Daisy Jones and the Six Review: Riley Keough, Sam Claflin’s Band Drama Is an Underwhelming Rock-Odyssey Drowned in Cliches (LatestLY Exclusive)

Daisy Jones and the Six Review: Partially inspired by Fleetwood Mac, Daisy Jones and the Six presents a rag to riches story that starts off very compelling. Showcasing the initiation of a band, I was swooped up in where the plot was going, only for it to let me down two episodes in. It’s not that Daisy Jones and the Six doesn’t revel in its drama; there is just a lot of familiarity that, regrettably, makes the narrative feel flat and small. Daisy Jones and The Six First Look: Riley Keough, Sam Claflin, Camila Morrone, Suki Waterhouse-Starrer to Premiere on Amazon Prime Video on March 3, 2023 (Watch Video).

Developed by Scott Neustadter and Michael H Weber, Daisy Jones and the Six is based on Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel of the same name. The show follows a rock band in the 1970s LA scene who disband after reaching their peak. Presented as a fictional documentary, we follow each band member as they give a count of their experiences and discuss what went wrong.

I'm a sucker for stories that highlight the formation of a band while focusing on the internal conflict. Add a love story on top, and you've got yourself a sure-fire hit. That’s what made Sing Street such a fun time. Daisy Jones and the Six has the love story but not the band drama, which makes the story seem a little small, even though there is potential for more exploration.

The band dynamic establishes itself fairly quickly. Billy Dunne (Sam Claflin), a frontman with huge ambitions, is joined by his brother Graham (Will Harrison) in forming a garage band in the hopes of becoming the best. From there on the first two episodes focus on the Six’s inception while also following Daisy Jones (Riley Keough), an out-of-control rockstar in the making. The majority of the cast does well, with their performances fitting right into the stereotype of what a musician would be back then.

Watch the Trailer for Daisy Jones and the Six:

The drama begins when Billy is paired with Daisy on the advice of their band manager. It's their relationship that serves as the show's focal point. Finding themselves in a love triangle with Dunne's girlfriend Camila (Camila Morrone), the central drama packs a punch that keeps viewers interested. It examines how the entertainment industry may fabricate a relationship to keep fans interested while also exploring how it may harm your loved ones. And when the heartbreak hits, it feels impactful because of the trio's performances.

This, however, leads to Daisy Jones and the Six's numerous issues. This is essentially the only conflict that the show emphasises, making the narrative feel thin. The band's central charm disappears, and they look to be an afterthought rather than a genuine part of the show halfway through. Instead of being Daisy Jones and the Six, it becomes Daisy Jones and the Billy Dunne Show.

Daisy Jones and the Six also contains many of the cliches that you've come to expect from shows and movies about bands. You have the formation of the band, them hitting their peak and fame getting in their heads, and that one event which topples down everything like a house of cards. I could predict the plot points at every turn, which took some of the urgency out of the series. I just wish there had been a little more done here because it reminded me a lot of Bohemian Rhapsody, and not in a good way. The Mandalorian Season 3 Premiere Review: Pedro Pascal’s Star Wars Series Makes an Underwhelming Return with a Filler Episode (LatestLY Exclusive).

On the music front though, Daisy Jones and the Six excels as the soundtrack becomes the best part of the series. This is an album with a diverse set of songs, involving talent such as Phoebe Bridgers and others to create an original soundtrack. It includes everything from rock to romantic songs and I already have them added to my daily playlists. Only if the show had the same level of consistency.

Yay!

The Soundtrack

Love Triangle

Nay!

Narrative Feels Small

Predictable Plot

Final Thoughts

Daisy Jones and the Six had a lot of potential, but it falls short by focusing solely on the love triangle and not the bigger picture. It has a solid foundation and some interesting performances, but it's ultimately a show that feels all style and no substance. Daisy Jones and the Six is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 03, 2023 07:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).