56 Days Review: Dove Cameron’s Magnetic Performance Saves Prime Video’s Uneven 8-Part Thriller

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I just finished watching Prime Video’s new thriller, 56 Days, and it totally pulled me in, even if it’s not the most groundbreaking show out there. It follows Ciara, played by Dove Cameron, who has an instant connection with Oliver (Avan Jogia) when they meet at a grocery store. They fall hard, but 56 days later, a badly damaged body is found in Oliver’s bathtub, and it’s a mystery whether it’s Ciara, Oliver, or someone completely different. It definitely kept me guessing!

The Prime Video thriller centers around detectives Karl Connolly (Dorian Missick) and Lee Reardon (Karl Souza) as they investigate a murder. They work to identify both the victim – found in a bathtub – and the killer. As they uncover the secrets of those connected to the victim, Ciara and Oliver, the detectives also grapple with their own personal issues, which complicate the investigation.

56 Days Struggles To Balance Its Dual Narratives

©Amazon/MGM Studios/Courtesy Everett Collection

Many TV shows successfully weave together two storylines, but 56 Days struggles with this. The romance between Ciara and Oliver is much more engaging than the police investigation involving Connolly and Reardon, making it difficult to balance the two.

It doesn’t take long to realize Oliver is keeping secrets about his past, and that his relationship with Ciara is connected to a bigger, hidden plan. The show is most compelling when it focuses on the uneasy feeling created by the couple’s hidden flaws and secrets, and the anticipation of when their happiness will finally fall apart.

The storyline involving Connolly and Reardon isn’t quite as captivating or suspenseful, and it’s hard to become fully invested in their drama, even though it’s important for solving the case. This is partly because their story unfolds over weeks, while the police investigation happens mostly in a single day. The most compelling moments come when present-day discoveries shed new light on what’s happening between Ciara and Oliver in the past.

The Prime Video series based on Catherine Ryan Howard’s novel, 56 Days, makes a key change from the book to improve the story’s flow. Instead of taking place during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown in Dublin, Ireland, the series is set in present-day Boston.

It’s often difficult for shows to convincingly include a pandemic, and in this case, it doesn’t really add anything to the core story or the characters’ problems. Trying to fit it in would mean Ciara and Oliver have to find a different, more secretive way to start living together, which just complicates their relationship further.

Performances From Dove Cameron & The Rest Of The Cast Elevate The Story

©Amazon/MGM Studios/Courtesy Everett Collection

The story has many intriguing puzzles and moments that grab your attention, but it doesn’t quite live up to its promise. It touches on important issues like unfair advantages, past hurts, and the line between love and obsession, but these ideas aren’t developed fully, leaving them feeling underdeveloped.

The actors, especially Cameron, really bring this story to life. Cameron is captivating – she convincingly portrays Ciara as both kind and manipulative. While she’s the standout, Jogia does a great job of showing Oliver’s unease and insecurities, and Kingston Rumi Southwick is also strong as young Oliver in the flashbacks. Missick helps make Connolly the most sympathetic character, and she and Souza perfectly capture the feel of seasoned police partners.

After the second-to-last episode neatly wraps up most of the story’s loose ends, the finale doesn’t offer many surprises. However, the conclusion feels well-deserved and provides a generally satisfying resolution, bringing the story to a complete end. Despite a few flaws, 56 Days is a fun and thrilling series with enough twists and good acting to make it worth watching all the way through.

All 56 Days episodes come to Prime Video on February 18.

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2026-02-17 20:28