Here’s My Honest Review of ‘Firefly Lane’ Season One

The story spans the course of decades, following two lifelong best friends. (While Heigl and Chalke play the characters as adults, the teenage versions of Tully and Kate are portrayed by Ali Skovbye and Roan Curtis, respectively.)

The first episode shows viewers how they met, beginning with Tully’s turbulent childhood that led her to move in with her free-spirited mom, Cloud (Beau Garrett), in a house on Firefly Lane. It doesn’t take long for Tully to meet her across-the-street neighbor, Kate, who couldn’t be more different.

Fast forward several years, and they’re still best friends. Tully has achieved her dream of becoming a famous broadcaster. (She even has her own talk show called The Girlfriend Hour.) On the other hand, Kate chose to raise a family with her former boss, Johnny (Ben Lawson), who’s secretly in love with Tully. *Eye roll*

The problem? Kate is in the midst of a divorce from Johnny, and their teenage daughter, Marah (Yael Yurman), is acting out as a result. I don’t want to give too much away, but the series offers a glimpse into their decades-long friendship in a way that had me hooked from the second it began.

Part of what made this adaptation so great was the stellar cast. In addition to Heigl and Chalke, the cast for season one includes Ali Skovbye (Young Tully), Roan Curtis (Young Kate), Ben Lawson (Johnny Ryan), Jon Ecker (Max Brody), Beau Garrett (Cloud) and Yael Yurman (Marah Ryan).

If you love cheesy romantic dramas, the answer is 100 percent yes. Firefly Lane is a coming-of-age story that’s suitable for most viewers, which is a rare find in the age of Bonding and Bridgerton.

Not to mention, Firefly Lane left me wanting more. Although the series had a lot to prove, the full-circle ending made it all worthwhile. I feel extremely obligated to wait for season two, since the first batch of episodes provided multiple cliffhangers.

It’s important to note that the show jumps between timelines on a regular basis. As a fan of the book, I was initially unsure about this format, since I enjoyed Hannah’s chronological storytelling. Nevertheless, Netflix does a good job of showing the transition between the flashbacks and present-day scenes.

Pro tip: Pay attention to Kate and Tully’s wigs, because their hairstyles will clue you into the time period. (For example, Tully has long brown hair when she’s training to become a broadcaster, but she rocks a short, cropped style later in her career.)

In short, Firefly Lane is definitely worth the watch. While I wish there were more episodes, I applaud Netflix for revisiting this nostalgic story.

If you loved Firefly Lane, then Sweet Magnolias, Ginny & Georgia and Virgin River are just a few feel-good dramas that should be on your radar. And if you're unsure of where to start, we highly recommend Sweet Magnolias, which revolves around three friends and takes place in South Carolina. Similar to Firefly Lane, it touches upon themes like romance, family and, of course, friendship.

For a more comprehensive list of shows like Firefly Lane, check out our roundup here.