By: Reagan McLean
Is love at first interaction misleading? Does the person who believes that they are driving the relationship dynamics always feel in control?
Watching the Amazon Prime Video Original series “56 Days” starring Disney darling and recording artist Dove Cameron and teen heartthrob and Nickelodeon actor Avan Jogia, these questions evolve to much darker thoughts. The show intends to show the double facade in the lead characters, Ciara Wyse and Oliver Kennedy. Oliver Kennedy’s real identity is Oliver St. Ledger, who is hiding the murder of his high-school classmate Paul Sparling.
His girlfriend, Ciara, is Megan Martin, the younger sister of Shane Martin, who was framed wrongly by Oliver and driven to commit suicide in jail. Overall, the show is very good. I loved the way that it made you think more about the irony and foreshadowing used. The script was mature enough to show that the actors have moved beyond the roles they once played in their childhood; however, the pacing made the show feel rushed and undermined the suspense built.
This show follows the characters Ciara Wyse (Cameron) and Oliver Kennedy (Jogia) as they navigate their fast-paced relationship. They met in a supermarket, went out for coffee, and Ciara moved in with Oliver; however, throughout the series, we see Ciara’s true intentions with Oliver. When the two characters meet for the first time, they are both living in a facade. They are hiding their true identities from each other. In Chapter 4, we learn that Ciara knows Oliver’s real identity. His real name is Oliver St.Ledger. His family is super wealthy, and Oliver is a murderer. In Chapter 6, we learn that Ciara’s real identity is Megan Martin, the younger sister of Shane Martin. Shane, Oliver, and Paul were classmates in high school. Oliver murdered Paul, but Shane was framed for the murder. Therefore, Megan is with Oliver to seek justice for her brother. Although Ciara does fall in love with Oliver, there is an internal conflict Megan battles; she knows that she is seeking revenge for her brother, who was wrongly framed and committed suicide while in jail, but she’s in love with the man who is responsible. So, can you fall in love with someone who you think is a monster and still seek revenge? Megan and Oliver look like a happy couple; however, there is a dead body in the bathtub of Oliver’s apartment. This serves as a reminder that they are in a trauma bond, and violence is the reason that both characters are together.
An engaging thriller series that highlights the growth of its lead actors, yet the show falls flat on what could be an impactful statement on relationships. The show’s core strength is its writing. As mentioned previously, the script demonstrated the actors’ maturity. During Season 1, Episode 4: Chapter 4, we see Oliver talking with his therapist via video call, and Wyse overhears the therapist telling him to break up with Wyse, since Oliver isn’t mentally ready for a relationship. She walks into the room, shuts the laptop, and tells him that you’re paying for someone to talk to about your problems, but I am right here, so why don’t you just talk to me? Kennedy defends himself by stating that they only met last month, which snowballs into an argument in which he brings up Wyse messing with the safe in his closet.
This scene illustrates the problems that arise when two young people fall in love and move in quickly without setting proper boundaries and not fully trusting each other.
Another strong point of this series is the use of irony. In the first episode, Chapter 1, we learn that Ciara works in Information Technology (IT) and is looking for a new job in a “boring industry” in Boston, Mass. However, in Chapter 4, we see that Ciara knows Oliver’s real identity. Irony is seen during Chapter 4 when Megan goes on Ledger’s laptop and transfers funds from his account to her mom’s account; however, being presented as a young woman in STEM with technical skills in IT, Megan temporarily deletes the emails tied to the bank on his laptop instead of permanently erasing emails in Oliver’s account when it comes to the money. This shows her carelessness in looking over a simple digital trace, while reinforcing the theme of illusion vs. reality. We see Megan and Oliver’s erotic relationship blossom, and see Megan lie about her identity, but the audience knows her true intentions are rooted in wanting justice for her brother.
Megan isn’t the only character who struggles with a double identity. Oliver lives his life in a facade. Due to him killing his high school friend, guilt has been eating him alive for sixteen years, and although his family is super wealthy, his therapist has been causing more harm to him. Oliver wanted to say the truth about what actually happened, but his therapist, Dan Troxler, told him not to. Although Troxler isn’t a licensed therapist, and Oliver’s father was paying him by force to keep the truth a secret, while watching, I noticed signs of Oliver being emotionally abused. You can see in the flashback of Chapter 7 that he is traumatized by water when he steps into the pool of his house, and he also self-harms. Troxler sees that Megan is interested in learning more about Oliver and wants to accept him for who he is. Troxler advises the relationship because he thinks she isn’t a good match for him, and Oliver isn’t in the right frame of mind mentally to be dating.
Oliver’s characterization uses dramatic irony. While watching, I thought he was suspicious of the murder because the audience sees him in a very vulnerable state. The audience learns that he lost his dad and deals with anxiety, along with anger issues.
While watching, the audience learns of the threat he poses. Later on, it is revealed that Ledger is a murderer, and this shifts how viewers interpret his behavior.
In Chapter 3, Oliver sees Jane following him, and he tries to catch up with her. Out of anger, he smashes her windshield. This shows the dual irony, since although he seems suspicious while watching the series, we see his softness and vulnerability.
Although the acting of the lead stars is phenomenal, and the script is mature enough to prove that Cameron and Jogia have matured beyond the roles they once played on Disney and Nickelodeon, to me, the pacing was too fast.
While the show progresses, we see the events that happen on day 1, but then, after those events, we see the police investigating the murder in the bathtub. To me, when a show reveals small details quickly, the suspense dwindles over time. We can see the loss of tension. In Chapter 3, we see an earring in the bathtub, and the scene cuts to Ciara taking off the same earring in the bathroom. With the earring connection, it is heavily implied that Ciara’s body could be the dead body in the bathtub.
The suspense is there, and the audience starts to think who the victim can be; the mystery starts to dwindle.
Overall, I’d recommend “56 Days” to anyone who likes watching romance, thrillers, and murder mysteries. Cameron and Jogia’s performance showed that they have outgrown their origins on Disney Channel/Nickelodeon.
Their performances made certain aspects of the show relatable for young adults and elevated the show. I liked how the emotions used throughout the series showed the seriousness of the situation at hand and the dynamic of predator vs. predator between Megan and Oliver, to show us that both of these characters are smart, its a matter of which one is most likely to break first and if one of them does break, would they stay together as a trauma bond, or would the relationship end. The show’s use of irony teaches us all a lesson, not only about being careful with what you do and the execution of the idea, but also that there’s always a person for everyone. Even the most intimate bonds can be built on a shared foundation of trauma. Despite the pacing feeling rushed, manipulation, love, and perception ultimately reveal depth and versatility.