Book-to-screen adaptations can either destroy the feeling of the story or elevate it to new heights. From the second I saw the 56 Days trailer (loosely based on 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard), I knew this adaptation was going to either make me want to read the book or stay blissfully unaware. For the sake of viewership, I'll be watching this show without reading the book first to capture my genuine reactions for those who are fans of the book or are just now hearing about it because of the show.
As a book nerd, I love a good book adaptation, whether I've read the books like Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Disney Plus) or haven't read the book like His & Hers (Netflix). Both can be enjoyable. My interest in this particular adaptation comes from the main characters being played by Disney Channel star Dove Cameron (Ciara Wyse) and Nickelodeon star Avan Jogia (Oliver Kennedy). Plus, this show is a thriller with juicy secrets and a steamy encounter.
Prime Video doesn't hold back as this series has steamy scenes, a bit of nudity, and gruesome murder scenes. Don't let those scenes keep you from watching more. I'm assuming there will be plenty of secrets and mysterious conversations to uncover after the clues left throughout episode 1. Buckle up, this thriller is about to be wild.
56 Days season 1 episode 1 reveals the gruesome conclusion
Before we’re introduced to the main characters and the detectives, we watch an unknown man enter an apartment. But what he discovered in the tub turned my blood ice cold. The man quickly snaps a couple of photos of the decomposing skeleton, then rushes out of the apartment after pulling the fire alarm. A bad guy alerting the law? That’s new.
The broken glass from the fire alarm cover goes back into place as the show swings into a montage. We knew from the trailer and description that Oliver and Ciara’s chance meeting ended gruesomely after 56 days. The montage gives us a sneak peek into those days before the skeleton in the tub was found. We’ll flash between present-day and the 56 days before, as it details what led to the ending.
Day 1: Supermarket chance meeting
Ciara gets ready for the day in her rundown apartment and heads to the local supermarket. As she’s inspecting a piece of cucumber, a handsome man stares at her. He continues to watch her until they bump into each other, but she claims she got the wrong drink and heads off to find another one. He’s waiting for her when she leaves the store. He epically fails to impress her when she doesn’t understand when he calls out, “Hey, NASA.” She slows, and he explains that he likes her back and immediately learns her interests as she rambles off space facts.
They finally exchange names and go to a coffee cart down the street. Their conversation easily flows as they get to know each other, having both moved to Boston for their jobs. She gives him her number while they plan to meet on Wednesday for drinks and an Apollo 11 showing. The way he stares at her as she walks away really creeps me out, like he’s got something to hide.
Present-Day: The Detectives are called to the scene
Lee Reardon (Karia Souza) pulls up to Karl’s house, and she impatiently honks for him to hurry up. A call comes in over her police radio as she turns down her music to listen to the dispatcher let her know there’s been a possible homicide at Seaport. Tired of waiting, Lee lets herself into the house to find Karl Connolly (Dorian Missick) hurrying around his kitchen. From the start, it’s obvious they’ve known each other a while. She picks on Karl’s drinking, his clubbing jacket, and the dating app open on his phone as they head out the door.
People are swarming the area when Lee and Karl pull up at the scene. The alarm came in at 5:30 a.m., but cops originally thought it was a false alarm until they smelled the decomposing from Unit 11. The neighbors have no idea who lives there, and neither does the Property Manager, Kevin Sullivan (Matt Murray). Karl doesn’t like him from the get-go, but Lee tones him down, saying they will stay in public places for now. Although the door is unlocked and they don’t need a warrant, they’re still getting one.
Lee inspects the Lobby, but before heading up to the crime scene, the smell from the apartment makes her immediately close the door and text Karl that it’s a skunk smell to prepare him. To knock the gruesomeness off a bit, they joke with each other. Karl requests surveillance and the apartment person’s name from Kevin.
Karl is on his way to the scene when Lee lets him know she secured a warrant. Before he steps off the elevator, he gets a TikTok notification from his date from last night, tagging him in a concerning video featuring his service weapon. Lee has to bring him back down to Earth to deal with one messed-up situation at a time. With shoes covered in booties, safety glasses on, and masks on their faces, they step into the apartment.
Lee and Karl search different parts of the apartment before entering the bathroom crime scene and turning off the rainfall shower. At this point, only the viewers know this apartment to be Oliver’s, but it also reveals that at some point Ciara’s belongings were moved to his spare room. Lee finds what appears to be Ciara’s phone and the memo from the bar in her jacket, while Karl looks at the safe in the closet. Lee walks into the spare room filled with Ciara’s stuff, but for now, their names and relationship are a mystery to the detectives.
Day 3: Oliver and Ciara’s first date
Oliver and Ciara are both getting ready in their own apartments. His is nice while hers is rundown. While his apartment has next to no character, hers shows her personality through art. They’re getting ready sequence reveals a few things about them: Ciara and Oliver both dress fancy, but both seem to be hiding something. Oliver opens his mail to reveal his new Boston driver's license, yet it also reveals a mystery from his past.
They meet for drinks at a fancy place that looks average from the outside and stunning on the inside. He orders them both her favorite cocktail, a French 75, while they get to know each other. He’s embarrassed that she discovers he’s been here before for work because he wanted it to feel like they were discovering the city together. He plays it off as nerves, and she doesn’t mind as she tells him about falling in love with space when she went to the Kennedy Center. The scene steps us into Ciara’s memories as a 14-year-old, as she sits next to her crush in a room full of stars.
After she finishes her story, a waiter comes by to ask if they need more to drink. She remembers they need to be at the movie soon. Oliver realizes he blew it because they’ll be late for the movie if they leave now, so they stay and continue talking. Things turn sour when he reacts weirdly to Ciara thinking secrets are dangerous and withholding; instead, she likes reveals and discovering mysteries. He excuses himself to the bathroom, where he makes a rather disturbing phone call.
A redheaded woman gives Oliver a weird look as he exits the bathroom hallway and goes to tell Ciara he called an Uber. She agrees to leave without questioning his mood change. He impulsively kisses her, scared he’ll mess this up. She assures him that he won’t, then he puts her into the Uber as they agree to talk soon. He tries to collect his emotions as her Uber drives away.
Day 4: Apollo 11 re-do date
Ciara assures her sister that her apartment is livable and close to transportation. She told their mom Ciara is doing great in Boston. They reveal that their mom is a handful, and Ciara apologizes for not being home to help her, but her sister needs her in Boston to make some real money. They talk about hiding the car, but can’t hide the house. Then, Ciara shuts her sister’s questions about what she does for fun in Boston and who she’s met.
Oliver presents plans at his work, then talks to his boss. His boss encourages him to put himself out there since this is a brand-new start. Oliver calls Ciara to ask her to go to the Apollo 11 showing tonight, promising no pre-gaming. His tone changes when he spots a woman talking to his boss, so he quickly finalizes their plans and hangs up.
He sneaks up behind Ciara as she stares down the street. They joke about her bottle of Jack and making it to the end of the movie as they walk into the old school theater. Everything seems good until Oliver laughs at an inappropriate time, and she questions him afterward. He makes it up to her by showing her an industrial fan that makes them feel like they're skydiving. Even though it seems like an instant connection, their Titanic stance foreshadows their ending.
Something sparks between them as she goes home with him. They can’t keep their hands off each other. She cautiously asks him about his scar, and he says it was an accident a long time ago. She wakes up later to find him wide awake, doing stretches on the living room floor. Without a word, she walks back to bed.
Day 5: Who is Jane?
The next morning, Ciara learns that Oliver can’t sleep. No doctor can tell him why. Then, he casually offers her coffee and eggs, but Ciara declines. Their goodbye is just as passionate as the night before. Her pleasure sends a bowl crashing to the floor and breaking.
The redhead woman from the bar runs up behind Ciara as she heads to the station. She introduces herself as Jane (Kira Guloien) and says she noticed Ciara coming from the Crossings. Ciara gives Jane a fake story to explain Jane seeing her with Oliver. Even though Jane says Oliver isn’t who she thinks he is, Ciara disagrees, and Jane wishes her good luck.
Being suspicious of Jane, Ciara snaps a photo. She also has photos of Oliver’s business card, a trashed syringe, and Oliver’s safe. She makes note of Jane’s name in her notebook, leaving me to wonder what she’s planning.
Episode 1’s ending raises more questions
Ciara applies makeup as she rolls her greeting around in the mirror like she’s unfamiliar with her name. She practices her background about her dad being in the military, causing her to move a lot. As she says she moved to Boston for work, we see cutouts of her ID and scissors.
She styles her jacket low on her shoulders as she walks into the supermarket, making it seem like this wasn’t a chance meeting. Maybe it was planned. Practicing her behavior makes her very suspicious and leaves me with so many questions.
All episodes of 56 Days season 1 are now streaming on Prime Video.