The pages of bestselling book come to life in ‘Firefly Lane’
By Haley Gross
After a year full of having more than enough time to binge-watch every season of “The Real Housewives” franchise and rewatching all of the classics on Netflix, it’s about time for something refreshing yet satisfying to be released.
Netflix’s newest series, “Firefly Lane” does just this in 10 one-hour-long episodes. It authentically captures the essence of the lifelong friendship between Tully, a famous TV journalist, and her best friend, Kate, along with the trials and tribulations that come with growing through the life stages of women.
The feel-good series, which is ranked 10th among Netflix’s shows, is based on the book by New York Times bestselling author Kristin Hannah. Given its soap-like nature, it’s often cliché, but the plot is suprisingly, yet pleasantly, unpredictable. The last episode even ends on a cliffhanger, leaving viewers unfamiliar with the story wanting more.
Each episode contains snippets of Tully (Katherine Heigl) and Kate’s (Sarah Chalke) lives from when they first meet as teenagers in the 1970s to their early professional lives, through adulthood. There are no date stamps indicating a change in time though, which make it a bit confusing to keep track of the plot. After catching onto their changing hairstyles, it gets easier to determine what the time period is.
Having grown up without a father and a drug-addicted, hippie mother who insists on being called Cloud, Tully is extraverted, confident and fiery. Kate is emotional, soft spoken, and excruciatingly awkward but comes from a loving family that often takes Tully in when she needs it.
The two friends’ contrasting personalities allow for a captivating juxtaposition of the paths their lives take and how they view situations. For example, one interaction between Kate, Tully and their former co-worker is shown from both of their points of view, imparting experiences that are very different.
Although their fierce loyalty and love for one another is evident, their differences inevitably cause friction. Kate lives in Tully’s shadow for much of her life, which is surely hard given Tully’s strong, sometimes suffocating personality. It’s easy to feel frustrated for Kate. Tully has huge goals for herself and expectations for what her and Kate’s lives are supposed to be like, but it’s difficult to tell if Kate truly wants the same or she wants it because Tully wants it for her.
Overall, this is a satisfyingly emotional, yet low-maintenance show, if you can get past the time period confusion. For those who are not fans of cliffhangers, reading the book first might be a good ideas, rather than being tortured by the last episode.
Rated: ⅘ stars
Premiered on Feb. 3, 2021 on Netflix.
