Grab your toothbrush, it’s about to get sickly sweet.
Netflix has grabbed veteran TV stars Katherine Heigl and Sarah Clarke and dumped them into the soppy and sentimental story of Firefly Lane. Based on the 2008 novel by Kristin Hannah, we follow best pals Kate and Tully through their tumultuous teenage years right up to motherhood, middle age and divorce, all filmed through a hazy, sepia-tinted lens, and suitably seasoned with swearing and time-hopping.
Ok, we know this series isn’t going to be mentioned in any press lists of best shows to come out of 2021. But then again, Firefly Lane isn’t trying to win awards or make some smart comment on society. It’s trying to provide comfort to women nostalgic for their youth, celebrate sisterhood and the highs and lows of female friendship. And that it does all of those really well – awkward and nerdy Kate being best buds with the cool-girl Tully is cliché, but comforting, and whilst the story is cosy overall, it also handles the deeper topics of rape, childhood trauma and mental health.
So this show isn’t a Must for those looking for a challenge in their TV. But for our readers seeking something ambient and nostalgic, take a trip down Firefly Lane.
It seems Adrian Horton of The Guardian isn’t such a fan, giving it just two stars and saying “Firefly Lane is underwhelming, leaning too heavily on the saccharine, asking too much of its capable leads, and whizzing too often through hazily connected timelines to land an emotional punch.” Ouch. However Variety’s Caroline Framke reckons despite not having a ground-breaking premise, the show will build a dedicated audience anyway. Especially with it being housed on Netflix, which she says “has quietly built a small empire of exactly such ‘soapy romantic dramas’ that are easy enough to get lost in for a weekend.” And Adam White of the Independent might be one of those getting lost on Firefly Lane, which he calls “the comeback Katherine Heigl has always deserved.”
First shown February 2021. You can watch the trailer by pressing play on the show image, or by clicking here.
