With most relationships, it takes months, if not years, to truly figure out, know and trust each other. The new series, 56 Days, embarks on an entirely different journey that asks what happens when you are only given a few weeks to get to know one another while both of you are hiding the truth about your past.
All the episodes of 56 Days came out earlier this year on Feb. 18, and since its release the show has gained much attention, quickly becoming the #1-ranked show on Amazon Prime Video worldwide.
The series is based on the acclaimed novel, 56 Days, by Catherine Ryan Howard. The novel was a #1 bestseller in Ireland and was named the New York Times and Washington Post Best Thriller of 2021.
The show stars Dove Cameron, playing Ciara Wyse, and Avan Jogia, playing Oliver Kennedy, both of whom bring a surprising depth and complexity into their characters despite their early acting days on Disney Channel and Nickelodeon.
56 Days was directed by an all-female directing team: Alethea Jones, Shana Stein, Lauren Wolkstein and Jessica Yu. With a total of eight episodes, the directing responsibility was split equally between the directors, allowing each one to direct two episodes of the show.
The two main characters, Wyse and Kennedy, meet for the first time in a grocery store, and while at first this feels like an ordinary meet-cute for any random romance, it ends up quietly setting the tone for everything that follows after.
The show constantly jumps between timelines, using the past and present to create tension, while making sure not to reveal the truth behind Wyse and Kennedy’s relationship to the audience too soon.
When the story switches to the present time, a new plot is introduced where police detectives, Lee Reardon and Karl Connolly, played by Karla Souza and Dorian Missick, arrive at Kennedy’s apartment to find a dead body in a bathtub. As the detectives continue to investigate the crime, the truth behind the events leading up to the murder begin to unravel.
At the same time, Reardon is facing her own challenges, which influence how she and her partner approach the investigation.
While in the earlier episodes it appears that Wyse and Kennedy’s bond is artificial and built on a mountain of lies, as the show goes on, the viewers learn the deep complexity and unique dynamic of their relationship.
56 Days is the kind of show that pulls you in slowly without you realizing it, and gets you hooked to the point that you are thinking about it way after you have finished. The suspenseful plot and compelling performances by the main characters kept the tension high throughout the entire show, making it a must-watch series for the perfect mix of romance and mystery.
