The wait is finally over for mystery lovers. Prime Video has released all eight episodes of its new psychological thriller 56 Days, starring Dove Cameron and Avan Jogia. The series dropped on February 18, 2026, and critics have already shared their thoughts on this adaptation of Catherine Ryan Howard’s bestselling novel. With mixed reviews pouring in, many viewers are wondering if this steamy murder mystery deserves a spot on their watchlist.
The show follows Ciara Wyse (Dove Cameron) and Oliver Kennedy (Avan Jogia), two strangers who meet in a Boston supermarket and jump into a fast-paced, intense relationship. Fifty-six days later, homicide detectives find a decomposed body in Oliver’s apartment bathroom. The story bounces between the couple’s whirlwind romance in the past and the police investigation in the present, leaving audiences guessing who ended up in that bathtub.
What Is 56 Days About?
The series opens with a strong hook. A masked figure enters a luxury Boston apartment, takes a photo of something in the bathroom, and pulls the fire alarm. When police arrive, they find a body submerged in a bathtub, decomposed beyond recognition . From there, the story jumps back 56 days to show how Oliver and Ciara first met.
Detective Lee Reardon (Karla Souza) and her partner Detective Karl Connolly (Dorian Missick) lead the investigation. They quickly learn the apartment belongs to Oliver, but tracing ownership proves difficult because the unit is registered to a company . As they dig deeper, they uncover secrets about both Oliver and Ciara that suggest this relationship was doomed from the start.
Unlike the original novel, which took place during the COVID-19 lockdown in Dublin, the TV series moves the action to present-day Boston and removes the pandemic element entirely . Showrunners Lisa Zwerling and Karyn Usher chose to focus on internal psychological pressure rather than external confinement .
When and Where Can You Watch 56 Days?
All eight episodes of 56 Days are now streaming exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories . The full season dropped on February 18, 2026, so viewers can binge the entire story right now.
Global Release Times
If you haven’t started watching yet, here’s when the show became available in your region:
- United States: 12am PT / 3am ET on February 18
- Canada: 12am PT / 3am ET on February 18
- United Kingdom: 8am GMT on February 18
- India: 1:30pm IST on February 18
- Singapore: 4pm SGT on February 18
- Australia: 7pm AEDT on February 18
- New Zealand: 9pm NZDT on February 18
The series is available in multiple languages, with audio options including English, Spanish, Turkish, Arabic, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and more. Subtitle options cover even more languages for global audiences .
Who Stars in the Series?
Dove Cameron takes on the role of Ciara Wyse, a woman who appears innocent at first but clearly has hidden motives. Cameron, known for her Disney Channel days in the Descendants franchise, steps far away from her family-friendly image here . Critics have praised her ability to switch between vulnerable romantic and cool strategist .
Avan Jogia plays Oliver Kennedy, a wealthy architect battling deep trauma and paranoia. Jogia, who also started in children’s television, matches Cameron’s intensity as a man on the edge of collapse .
The supporting cast adds weight to the investigation storyline:
- Karla Souza as Detective Lee Reardon
- Dorian Missick as Detective Karl Connolly
- Megan Peta Hill as Ciara’s sister Shyla
James Wan’s production company Atomic Monster teamed up with Amazon MGM Studios to produce the series, bringing horror expertise to the thriller elements .
What Do the Critics Say?
Early reviews for 56 Days land all over the map. The show currently holds a 63% Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes . Some critics call it a binge-worthy guilty pleasure, while others find it falls short of its potential.
The Positive Takes
Variety praised Cameron’s performance and the show’s ability to keep audiences guessing. Ariel Shapiro wrote: “While some of the twists are more obvious than others, the show thrives because the audience never quite knows what to expect” .
The Seattle Times highlighted the chemistry between the leads. Chase Hutchinson noted: “The series is full of clever twists (some from the novel, many not), keeping you on edge as you wonder who’s in the bathtub… It’s a messy process, for sure, but love, and murder, always are” .
TV Guide gave the show a 7.7 out of 10, stating: “56 Days has enough personality to stand out from the crowd and soon makes its mark as a whodunit, circling a pair of suspects whose motives and life choices are intriguingly enigmatic” .
Collider awarded a 7 out of 10, with their critic observing: “Despite some mishaps in the first episodes, 56 Days knows exactly where it’s going and how much it wants to break viewers’ hearts while getting there” .
The Mixed to Negative Reviews
The Irish Times offered the most unusual take, calling the show terrible yet enjoyable. Their reviewer wrote: “Go into this expecting a conventionally well-put-together mystery, and you’ll be underwhelmed. Buckle up for a hysterically soapy thrill ride… It’s one of the worst things I’ve ever watched, and I loved it” .
RogerEbert.com was far less kind, giving the series 1 out of 4 stars. The review stated: “With the exception of a couple of actors, the writing and direction are so dreadful that most of the cast cannot bring the story to life, so each of the eight 48-minute episodes feels like it lasts for hours” .
The Daily Telegraph also handed out 1 out of 5 stars, writing: “If you stick it out until the end of the eight episodes…you will find that it does have quite a satisfying ending when it comes to identifying the body in the bath. But by then, like the corpse, your brain will have turned to slop” .
CBR gave a middling 6 out of 10, commenting: “This adaptation of Catherine Ryan Howard’s global bestseller plays it way too safe, turning the story into a middle of the road ensemble piece with brief flashes of brilliance at best” .
Screen Rant also landed at 6 out of 10, with their critic noting: “As an entertaining thriller that sticks the landing and has enough twists and strong performances to keep things entertaining, 56 Days is worth binge-watching, despite some of its shortcomings” .
How Does the Series Differ From the Book?
Readers of Catherine Ryan Howard’s 2021 novel will notice significant changes in the TV adaptation. The book took place in Dublin during the early days of the pandemic, with the couple moving in together quickly due to lockdown restrictions .
The series makes several key alterations:
- Setting: Dublin becomes Boston, removing all Irish elements
- Timeline: The pandemic is completely absent from the show
- Character depth: More focus falls on the detectives’ backstories
- Ending: Reports suggest the finale differs from the source material
Author Catherine Ryan Howard serves as a co-executive producer on the series, helping ensure the adaptation maintains the spirit of her work even with these changes .
Is 56 Days Worth Your Time?
The answer depends on what you’re looking for in a thriller. If you prefer polished, prestige dramas with subtle storytelling, this may not satisfy you. But if you enjoy wild, over-the-top mysteries with steamy romance and shocking twists, 56 Days could be exactly what you need.
The show delivers on its core promise of suspense. That opening image of a body dissolving in a bathtub sets a tone that carries through all eight episodes . The dual timeline structure keeps information flowing at a steady pace, with each episode revealing just enough to pull you into the next.
Cameron and Jogia’s performances anchor the series. Even critics who disliked the writing praised the leads for bringing intensity to their roles . Their chemistry makes the rapid relationship development feel believable, even when the plot strains credibility.
For international viewers, the show’s availability on Prime Video makes it easily accessible. The platform’s simultaneous global release means no waiting for episodes to arrive in your region .
The series currently ranks 7th on the JustWatch daily streaming charts in India, placing it above Gyaarah Gyaarah but below Jujutsu Kaisen . This suggests decent early viewership, though time will tell if word-of-mouth boosts its popularity.
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Final Thoughts on 56 Days
56 Days offers exactly what its premise promises: a sexy, twisty mystery about two people who should never have trusted each other. The show has clear flaws—some critics find the pacing uneven and the social commentary heavy-handed . But for viewers who enjoy guessing whodunit while watching attractive leads spiral into obsession, it delivers consistent entertainment.
The full-season release format works well for this type of story. With all eight episodes available now, you can power through the mystery in a single weekend and decide for yourself whether the ending justifies the journey.
If you’re still unsure, consider what you value in thrillers. Strong performances and steamy chemistry matter most? You’ll likely enjoy this. Tight plotting and realistic scenarios are dealbreakers? You might want to look elsewhere.
Either way, 56 Days has sparked conversation among critics and viewers alike—and in the streaming era, getting people talking is half the battle.
Also Read: Will 56 Days Return for Season 2? What We Know So Far
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