Firefly Lane is a drama series created by Maggie Friedman and is based on the book of the same name by Kristin Hannah. The series stars Katherine Heigl, Sarah Chalke, Ben Lawson and Yael Yurman, alongside other cast members.
Wishing to watch something soft, funny and light? If you’re already bored with the content with too many thrills and chills, then Firefly Lane might just be the alternative you wish to see. With a lot of heart and funny in most places, this one will remind you to hold your best friend tight and give them a hug.
The series, with big names like Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke, follows best friends Tully and Kate who are friends since they were teenagers. The two of them share their life and grow from youngsters to adults and go through the various problems that life throws at them, all the while holding on to each other.
The series jumps from present and past and back again and we sporadically see the girls’ lives in the past and their various problems. Kate and Tully’s lives were widely different, but even then they grew fond of each other and that eventually translated into a friendship that lasted forever. The series focuses on giving us a lot of backstory about the lead pair, how they became who they are and gives us a peek into their growing friendship.
However, Tully and Kate’s past are the better parts of the series. You’d want to watch more of it every time it cuts back to the present. That’s mostly because, for me atleast, in the present Tully can’t seem to catch a break. The poor woman gets smacked with one problem after another, and although she’s the protagonist, like every other story like this, she just can’t seem to catch a breath. In the past, it feels like there’s a possibility for things to turn out better and that there’s hope.
Talking about Tully, Katherine Heigl is the best part of Firefly Lane. I’ve always been a fan of her work (who can ever forget 27 Dresses or The Ugly Truth?) and she brings a vulnerability and charisma to her character here that is very heartfelt. Tully’s home is broken from when she was a child. With a hippie and druggie mother, she grew up in an unstable environment and thus it’s understandable why she avoids relationships. Yet, she’s fiercely independent and an embodiment of strength. Heigl portrays that role and gives her strength and vulnerability that makes Tully a character you can empathise with.
Firefly Lane ofcourse, provides a confusing ending making people think that Tully is dead in the end. To be fair, you expect female friendships to crash and burn in popular media or for atleast one person to die. That’s probably the case here, where, although no, no one is dead, Kate and Tully’s friendship is forever changed by the events that transpired throughout the series. I don’t technically understand why female friendships always have to prove themselves time and again, but then media doesn’t like women to catch a breath so there’s that.
Summing up: Firefly Lane
Firefly Lane, with warmth at its heart, is a heartwarming tale about friendship, love and life. It talks about how no one is perfect but there’s redemption for everyone. Tully and Kate’s friendship is wonderfully relatable, both when they were kids and as adults. Firefly Lane makes for a light and fun watch with drama peppered throughout and will mostly keep you invested.
Firefly Lane is streaming on Netflix.
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