Prime Video's latest crime thriller is exactly the binge-watch you need right now

Avan Jogia in "56 Days" on Prime Video. — (Image credit: Philippe Bossé/Prime Video)

Tom's Guide Verdict: "56 Days"

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Verdict: "56 Days" succeeds at being sexy, streamy and addictive, which is what you want from an erotic crime thriller. There are some flawed performances and unnecessary plotlines, but the core story is enthralling, with a pair of leads whose chemistry is palpable and some twists you won't see coming. It's perfect for a binge-watch.
Premiere date/time: Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 3 a.m. ET
Where to watch: Stream all eight episodes on Prime Video

Prime Video just added "56 Days" to the streaming service, and I'm pleasantly surprised to say that this crime thriller show is a must-watch. I didn't even have this show on my radar until a few weeks ago, but I've now binged the entire eight-episode miniseries and it's sexy, it has twists that will stun you and it is absolutely addictive. I'm not typically one for the binge-drop model, but this show deserves it.

That's not to say the show is flawless. The starring performances from Dove Cameron and Avan Jogia as demented couple Ciara Wyze and Oliver Kennedy are great. There's charisma, there's sex appeal, there's emotional range. Honestly, you feel them fully sink into the role. But there are some supporting performances and plotlines that don't hit the mark. And while the twists of the show are great, the show's biggest reveal is one I was able to guess with still most of two episodes to go.

Despite these flaws, though, there's no denying that this erotic thriller accomplishes what it sets out to do. The chemistry between the leads is excellent, and there are more than a few twists you won't see coming. Plus, at less than eight hours total runtime, it's a miniseries that's perfect for streaming in a single sitting. Here's what "56 Days" is all about and why it should be your next binge-watch.

'56 Days' takes a tale of star-crossed lovers and twists it

56 Days - Official Trailer | Prime Video - YouTube

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As "56 Days" starts, we quickly get a meet-cute for our two main characters. Ciara (Cameron) bumps into Oliver (Jogia) at a Boston store and quickly, they hit it off and not long after, we see them on a date. Love at first sight? Perhaps, but it quickly becomes clear are lovers are destined for drama.

During the date, we get some red flags that will have you screaming at Ciara to run for the hills. He's lied about never being at the bar they're at before their date, he's somehow made it so they've missed the movie they're supposed to go see and he's calling his therapist from the bar restroom as he seems to spiral out. I'm not getting into spoiler territory when I tell you all this either; this happens in the first half of the first episode.

But the real reason you'll be worried about Ciara going into this date is that you know somebody in this show is dead. "56 Days" doesn't start with Ciara and Oliver's first date. Instead, it starts with an unknown person breaking into an apartment where there's a dead body decomposing in the bathtub. Even before the date, we quickly learn that the bathtub is in Oliver's apartment.

Still, we don't know who is in the bath. To figure that out, we have Boston Police Detectives Karl Connolly (Dorian Missick) and Lee Riordan (Karla Souza) on the case, trying to figure out who our mystery dead man (or woman) is and how they ended up there. As their investigation continues, the show transports us back and forth between the present day and the 56 days leading up to it, allowing us to see the whole twisted tale play out from multiple angles in all its glory.

Verdict: '56 Days' is a successful erotic crime thriller despite some missteps

(L-R) Dove Cameron and Avan Jogia in "56 Days" on Prime Video. — (Image credit: Philippe Bossé/Prime Video)

At its core, this show works. We get a steamy, drama-filled romance between Cameron and Jogia as Ciara and Oliver. There's probably a sex scene (at least) every episode, which means this show is definitely putting the erotic in erotic crime thriller. The plot mechanic of switching back and forth between the present and the past could be cheesy if not downright confusing and derailing, but it's executed well and adds to the drama of this murder mystery.

The murder mystery itself is also relatively well-crafted, even if the final big reveal is one that I felt the show telegraphed partway through its penultimate episode. But before we get there, we quickly learn that Oliver is hiding some secrets, and by the end of the first episode, we learn that Ciara isn't a beacon of honesty either. These two deeply flawed individuals are falling for each other while also harboring hidden agendas, and it builds tension beautifully.

Unfortunately, the show doesn't leave well enough alone, though this is likely due to the source material. There is a B-plot about the personal drama in detectives Karl and Lee's lives, and while it does ultimately serve a purpose to the main plot, I simply didn't care about it or care for it. Especially since I found Karla Souza's performance as Det. Lee Riordan is to be the weakest part of the show. I felt the main mystery at the core of the series could have resolved without this sub-plot, and I would have gladly taken an episode less of the show to eliminate large portions of it.

Still, despite my complaints, I won't deny that I was satisfied by the end of the eight-episode miniseries, and I was eagerly pressing "play next" whenever an episode would hit credits. Perhaps the biggest compliment I can pay this show is that it felt like the best of Netflix's crime thrillers, which are designed to be satisfying and bingeable. So if you're someone who regularly consumes Netflix thriller shows, then this Prime Video series is a must-watch binge that's worthy of your attention.

"56 Days" (full series) final rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

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Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made.

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