B Movies Blog

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weberm’s Daisy Jones & The Six into the ol’ VCR. 

Josie and the Pussycats. Stillwater. Bitch Cat. Boy howdy, do I love a good fake band. 

The first time Daisy Jones & The Six hit my radar was when I got my sister the book for her birthday. I was immediately taken by the premise, and I’d only heard good things about Taylor Jenkins Reid. Also, my sister had mentioned wanting this book right around her birthday and has never been subtle about her wish lists (I love you so much, but you know it’s true). 

Admittedly, I didn’t buy myself a copy of Daisy Jones & The Six until the series was halfway through its run, and it’s still sitting on my bookshelf, unopened. However, I’ve watched the entirety of the series, and I loved it. 

If you haven’t joined in on the pop culture phenom by now, here’s a little primer: Daisy Jones is a Stevie Knicks-esque spirit who joins The Six, a band in need of starpower. She and lead singer Billy Dunne find a sense of kinship in each other, which starts the beautiful and messy catalyst that will lead to the band’s undoing. The story fluctuates between a talking heads-style documentary and flashbacks, and the soundtrack is bitchin’, as it not only includes 60s and 70s hits, but all of the songs from Aurora, the band’s fictional album. 

The story within Daisy Jones & The Six is a familiar one, but it never gets boring. There will be twists and turns you see coming from a mile away, but the journey and the destination are equally worth your time. Riley Keough yet again reminds us of her acting chops, and I’ll watch any piece of media that puts her front and center. I also want to applaud Suki Waterhouse, along with all of the other strong female characters in the series. 

As much as I love the likes of Almost Famous and This is Spinal Tap, fake band media tends to be male-focused (one of the biggest exceptions being Josie and the Pussycats). Yet, Daisy Jones & The Six gives us a variety of imperfect, bold, and fully-formed female leads, including Camila Morrone’s Camila Dunne and Nabiyah Be’s Simone Jackson. I don’t mean to undercut all of the male leads, as they’re also immensely talented, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the female leads. 

The only flaw of Daisy Jones & The Six is in its ending. I confirmed the ending of the series is a bit different than the ending of the novel, and I can’t wait to see if things are handled a bit better. Without full spoilers, just know the show takes a page from the HIMYM playbook. If you know me at all, you know that series finale still irks me to this very day. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. 

Daisy Jones & The Six pairs best with The Last Waltz, Almost Famous, and The Get Down. If you enjoy a good fake band with a rich backstory like I do, you’ll really enjoy the show. But, if you decide to join a band and begin a years-long entanglement with another lead singer, don’t blame me. 

All episodes of Daisy Jones & The Six are now streaming on Amazon Prime.