I never read the book for Daisy Jones & The Six so I had no expectations going in. I only had the trailers to go by and even after watching them I went back and forth about watching this. The reviews were all mostly great so I thought I'd give it a chance and I'm so glad I did. I loved every minute of this series and thought each episode got better and better. The chemistry between the cast is what makes this show go. The love triangle can get a little soapy at times but it still remains entertaining throughout the series. Like a lot of the reviews have already pointed out this band has a very Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac feel to them. Even though I wasn't born yet from everything I know I think the show portrayed the 70's well. I'm also a huge music fan of all genres and all era's and thought this represented music from the 70's well too. It's one of the greatest era's of music and this fits right in. If you're looking for a new show to binge then give this one a chance. You won't be disappointed.
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8/10
Really Good!
Warning: Spoilers
I'm actually surprised by how much I enjoyed Daisy Jones & The Six. It's about a band in the 1970's that go from nothing to one of the hottest bands in the world after their first single goes
1. They then suddenly break up after a show and after decades apart they get back together. This shows the story what happened and it's absolutely fascinating. I thought the cast [led by Sam Claflin, Timothy Olyphant, Riley Keough, Camila Morrone and Suki Waterhouse] all do a terrific job bringing this story to life. This show kind of reminds me of the movie Almost Famous which is a classic. I'm amazed at how good the music in this series was too. They all did their own vocals and played their own instruments and ended up sounding as good as a real band. The album for the movie is actually Top 5 in real life right now. I would definitely recommend this show to any music lover.
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9/10
Almost perfect really
If you're a fan you don't have to read anything to know Daisy Jones and The Six borrowed quite a bit from Fleetwood Mac. And I find myself unable to review this series without reference to them. I think that's fair because it would impossible to make nostalgic music dramas without being heavily influenced by those [Rock Pop] bands which dominated that era.
It's basically a fictional version of that documentary about the making of [F Mac album] 'Rumours', including emotionally charged compositions and lyrical battles between band members, who are all to some extent entangled in the intensity. It's the classic love/hate story that produces some very fine music. If you've been in bands - especially on the road - you'll know how all this could happen.
The reason that's more than ok is because The Six do actually have the great songs. Maybe not as enduringly massive as F-Mac's but still, you can believe that they would have had success.
Riley Keogh is fabulous and more than equivalent to represent Stevie Nicks' dulcet tones. Billy is not as edgy as Lindsay Buckingham but that's OK. They even have the classy English girl on keyboards, although Suki Waterhouse's character Karen isn't the singer/songwriter that Christine McVie was. A less memorable bassist [sorry, John]. And let's hear it for the ubiquitous fun-loving drummer!
It was funny, dramatic, authentic and a good story - and there were sufficient loose ends, as there are in life. Another IMDb user reviewer wrote about how the events may not be quite as we see them, and that's really worth considering.
Highly recommended for Pop music fans and hopeless romantics.
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Authentic to how music groups came together in the 1960s and 1970s.
This is the type of series that you can't fully appreciate unless you have seen it all. Keep that in mind when reading the negative comments. My wife and I watched all 10 episodes and we both enjoyed it as interesting fiction. We both were teenagers during the 1960s and we understand how rocky the road was for many groups getting together then staying together. Few of them, if any, had a smooth existence without difficult internal drama among band members. This roughly 8-hours of programming does a good job of portraying the highs and lows of a typical band. This is fiction but from what I have learned over the years, about how now-famous bands got together back in the 1960s and early 1970s, it seems very authentic.
In the very first episode we are told that the band, 'Daisy Jones and the Six', performed their last concert in Chicago in 1977. And that no one could have foreseen that. The middle episodes, two through nine, develop the characters and the progression of the band, through studio recording and road concerts. It is done in a style where each [now former] band member is interviewed on video some years after 1977. I'd estimate the mid 1990s. So most of the story is told in a type of flashback to earlier times.
First there are two brothers and a few friends from Pittsburgh who decide to form a band. They play a number of local gigs but are going nowhere, until someone suggests that they go west, to the Los Angeles area, the melting pot and hot spot for the formation of music groups. So they did, naively thinking that it would be straightforward. They quickly found out it wasn't.
A parallel story is that of Daisy, growing up in the Los Angeles area. She has always enjoyed music from a very young age, would sing along with recordings, but was never encouraged. So she struck it out alone when she turned 18. Episode three is devoted to how Daisy and the band "The Six" were able to meet for the first time, through a music producer, and make their first recording together.
The last episode, number ten, brings everything full circle and has a series of stories about each surviving member, mostly positive stories about how they were able to sort out their lives and achieve happiness. Riley Keough [about 33] and Sam Claflin [about 36] are each really good and authentic in their roles as Daisy and Billy. Although neither had been a "singer" before this production, each did their own singing and are as good as they needed to be for the era portrayed.
All in all a very successful Amazon Prime drama series. Elvis would be proud.
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9/10
An Adaptation That Makes the Story Whole
Throughout this month, Amazon Prime has been promoting the miniseries adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid's beloved novel "Daisy Jones & the Six." Advertisements for the show and its music have shown up on social media. Depending how one feels about the novel and, more importantly, Amazon, this can be a wonderful or a highly annoying thing. I watched all 10 episodes over a four-week period, and viewer, it was worth it because it made the story whole.
Developed by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, the show is a faithful adaptation of the book, but just like any other adaptations, there are some differences between. Vanity Fair already has an article listing them in great detail, so what I'm going to do is cover the important alterations from page to screen and how that affects the adaptation. The biggest change from the book to the show is the framework. In the former, it's an oral history of the Fleetwood Mac-like 70s band from cradle to the grave. While this was a good framing device, I couldn't help but feel that something was missing given that Reid had lyrics for each of the songs from the "Aurora" album listed in the book club kit. In the series, the framework is a documentary of the group with "archival" footage. This improves the story because not only does it show what the band was like and how they interacted with each other, but it also allows listeners to hear what their music was like. I especially love how the interviewees react to what another person says about them. It felt authentic.
Another drastic alteration between the page and the screen version is the lyrics. With the exception of the song "Please," the ones that show up in the book club kit are different from the ones that are heard in the series. The most famous line from the book version of "Regret Me" that goes "And, baby, when you think of me/I hope it ruins rock 'n' roll" was omitted from the miniseries.
I'm not sure why this happened, yet I wouldn't be shocked if the reason was to make them suited to the music musicians Blake Mills, Tony Berg, Chris Weisman, Jackson Browne, Marcus Mumford of the band Mumford & Sons, and book nerd Phoebe Bridgers were composing. The book lyrics can be a bit wordy, but then again, there are songs that are just like that from artists like I don't know Fleetwood Mac. The ones from the show feel more secondary compared to the music despite their importance, given how much the series emphasizes the tension between Billy and Daisy through their songwriting.
Another set of major changes for the Amazon Prime adaptation involve the omission and expansion of some characters. On one side, the bassist Pete was cut, and Eddie filled that role after Chuck decided to go to school to become a dentist [as opposed to going to Vietnam to fight and dying there in the book]. The reason was that Pete didn't contribute too much to the plot. Although it felt weird to have five members while still calling themselves The Six [they made Billy's wife Camila the unofficial sixth member], I honestly don't remember a whole lot about Pete. It was for the best, for it gives Eddie another reason to feel like a second-class citizen within the band.
On the other hand, Symone - Daisy's friend who becomes a disco pioneer - is greatly expanded in the series. According to the Vanity Fair article, Reid, who also was a producer for the show, mentioned that she wanted Symone to be more developed. In the novel, she functions as Daisy's friend, not much more. In the series, Symone [played by Nabiyah Be] is given her own subplot as she tries to find her own voice as a gay black woman. She goes to New York City after she meets Bernie - a black female deejay - in Los Angeles and experiences the ups and downs of trying to be successful while staying true to one's self. This gets covered in about two episodes. It was really good to explore a story involving the true pioneers of disco - LGBTQIA+ members of color. In addition, it fits the overall story because it explores a running theme present both in the book and the show - female agency and validating one's self.
Outside of the chemistry between Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne, the main draw of the show is the 70s-bluesy-style rock music. I've listened to the "Aurora" album - the "Daisy Jones & the Six"'s version of Fleetwood Mac's iconic "Rumors" LP - a few times, and it's good. Some of it feels like the 2010s' perception of what 1970s music sounds like, especially with The Black Keys-like distorted guitars. I wouldn't be shocked if that was the case because Blake Mills, Marcus Mumford, and Phoebe Bridgers are musicians who experienced success in the 2010s. In addition, Riley Keough [who plays Daisy] is a bit drowned out in the mixing. Considering that Daisy is the main reason for The Six's success, one might try to emphasize that in the real album of the fake band. The best tracks evoked a more authentic interpretation of 1970s rock 'n' roll and have proper mixing when it comes to Daisy's voice. This most likely has to do with the fact that two of the musicians involved Tony Berg [who was a session guitarist on many albums like "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" LP] and Jackson Browne were alive and working in the 1970s. My favorite tracks are "Let Me Down Easy," "The River," "Regret Me," and "Look at Us Now [Honeycomb]."
As for the performances, I liked all of the actors cast in the show. They embodied the best and worst parts of their characters. Sam Clafin [best known for his performances in "Me Before You" and as Fiddnick Odair in the "The Hunger Games" film series] plays Billy Dunne - the lead singer and songwriter for The Six. I enjoyed seeing his struggle between his personal and professional life. At the same time, he can be very stubborn, in which Clafin conveys well. At first, I wasn't a fan of his singing voice; it felt a little too nasally. But overtime, I realized that this fits the music Billy is creating for The Six and that Jackson Browne - one of the musicians involved in the real "Aurora" album - has a similar tone. I also was delighted whenever Riley Keough [who's known for her performances in "Mad Max: Fury Road," "American Honey," and "Logan Lucky"] came on the screen as Daisy. The character can be tough to play because one has to embody her faults, why she became the way she did, and what makes her special as a musician. And, Keough does that well enough, yet I'll always hear Jennifer Beals from the audiobook as Daisy's real voice. I also can't avoid talking about Keough's singing since she is Elvis's granddaughter. She sounds like a raspy Taylor Swift, especially on "Regret Me, and it works well with the music produced.
The strongest performance belongs to Josh Whitehouse who takes on the role as Eddie Roundtree the bassist. Whitehouse - most notably for playing Hugh Armitage in the third and fourth seasons of "Poldark" - clearly conveys his character as disgruntled with what's been given to him despite trying to be a team player. The confrontation that Eddie has with Billy about quitting the band is rightfully memorable, but the quieter moments are what make Whitehouse's performance special. This is especially true when Eddie in the interview segment of the first episode reveals that he had feelings for Camila without saying a word [this was also not in the book].
Another effective aspect of the performances is that all of the actors have great chemistry with one another. Since the story is about what leads up to the breakup of an uber-successful band, it's important for the actors to communicate not only the tension, but also the love and why they stayed together for so long. And, all of the actors do that. They always feel comfortable around one another, especially in the scene in the diner, where The Six decide on their name. And yes, the chemistry between Keough and Clafin was undeniably good. They played off each other well, whether they are at each other's throats, or are working amicably. I especially love the glances the actors give to each other during the recording session and concert scenes.
Despite my praise, I have a couple of complaints. One is obviously the wigs, particularly the ones used during the interview segments. They kind of look ridiculous, especially Timothy Oliphant's [who plays Rod the tour manager] and they don't make the actors look any older than their 70s counterparts. Luckily, those are compensated because they convey the world-weariness that comes with years of touring and reflecting on what happened through their body language and the tone of their voice.
The other complaint that I have is that I wish that the show explored more of Graham and Karen's relationship [played by Will Harrison and Suki Waterhouse]. Yes, I know the show devotes two episodes to them coming to terms about their feelings for one another and another two episodes to their breakup brought on by Karen's pregnancy scare. Yet, those segments needed some transition like a scene involving them talking about what they want to live their lives and how they see themselves as a couple because it felt like everything was going very well until Karen got pregnant. Considering how the show highlights Billy and Daisy's relationship, the one between Symone and Bernie [one that's not present in the book], and Eddie's resentment of his place in the band in ten episodes, I feel that it could've fleshed out Graham and Karen's relationship more.
All in all, the Amazon Prime series "Daisy Jones & the Six" is an adaptation that makes the novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid feel whole. Although it's not perfect, I still enjoyed the music and performances. Moreover, it made changes to bring to life a story that definitely needed to be seen and heard as well as read. Like with the book, I would recommend it to those who love 1960s and 1970s music and female protagonists who take charge of their destinies. It was worth seeing Daisy Jones & the Six's assets on full display in the miniseries.
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8/10
When Reviewers Misunderstand Ratings
There is far too often, among a select group of reviewers, a belief that if a single aspect of a film or series isn't to their taste, it immediately deserves a 1. "I really just don't like that supporting role actress. I'm grumpy this morning, giving it a 1."
This group does not comprehend film craft in the slightest. There are, especially these days with ever-increasing cinematography enhancements, a widening range of facets to every production. From sound track, editing, lighting, costumes, scripting, dialogue delivery, all the way through to CGI, the amount that goes into any production is multi-faceted. Multi, multi-faceted. Not all of them need to be reviewed, but they should be considered as part of the package. To critique a film or series based on one or two aspects is displaying evidentiary lack of understanding.
Daisy Jone and the Six may have an attribute or two that a reviewer doesn't particularly enjoy, but it most definitely doesn't merit a 1. The soundtrack alone should raise it to a mid-level rating.
As to how I view this series--it is entertaining and reminiscent of times when FM radio was new and edgy, when Firesign Theater came on at midnight. It has nuanced characters, with a storyline realistic enough for those of us who lived in Los Angeles in the sixties and seventies, and the music tracks elicit fond memories of the early clubs. And yes, I went to the Troubadour and The Golden Bear. And having gone to Berkeley, I saw more concerts at Filmore West and Cow Palace than most.
So . . . Keep in mind that there are hundreds of people who have dedicated time and skills to most productions. Keep it real, and don't let your singular disagreements cloud your judgement.
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10/10
Unmissable brilliance
It's actually hard to write a review that does this justice. You'll fall in love with each and every character, yes. The story is compelling and whilst the end is revealed at the start, in no way will you see the end for what it really is. The script is spot on every step of the way and the acting faultless. The music is as much a part of the experience of course and I've certainly added a few tracks to my collection thanks to the series, so it can't be all that bad!!
Do yourself a favour and watch this, end to end and don't miss or skip anything because in the end, you'll need to really have felt every jarring moment, if you want to really feel the end as you bloody well should.
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9/10
A captivating and nostalgic tribute to 70s rock 'n' roll
The series stars Riley Keough as Daisy Jones, a beautiful and rebellious singer-songwriter who joins forces with The Six, a group led by Billy Dunne [Sam Claflin], a charismatic and talented frontman who struggles with addiction and family issues. Together, they create some of the most iconic songs of their era, such as "Aurora" and "Honeycomb", but also face conflicts, rivalries, romances and betrayals that threaten to tear them apart.
Daisy Jones & The Six is a compelling and immersive portrayal of the seduction and turmoil of rock 'n' roll in 1970s America. It captures the spirit and sound of that decade with an authentic production design, costumes, makeup and music. It also features stellar performances from the cast, especially Keough and Claflin, who have great chemistry and convey the complex emotions of their characters.
The series also explores themes such as artistry, creativity, fame, love, friendship, identity and feminism in a nuanced and engaging way. It does not shy away from showing the dark side of the music industry or the personal demons that haunt some of the characters. It also pays homage to real-life bands such as Fleetwood Mac without being derivative or clichéd.
This miniseries is a captivating and nostalgic tribute to 70s rock 'n' roll that will make you feel like you are part of their journey.
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8/10
Mostly Entertaining 70's Time Capsule
Good nostalgia trip if you lived through the era. The meteoric rise and subsequent crash of a FICTIONAL 70's R&R band, complete with the drugs and sex drama that seemed to define the bands of the period. Some have said this is based on Fleetwood Mac, I'll confess I don't know enough about their history. However it appears that Riley Keough, playing Daisy Jones, the lead singer and lyricist of most of their tunes, on Stevie Nicks as she performs on stage, right down to her costuming and constant twirling. There are 10 episodes in this, only a couple fall flat. Only one big star in this, Timothy Olyphant [Justified, Deadwood] He's a terrific actor, but has very little to do in this, playing a tour manager. The final episode is the only one he has much of a part in. Sounds like an easy paycheck.
There's quite a bit of criticism about the quality of the music, which was all original. That's the tough part about making this a fictional band. My credit to the song writers, I wouldn't call the material great but it was passable. The story had a decent finish.
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9/10
Spectacular very worthy of nominations!
I absolutely love the music and cast I'm a huge fan of Riley Keogh! One of the best of Emmy series I enjoy anything based around oldies music besides the directing is very good engaging and stays entertaining throughout. I've enjoyed Riley Keogh the last decade in numerous films I'm glad she's getting more known/nominated for her wonderful acting! I forgot how enjoyable some of the music is there's times where I'm really into 70's and 80's music it's comforting even at 30 almost 31. Sam Calflin is pretty good I don't like him Nightingale but he's awesome in Hunger Games sequels glad he's doing well with an awesome series like this I very much recommend it.
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6/10
Flawless vibes, terrible adaptation
Ok so having finished the show now, if I was going to review this as a lover of 70s music and fashion and Fleetwood Mac I'd be giving it a 10/10. The whole atmosphere and aesthetic is perfect.
The costumes are incredible, with each character having their own unique style, I will be saving half of the outfits to my Pinterest for sure.
The music is also great, the songs are catchy and a particular shoutout to whoever wrote the guitar parts, if you'd told me that those parts were written by Lindsey Buckingham himself I'd have believed you.
However, as a fan of the book, I'm so disappointed. I'm usually very chilled about them making changes in adaptations. I get that you have to change things to make things fit for TV. And I will say that the casting was amazing, all the actors were fantastic and exactly how I'd imagined them in the book, a lot of things were taken word-for-word from the book and for the first 5 or 6 episodes I was absolutely loving the show!
But if felt to me like there was just a fundamental misunderstanding of the point of the book and that's what makes it fail as an adaptation for me. The book is a story about addiction that uses a romance as a metaphor for temptation, whereas the show is a generic romance plot about people who do drugs.
And the worst crime of all, what did they do to Camila?? Camila in the book is a stabilising force, a quiet strength that acts as the glue to keep everyone together where in the show they've turned her into a cheaply written jealous wife. Where is her trust for her husband? Where is her belief in Daisy? Where is the scene that acts as emotional climax of the book?? I'm so baffled by what they decided to do with this narrative. Can we have a do-over that does justice to the book's most interesting character please?
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9/10
I'M IN LOVE WITH ELVIS' GRANDDAUGHTER!
Riley Keough is incredibly captivating in her "I don't give a crap" role. Yes, the story is common. Having just watched "George and Tammy" on Showtime, the similarities are undeniable. The average person who would kill to be a rock/country star doesn't understand how those who've made it big can let it all slip through their fingers... and yet it does. I didn't grow up in SoCal in the 70's, so I can't speak to the depiction of that vibe. But having grown up in the 70's, it feels genuine enough to me. The stories of The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac [the two supergroups of the era] come to mind. The acting is wonderful. Costumes are great. The songs are good enough. And Raylon Givens is the road manager! What more could you ask for? Three episodes in and I'm thoroughly into it! Friday can't get here fast enough.
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8/10
Good Nostalgic Drama
I ate up the first three episodes last night. Kept thinking of Fleetwood Mac, and maybe a bit of Jefferson Airplane if there are any comparisons. I think this show will mainly attract an older crowd, or simply music lovers.
The show starts in the sixties when all the members are kids and progresses until the two forces [band and Keough's character] finally unite around '74, which is around about when Mac had their success when Nicks and Buckingham joined.
\====Rewriting rest of review now that I've completed the series After completion, my rating for this series is as strong as ever. Just an overall very enjoyable series following the highs and lows of a '70s supergroup and their internal disintegration at the height of the fame [well actually they probably could have achieve much more]. We know from the beginning of the first episode that things are not going to go wells simply as we are told just that in text. It's how we arrive to the fateful point that is...well..the point.
I've not read the book and, honestly, I'd take most negative reviews from readers of the book with a grain of salt - and I think plenty of book readers enjoyed this too. IMO, the show is a very solid rock drama that filled a void for me that I did not even know existed.
The revelation for me was Riley Keogh. I know who she "is" and I've seen her in several things before, but nothing that really highlighted her true talent [and up to this point I thought her talent might be quite limited]. She really shines as Daisy with increasing intensity and diversity as the show progresses. My only complaint is how the character is written in her younger years compared to say the bands development. Daisy is assumed to have talent but does basically nothing at all - other than mainly personal dramas - until she is united with the band. Of course, when they unite it is magic. I just though that Daisy should have had at least some minor success as a musician before the band.
The band sub-plots are interesting and entertaining though not nearly as developed. However, they all serve a specific purpose toward the ultimate disintegration, of which I was a bit surprised. The reasons for the implosion are not quite what you may thinking early on.
The key point I want to make here though is that there is more to this "Daisy and the Six" than just the drama. It's a story about the time, the music and how music - and especially songs - are made and wrapped up in the surrounding drama and experiences rather than just being clinical. Brilliant bands have come and gone in a snap, while some have endured for decades. I believe the point here is that for some of these short-lived magical bands it is not just one thing that leads to a break-up.
Anyway, the fate of the band is clearly not going to end well. This is not a spoiler and transparent from the first second, and the trailer. However, the ending throws in a couple of surprises and shock that are both emotional and yet give us something to hold on to as well.
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7/10
Mostly successful, but slightly disappointing, too
This is a pretty successful adaptation of a pretty great book, and pretty phenomenal audiobook. More than any other adaptation I can think of, though, it also had the potential to transcend the source material because of the oral history format it's written in, and the benefit of being audio video, so you can hear the music discussed in the novel. Music that is supposed to be a fictional best all-time record of the late 70s, while also being a behind-the-music format. I don't think it fully succeeds at that, unfortunately.
The songs are fine, the chemistry is fine. The beats are similar but somewhat tweaked, presumably to make it fit a 10 episode format, which puffs it up and reassembles when the really important pacing and interesting aspects of an other pretty commercial standard book drop, which makes the show stumble from time to time. It takes a long while to get going because of it, especially.
It's still a fun show and does land enough that it kept me watching, but the sound and the look and feel of the book feels a bit off to me. Obviously really subjective, but it's no surprise they couldn't recreate an album that was basically Rumours, all for a tv show. That bit of soul missing creeps into the rest of it, for me-which would have made it really special.
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9/10
Very good show
In general I'm not a huge fan of the documentary style, but the payoff from that style is worth it. The musical accompaniment is top notch and the music itself is great. Riley and Sam are excellent in the leads and their chemistry is amazing. Both characters are layered and they take their time to develop them. Camilla also is quite good is a difficult role. Comic relief is top notch from Chacon [drummer] and Olyphant [roadie]. Tom Wright has several standout scenes and nails the character even if he is very different in the book. Other 3 band members are solid and the relationship between suki and will feels real. Storyline was tough on Josh, but he did hit best with it.
The series really nails the ending. Last episode is a hard 10 of 10.
I have to knock a point for the Simone character. Her storyline is very tangential to the band and slows down pacing at bad times and distracts when the band is at is most interesting. Had she just been a friend of Daisy's with limited screen time it would have been fine, but she got way too much screen time. If you completely remove the character the story would have been better. Her screen time could have been better used to better flesh out the 4 other band members or at least give Daisy/Billy more screen time together. Also Simone has a very limited role in the book [also isn't a lesbian] so it isn't like they were trying to stick to the source material.
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8/10
Nostalgia and chemistry
Four episodes in, I'm perplexed by the negative reviews [probably a bunchof Gen Z and Millens hooked on ancient fantasy nonsense]. Yes, there's lots of smoking [and drinking and other things]. That's what went on in the 70's. What we also have incredible chemistry between the characters and a glimpse into a culture that seemed only a dream for working class garage band kids growing up in the 70's, it's fascinating to see the music industry from the perspective of pre-computer musicians who only wanted to have fun and jam real music and showed [at least on stage and creatively] little interest in the goings on in the outside world. Daisy is a talented, yet free spirited loner wild child on a path to self destructive addiction; Billy is an intense and conflicted genius, as he tries to balance his family life with the RnR lifestyle. It's clear they can't live with, or without, each other. The entire band is somewhat of a disfunctional family, but they are family. It has a soap opera feel, emotions are expressed in song. Looking forward to the continuation of the series.
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6/10
I just don't like any main characters!
Six episodes down. I'd quit now except my wife read the book and wants to see what comes next in the series. Movies and TV, I need to like someone in the cast and preferably one of the lead characters. In this case, one or two band members are OK, but that's it. The leads have, to me at least, no redeeming character traits. They're selfish, lazy, narcissists who believe that they are important but no one else is.
There is conflict here between the two main characters, but I don't pull for either of them. I hope they both lose. Maybe the book is better, but so far this series does not make me want to read it!
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7/10
Riley Keough is outstanding.
Having never read the book, I can only assess the story being told on film. Seems like a fairly routine behind-the-scenes-story of a fictional rock band. But the similarity in style to Fleetwood Mac is unmistakable. It's entertaining enough to merit watching despite being far from captivating.
What is captivating however, is the acting of Riley Keough. I first took notice of her in her one season starring in "The Girlfriend Experience." She had to portray a complex character leading a double life in 30-minute episodes. Without time for extended explanations in dialogue, so much of the character's feelings were remarkably expressed through Keough's mannerisms and facial expressions and voice tones. It was an amazing acting job and she gives a similar performance in "Daisy Jones and the Six."
You can almost read her character's thoughts just by her facial expressions. And while all the actors in the show are quite competent, only Keough seems to effortlessly capture her character's emotions in very natural ways. And she also displays a great singing talent.
"Daisy Jones and The Six" is not a can't-miss story but treat yourself to the acting and singing of Riley Keough.
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10/10
Sex, Drugs & Rock'n'Roll - Great Music - Talent Actors - Sweeping romance story
Content:
Sex, Drugs & Rock'n'Roll: Fictional biopic of a wild Seventies superband that broke up at the height of its fame
Produced by Reese Witherspoon, this drama series from Amazon is about a rock band in the '70s and their rise in the Los Angeles music scene. The Amazon series Daisy Jones and the Six is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by author Taylor Jenkins Reid. The author was inspired by the band "Fleetwood Mac". In 1977, the band released "Rumours", one of the best-selling albums of all time. It also went down in music history as the "Kriesenalbum": In addition to Buckingham and Nicks, the band couple, bassist John and keyboardist Christine McVie, separated during production.
How art imitates life or life imitates art, the fine line between reality and performance - that's what Taylor Jenkins Reid wanted to write about. "Daisy Jones & The Six" is not a Fleetwood Mac biography, which was the group's godfather, but it is unmistakable.
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"It's almost always the same story: the drinking, the drugs, the loneliness" says Billy Dunne looking back. By the time The Six hit Los Angeles, Billy has already been through rehab, is married and has just become a father. Daisy's career begins as a groupie in clubs like Whisky a Go Go on the Sunset Strip. Her mutual manager hooks the charismatic singer up with The Six.
Having never read the book to "Daisy Jones & The Six", I had no expectations, but was more than pleasantly surprised.... It is the classic love-hate story in a band that produces very good music. A band in the 1970s that goes from nothing to one of the hottest bands in the world after their first single hits
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This is basically a fictionalized version of a documentary about the making of "Rumours" [the Fleetwood Mac album], including emotionally charged compositions and lyrical battles between band members who are all involved to some degree in the intensity with rocking romances and outrageous affairs within the band that Fleetwood Mac is known for and of course there is plenty of sex, drugs and rock and roll. We follow the band from their humble beginnings to stardom.
The series thrives on two things: the chemistry between the actors and the great soundtrack, that's what makes this show. First and foremost are the two great leads, Sam Claflin, and Riley Keough, who, as the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley and thus granddaughter of the King of Rock'n'Roll, brings a piece of musical history to the table. They all sang their own vocals and played their own instruments and ended up sounding as good as a real band. When Billy and Daisy duet, it creates some truly magical moments. On top of that, the original songs are just great. Their fictional debut album "Aurora" is actually being released with the help of Phoebe Bridgers and other industry experts, and I wouldn't be surprised if it succeeds.
But there are other relationships and intriguing characters. The band's numerous subplots feel organic and authentic.
Daisy Jones & The Six perfectly captures the band's dynamic chemistry and is reminiscent of Cameron Crowe's musical work Almost Famous. Featuring a classic soundtrack from the seventies [Lou Reed, Patti Smith and Roxy Music] and a great collection of original songs.
S appearance and atmosphere of the seventies are precisely designed with an atmospheric, cinematic touch. The series is partly shot in an almost documentary style, with actual interviews [about 15% - so mostly cinematic in the "past"]. This allows the band members to recall and analyze their past lives. Very good setup - the cast has aged well and subtly here. The series is by no means perfect, the romantic aspect can drag at times and it is not free of stereotypes or clichés, but these little things can be ignored as so much care and affection was put into the making of the series. Daisy Jones and the Six does an excellent job of making this storyline feel fresh and with new energy."
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I enjoyed every minute of this series, it was funny, dramatic, authentic and engaging. Highly recommended for 70's music fans and hopeless romantics.
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9/10
An immersive music series with authentic 70s music and storytelling.
A musical series inspired by the true story of Fleetwood Mac and adapted into its own story. With series stories mixed with virtual documentaries. With a delicate chapter, gradually conveying the story of the relationship of a small band with a dream story The love of music, friends, family, redemption, love triangle comes out profoundly. The leading actors are full of charm and perfectly coordinated to act like a real singer. And every character in the story has its own little story, but equally important. With a summary of all their own stories Especially at the end of the story that came out great with Punch Hook revealing unexpected secrets. And also finding a way out of the dramatic story that was laid out in a beautifully impressive way. Along with the melody of the song because with full translation of the lyrics And it conveys the emotions of the characters through the song very well. This is a quality series in every way.
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5/10
Why does Hollywood ruin everything?
Warning: Spoilers
I read this book, and I loved it. I love 70s music. I love the history, the references. The author did an excellent job of creating characters you could believe were real, characters you get invested in. This series did NOT do the book justice.
1. The role of Daisy is miscast. Riley Keough is fine, but she's not quite what you imagine if you read the book. In it she's described as shockingly beautiful with huge eyes, and she's so high all the time that she doesn't care about stuff like someone else using her lyrics. She's floating through life and learning how to get control of various parts of it. The show turns her into this feminist warrior.
2. Karen is English???
3. Simone is a lesbian in the series because we have to check all of our DEI boxes. In the book, she doesn't move to NY for a woman. She does it because it's the best move for her career.
4. They change other random things for seemingly no reason. Chuck doesn't leave the band to become a dentist. He gets drafted and dies in Vietnam. Billy and Camille don't meet in a laundromat. The way they choose to bring Daisy and the Six together is not how it happened in the book. And I'm not really sure why these changes were necessary. They did nothing to strengthen the story.
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9/10
Music Nerds Rejoice!
Shocked by all the negative reviews here. Ignore them if you're a fan of 60s/70s rock. As a music nerd and musician who was the product of a Hollywood recording artist, I watch this series knowing which way the wind will blow. But it doesn't matter because it's fun and engaging. The soundtrack is killer and any show that opens with a Patti Smith song will hook me. Riley Keough is a scene-stealer, exuding charm and charisma. It's hard to take your eyes off her. I wasn't sold on Billy at first [ he looks like he spends too much time in a gym for starters] but he and Daisy together are magic. I am concerned by the fact that no one seems to know how to hold a cigarette properly and some other minor quibbles but I can overlook all that. It's paced well, never boring, always engaging.
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9/10
It's not rock and roll but I like it
I have seen a review which said that this is not real rock and roll. I agree. The six do fairly catchy pop. It's just middle of the road stuff. They've been likened to Fleetwood Mac and I'd call that a fair comparison. However I don't think that matters. As an exercise in nostalgia it works for me [dob 1955]. But what really gives it verve is the performance of Riley Keough. Daisy seems to be more of a Grace Slick than a Stevie Nicks. Keough's acting is just outstanding [she's at least the second most talented performer from that family and definitely the best actor]. Also, and I think this seems so obvious that it must have been deliberately contrived, she looks, apart from her more wasted moments, just like someone from a Pre-Raphaelite painting.
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7/10
A Sparknotes PG-13 Version of the Book
*this is my review after reading the book and watching the first 3 episodes of the series*
I'll start off by saying this series is missing a few things: sex, drugs, and heart. The series is well shot, the story is pretty well adapted [although the script is almost word for word excerpts from the book], and the soundtrack is very good [both original music and chosen songs].
This series contains most of the 70s-era music tropes, but fails to include two of arguable the most important: sex and drugs. The novel is full of drug-fueled escapades of the colorful characters, showing the glamour of life on tour and in the studio and making you feel like these people were the coolest people alive at the time. The series makes it seem like they are a low-key amateur soft rock band and a struggling waitress that just can't seem to put it all together. Give me more Rocketman or The Dirt or literally any band from the 60s, 70s, or 80s.
This series just didn't seem cool to me all. If you want something similar but a million times better I would recommend Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous. That wonderful film has everything this series lacks: intrigue, passion, loss.
I'm cautiously optimistic that this will get better with the 7 episodes left [even though it seems like we are about halfway through the story], but I'm not holding my breath. From the descriptions of the characters I just thought Billy would be this leading man sex symbol with a gift that's also a terrible curse and that Daisy would be this extremely attractive free spirit that is a light in every room she's in. I didn't get that from these first few episodes. Hopefully it gets better!
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8/10
Loved it!
For all the people who lived through the 70s here and feel 'this is not authentic so now I'm giving a zero stars review' please return to your checkers board in the old folks home. This is a GOOD show. Compelling music, amazing chemistry between the actors and can someone please put Camilla Morrone in every on-screen production from now on? For all the attention on Daisy [and Riley Keough's magnetic performance], Camilla is the heart of this show and her performance is stellar.
Sam Claflin's character Billy Dunne is the one you love to hate. He's the front man in all aspects, tall, handsome and charismatic, but he has some work to do in the emotional department. For a few episodes, the show feels like a train wreck in slow motion, you can't stop watching.
If only one remark, I'd love to have seen some background on the other band mates. I never got to know them, where they are from. In many shots, they are almost still background figures which is a pity considering how well-cast they are. But choices need to be made.
Do not let negative reviews deter you, watch a few episodes before you make up your mind. Before you know it, you'll find yourself humming along with the songs. The 8 stars is truly deserved.
What are critics saying about Daisy Jones and the Six?
“Daisy Jones” has a lot of plot, as the band and Daisy go through the usual struggles while finding each other, becoming sensations and falling apart. But despite the show's length, everything seems compressed, as if to make more time for windy, fake-poetic self-actualization.
Is Daisy Jones and the Six about Fleetwood Mac?
Though author Taylor Jenkins Reid, who wrote the book that the Prime Video series was adapted from, has previously said the novel is not strictly based on Fleetwood Mac, she has admitted that she drew inspiration from the renowned rock band.
How does Stevie Nicks feel about Daisy Jones and the Six?
Stevie Nicks Says 'Daisy Jones & The Six' Captured the “Snappy Sarcasm” Between Her and Fleetwood Mac Guitarist Lindsey Buckingham. "It was so real," the music legend said. "I would be watching and be like, 'Well, there you go.
Does Riley Keough do her own singing in Daisy Jones and the Six?
She may be Elvis's granddaughter, but Keough had to learn from scratch how to sing like a rock star for Daisy Jones & the Six.