“Daisy Jones & The Six” is a novel that tells the tale, documentary style, of the events that led to the breakup of a 1970s rock and roll band. Prime Video recently released a limited series, “Daisy Jones & The Six,” bringing the novel to life. While television adaptations from books are not able to copy the story perfectly due to time restraints and dramatics, there were many differences between the book and the show.
Here are the main changes:
Pete Loving is Not in the Show
Pete Loving, brother of Eddie Loving (who is named Eddie Roundtree in the miniseries), was the sixth member of the Dunne Brothers band (before Daisy) in the novel. He later quit the band to marry his girlfriend and start a life. The writers of the show decided not to include Pete in the adaptation. “It felt like eliminating Pete enabled us to do more with the characters that we had in the ensemble, which was already a pretty big group of people. And I hope everyone, especially the Pete stans, forgive us after they watch the show,” writer and producer, Scott Neustadter, explained to TIME.
Daisy Jones Starts her Career in the Music Industry Differently
In the novel, Daisy Jones is discovered by Hank Allen, who was her not-so-good boyfriend and became her manager. He helped her to sign a deal with Runner Records, but she refused to sing anything she didn’t write.
In the show, that storyline is completely taken out as she is introduced to the Runner Records producer, Teddy Price, by her best friend, Simone Jackson. He is the one that encourages her to strengthen her songwriting to make them sound complete.
Camila and Billy Meet at a Laundromat
Camila and Billy meet at a hotel bar in the novel; Camila is a waitress and Billy is just done playing at a wedding. They end up dating after that. In the miniseries, they actually meet at a laundromat, making it a more casual interaction. Camila also turns into the band’s photographer after being involved with Billy, which doesn’t happen in the novel.
Simone Has a Love Interest
Simone Jackson did not have any love interests in the novel until the miniseries. The show broadens Simone’s character as she meets a woman named Bernice, which then quickly turns from a spark of interest into a relationship. Bernice is a DJ in New York for an underground queer disco club and the relationship they share depicts how life was being queer in the ‘70s. Simone was more of her own character in the show instead of only being a guide for Daisy, like she was in the novel.
The Rolling Stone Reporter Doesn’t Suggest Daisy Join the Band
In the novel, a Rolling Stone reporter writes a story about how Daisy Jones should join The Six after listening to their collaborative song, “Honeycomb.” The Six talk it over and decide that it would help the band become even more popular and Daisy joins the band which turns into Daisy Jones & The Six.
In the show, however, Camila is the one to push Billy to agree to have Daisy in the band. Daisy doesn’t want to join originally because of her hatred for Billy but eventually gives in.
Daisy and Billy Actually Kiss
This is probably the biggest shocker out of all the changes between the book and the show. The forbidden love between Daisy and Billy is strong in the novel, but they never break the forbidden part of it, until the miniseries. They both end up kissing on two occasions: once in an argument about what their feelings are for each other and after Billy thinks Camila is leaving him. The novel creates this secret, yet obvious to anyone around them, love between Billy and Daisy but it is truly shown on the screen.
The Album Cover Scene is Not the Same
In the novel, the band hires a photographer for the Aurora album cover, and they use a picture the photographer takes. The scene is set up with an intensity between Daisy and Billy, with Daisy wearing an almost see-through white tank top. The photographer shoots just the two of their torsos almost touching, with that intensity showing through in the composition. But in the show, the scene is completely different. Daisy isn’t wearing a tank top and the photographer’s picture isn’t even used. Camila secretly shoots a picture of Billy and Daisy arguing and that picture is used for the album cover.
Camila and Eddie Have a Secret Fling
The show depicts Eddie being interested in Camila, maybe even in love with her. Camila goes out to a bar when she is upset about Billy and Daisy’s feelings for each other and accidentally finds Eddie there. The miniseries doesn’t show anything happening between them, but it is implied when Camila tells Eddie it will never happen again. This is not a plotline in the novel.
Karen and Graham Out Their Relationship to the Band
Karen and Graham have a relationship, or in Karen’s words, “mess around” with each other, throughout most of the band’s career. They keep it a secret because Karen is concerned about what it would do to her reputation and to the band. In the novel, they never speak of it to the band, even though they all know, and eventually break up. In the show, Karen actually announces it to the band when they make fun of Graham for not hooking up with any girls. They eventually break up as well, due to disagreements with Karen’s pregnancy.
Teddy Lives after His Heart Attack
In the novel, Teddy tragically dies due to a heart attack later in the band’s career and Billy is ripped apart. Teddy was Billy’s fallback and the one to always be there for him or understand him as an artist. He miraculously lives through that heart attack in the miniseries and continues to be a support system for Billy.
Billy Relapses With Alcohol and Seeks Out Daisy
After Billy thinks Camila left him because of his feelings for Daisy, he is offered a drink and takes it right away, which starts his relapse back into drinking. After the band’s last show with a very drunk Billy, he tries to get together with Daisy and claims they don’t have to hide anymore, but Daisy refuses.
The novel, however, highlights Billy’s strength for what he worked so hard on– his sobriety. He does wander to a bar and has a drink sitting right in front of him, creating a war inside his head. But, he never does drink the alcohol because of a bar patron and walks away.
Camila Doesn’t Confront Daisy
Last but not least, this is another one of the biggest changes. Camila confronts Daisy on her feelings for Billy and tells Daisy that Billy will always choose her and he will never leave her. She then advises Daisy to leave the band before it hurts both of them in the book. The miniseries ends with Daisy actually telling Camila that Billy always will choose Camila and that she only has him. Billy ends up chasing Camila and having a conversation with her about their relationship. Daisy decides to leave the band on her own, knowing she can’t do it anymore.