include Suki Waterhouse, Camila Morrone, Will Harrison, Josh Whitehouse, and Sebastian Chacon.

As you could probably expect from a show about a band, music is a major component throughout the story. Through various interviews, I discovered that each actor plays his or her own instrument (e.g. Suki Waterhouse on piano, Josh Whitehouse on bass). Each episode features several original songs, sung and played by the actors–these are released on Spotify as playlists, keeping the audience actively engaged with the story they’re watching unfold.

The design elements of the show draw the viewer in just as much as the acting. As you view your screen, you are thrown full-throttle into the free-spirited 70s, shown through color schemes and costumes. You’ll find denim, flowy fabrics, and different textures galore. The only downside to this show’s fun style may very well be a resurgence in the popularity of bell-bottoms (I sincerely hope it doesn’t).

New episodes of Daisy Jones and the Six are being released gradually every Thursday of March. Considering that the first three episodes have already included self-destructive tour life, relationships, and some killer songs, it’s safe to say that the show can only get more interesting from here. And, if the show will follow the trajectory of the book, buckle on to your seatbelts, folks. The band break-up of Daisy Jones and the Six is going to be a wild ride.

Contributed photo