Firefly Lane is an American drama television series created by Maggie Friedman for Netflix. The series is based on the novel of the same name by Kristin Hannah.[1] The series premiered on February 3, 2021,[2] and navigates the lives of two teenage girls in the 1970s, all the way through to their adulthood in the mid 2000s. In May 2021, the series was renewed for a second season.[3] In October 2022, it was announced that the second season would be its final season and would consist of 16 episodes, split into two parts. The first part of the second season was released on December 2, 2022, and the second part was released on April 27, 2023.[4][5]

Firefly Lane
GenreDrama
Created byMaggie Friedman
Based onFirefly Lane
by Kristin Hannah
ShowrunnerMaggie Friedman
Starring
Music byWendy Melvoin & Lisa Coleman
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes26
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Aaron Au
  • Arielle Boisvert
Production locationBurnaby, British Columbia
CinematographyVincent De Paula
Editors
  • Jamin Bricker
  • Lisa Binkley
  • Alison Grace
  • Lisa Robison
Running time44–70 minutes
Production companies
  • Stephanie Germain Productions
  • Curly Girly Productions
Original release
NetworkNetflix
ReleaseFebruary 3, 2021 (2021-02-03) –
April 27, 2023 (2023-04-27)

Premise

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Firefly Lane follows the friendship and bond between two women from the Seattle area, Kate Mularkey and Tallulah "Tully" Hart, from when they become neighbors at age 14 on a street named Firefly Lane, through the decades until their 40s, through the ups and downs of their lives.

Cast and characters

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Main

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  • Katherine Heigl as Tully Hart, host of the daytime talk show The Girlfriend Hour
    • Ali Skovbye as teenage Tully
    • London Robertson as young Tully 1970
  • Sarah Chalke as Kate Mularkey, Tully's best friend since they were 14 years old and a housewife who is trying to get back in the workforce while going through a divorce
    • Roan Curtis as teenage Kate
  • Ben Lawson as Johnny Ryan, Kate's ex-husband and the producer of The Girlfriend Hour
  • Beau Garrett as Cloud, Tully's free-spirited, drug-addicted mother
  • Yael Yurman as Marah Ryan, Kate and Johnny's teenage daughter
  • Ignacio Serricchio as Danny Diaz (season 2)[6]

Recurring

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  • Brandon Jay McLaren as Travis, a widower whose daughter goes to the same school as Marah and finds a connection with Kate
  • Jon Ecker as Max Brody, Tully's love interest (season 1)
  • Chelah Horsdal as Margie, Kate's mother
  • Paul McGillion as Bud, Kate's father
  • Jenna Rosenow as Kimber Watts, an editor at Seattle Digest and Kate's boss
  • Leo Rano as Leon, Cloud's boyfriend in the 1970s
  • Brendan Taylor as Mutt, the cameraman at local news station KPOC Tacoma and Kate's love interest in the 1980s
  • Jason Mckinnon as Sean, Kate's closeted older brother
  • Synto Misati as Robbie '74
  • Kirsten Robek as Carol, a KPOC Tacoma anchor
  • Andres Joseph as Gideon Vega, a photographer at Seattle Digest
  • Patrick Sabongui as Chad Wiley, Tully's love interest in the 1980s who was also her college professor
  • Tara Wilson as Julia, Sean's wife
  • Jolene Purdy as Justine Jordan (season 2),[6] Tully's new talent agent
  • India de Beaufort as Charlie (season 2)[6]
  • Greg Germann as Benedict Binswanger (season 2),[6] a wealthy businessman who is running for governor of the state of Washington whom Tully and Danny are covering for a story. He came from a family who owned a logging company known as Bincorp.
  • Forrest Anthony as Parker Binswanger, (credited ambiguously as "Teenage Boy" in season 1) Benedict's kinder, more sensitive brother .
  • Oliver Rice as Theo (season 2)
  • Seth Isaac Johnson as Eugene (season 2)
  • Chris McNally as Mr. Waverly (season 2)[7]
  • Khobe Clarke as Coop (season 2)

Special guest star

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Episodes

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Series overview

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SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
110February 3, 2021 (2021-02-03)
2169December 2, 2022 (2022-12-02)
7April 27, 2023 (2023-04-27)

Season 1 (2021)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
11"Hello, Yellow Brick Road"Peter O'FallonTeleplay by : Maggie FriedmanFebruary 3, 2021 (2021-02-03)
22"Oh! Sweet Something"Peter O'FallonMaggie FriedmanFebruary 3, 2021 (2021-02-03)
33"Dancing Queens"Anne WheelerIlene RosenzweigFebruary 3, 2021 (2021-02-03)
44"Love is a Battlefield"Anne WheelerSavannah DooleyFebruary 3, 2021 (2021-02-03)
55"Sweet Child O' Mine"Vanessa PariseMaggie Friedman & Barbara JohnsFebruary 3, 2021 (2021-02-03)
66"Dirty Laundry"Vanessa PariseJohn Sacret YoungFebruary 3, 2021 (2021-02-03)
77"Total Eclipse of the Hart"Fred GerberMarissa LeeFebruary 3, 2021 (2021-02-03)
88"Mawaige"Fred GerberSavannah Dooley & James Ford Jr.February 3, 2021 (2021-02-03)
99"You Say It's Your Birthday?!"Lee RoseIlene RosenzweigFebruary 3, 2021 (2021-02-03)
1010"Auld Lang Syne"Lee RoseMaggie FriedmanFebruary 3, 2021 (2021-02-03)

Season 2 (2022–23)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
Part 1
111"Wish You Were Here"Michael SpillerMaggie FriedmanDecember 2, 2022 (2022-12-02)
122"On the Road"Michael SpillerSavannah Dooley & Marissa Lee & Barbara JohnsDecember 2, 2022 (2022-12-02)
133"I'm Coming Out"Shannon KohliBecky Hartman Edwards & Michael V. RossDecember 2, 2022 (2022-12-02)
144"Papa Don't Preach"Shannon KohliDavah Avena & James Ford, Jr.December 2, 2022 (2022-12-02)
155"Simple Twist of Fate"Vanessa PariseSavannah Dooley & Marissa LeeDecember 2, 2022 (2022-12-02)
166"Reborn on the Fourth of July"Vanessa PariseMaggie Friedman & Barbara JohnsDecember 2, 2022 (2022-12-02)
177"Good Riddance/Time of Your Life"Katina Medina MoraBecky Hartman Edwards & Michael V. RossDecember 2, 2022 (2022-12-02)
188"All Apologies"Katina Medina MoraMaggie Friedman & Davah AvenaDecember 2, 2022 (2022-12-02)
199"Hart-Shaped Box"Michael SpillerMaggie Friedman & James Ford, Jr.December 2, 2022 (2022-12-02)
Part 2
2010"All the World's a Stage"Monika MitchellSavannah DooleyApril 27, 2023 (2023-04-27)
2111"The Breast Is Yet to Come"Monika MitchellBarbara JohnsApril 27, 2023 (2023-04-27)
2212"Time After Time"Sarah Wayne CalliesMarissa LeeApril 27, 2023 (2023-04-27)
2313"Can't Fight This Feeling"Sarah Wayne CalliesDavah Avena & Michael V. RossApril 27, 2023 (2023-04-27)
2414"I Can't Go On, I'll Go On"Winnifred JongMaggie Friedman & James Ford, Jr.April 27, 2023 (2023-04-27)
2515"Moondance"Winnifred JongBecky Hartman Edwards & Emily E. EllisApril 27, 2023 (2023-04-27)
2616"This Must Be the Place"Michael SpillerMaggie FriedmanApril 27, 2023 (2023-04-27)

Production

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Development

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On February 22, 2019, it was announced that Netflix had given the production a series order for a first season consisting of ten episodes. The series was created and showran by Maggie Friedman who was also expected to executive produce alongside Stephanie Germain, Katherine Heigl, and Lee Rose.[1][8] On May 26, 2021, Netflix renewed the series for a second season.[3] On October 3, 2022, it was reported that the second season would be its final season which would consist of 16 episodes, splitting into two parts.[4]

Casting

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On July 10, 2019, Katherine Heigl was cast in a lead role.[8] In August 2019, Ben Lawson, Sarah Chalke, Beau Garrett had been cast in starring roles.[9][10][11] In September 2019, Ali Skovbye and Roan Curtis were cast to play the teenage versions of Heigl's and Chalke's characters, Tully and Kate, respectively.[12] In the same month, Yael Yurman was cast as a series regular while Jon Ecker and Brandon Jay McLaren were cast in recurring capacities.[13] On December 17, 2019, Patrick Sabongui and Brendan Taylor joined the cast in recurring roles.[14] On February 11, 2020, Jenna Rosenow was cast in a recurring role.[15] On September 21, 2021, Ignacio Serricchio joined the cast as new series regular while Greg Germann, India de Beaufort, and Jolene Purdy were cast in recurring roles for the second season.[6] On February 11, 2022, Chris McNally was cast in a recurring capacity for the second season.[7]

Filming

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Principal photography for the first season began on September 17, 2019, and ended on January 21, 2020, in Burnaby, British Columbia.[16] Vincent De Paula is the cinematographer for the series.[17] Filming for the second season began on August 30, 2021, and concluded on April 28, 2022.[18]

Release

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On October 14, 2020, an official teaser was released as well as first look images.[19] The series premiered on February 3, 2021.[2] The first nine episodes of second season were released on December 2, 2022, and the final seven were released on April 27, 2023.[4][5]

Reception

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Audience viewership

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For the week of February 1 to 7, Firefly Lane was ranked number one in the Nielsen ratings, who announced that the show had been viewed for a total of 1.3 billion minutes.[20] The following week, it was ranked number one in the Nielsen ratings again, with a total of 1.288 billion minutes of viewing.[21] On April 20, 2021, Netflix announced that 49 million people watched the series in its first 28 days after its release.[22]

Critical response

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For the first season, review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 48% based on 31 critic reviews, with an average rating of 5.7/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Firefly Lane has some solid ideas and a winning pair in Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke—if only the writing could live up to all that potential."[23] Metacritic gave the first season a weighted average score of 57 out of 100 based on 21 critic reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[24]

Judy Berman of Time wrote, "By most metrics, Firefly Lane is simply not a good show. Yet despite its many limitations, there's something lovable about it."[25] Joel Keller of Decider said, "The chemistry between Sarah Chalke and Katherine Heigl will carry Firefly Lane."[26]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the second season has a 83% approval rating based on 6 critic reviews, with an average rating of 5.9/10.[27]

References

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  1. ^ a b Petski, Denise (February 22, 2019). "Netflix Orders 'Firefly Lane' Drama Series From Maggie Friedman Based On Book". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 8, 2019. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Ausiello, Michael (December 3, 2020). "Firefly Lane Trailer: Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke's BFFs Are 'F--king Stuck With' Each Other in New Netflix Drama". TVLine. Archived from the original on February 2, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Otterson, Joe (May 26, 2021). "'Firefly Lane' Renewed for Season 2 at Netflix". Variety. Archived from the original on May 26, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Ausiello, Michael (October 3, 2022). "Firefly Lane to End With Super-Sized Season 2 at Netflix". TVLine. Archived from the original on October 3, 2022. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Heigl, Katherine [@KatieHeigl] (February 17, 2023). "Firefly Lane returns to @Netflix on April 27! That's right, our premiere got moved up so you can catch our fabulous retro hair sooner. So prepare to cancel all your plans and ignore your responsibilities until you finish binging the entire season! #FireflyLane #FireflyLaneSeason2" (Tweet). Archived from the original on February 17, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2023 – via Twitter.
  6. ^ a b c d e Andreeva, Nellie (September 21, 2021). "'Firefly Lane' Adds Ignacio Serricchio, Greg Germann, India de Beaufort & Jolene Purdy To Cast For Season 2". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 21, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Petski, Denise (February 11, 2022). "'When Calls The Heart's Chris McNally Joins 'Grease: Rise Of The Pink Ladies' & 'Firefly Lane'2". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 11, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  8. ^ a b Petski, Denise (July 10, 2019). "Katherine Heigl To Star & Executive Produce Netflix's 'Firefly Lane' Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  9. ^ Petski, Denise (August 12, 2019). "'Firefly Lane': Ben Lawson Joins Katherine Heigl In Netflix Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 13, 2019. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  10. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (August 16, 2019). "Sarah Chalke To Star In Netflix Drama Series 'Firefly Lane'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 16, 2019. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  11. ^ Petski, Denise (August 28, 2019). "Beau Garrett Joins Netflix Drama Series 'Firefly Lane'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 5, 2019. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  12. ^ Petski, Denise (September 12, 2019). "'Firefly Lane': Ali Skovbye & Roan Curtis To Play Young Tully & Young Kate In Netflix Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 28, 2019. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  13. ^ Petski, Denise (September 16, 2019). "'Firefly Lane': Yael Yurman Set As Series Regular, Jon Ecker & Brandon Jay McLaren To Recur In Netflix Drama". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 23, 2019. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  14. ^ Petski, Denise (December 17, 2019). "'Firefly Lane': Patrick Sabongui & Brendan Taylor To Recur On Netflix Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 18, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  15. ^ Petski, Denise (February 11, 2020). "Kwame Patterson To Recur In 'Snowfall'; Jenna Rosenow Books 'Firefly Lane'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  16. ^ "DGC BC Production List" (PDF). Directors Guild of Canada. August 30, 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 4, 2019. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  17. ^ De Paula, Vincent. "FIREFLY LANE (2020) | NETFLIX ORIGINAL TV SERIES (USA)". Vincent De Paula 2020. Archived from the original on June 18, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  18. ^ "DGC BC Production List" (PDF). Directors Guild of Canada. May 20, 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 20, 2022. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  19. ^ Romano, Nick (October 14, 2020). "Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke spark an everlasting bond in Firefly Lane first look". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 17, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  20. ^ Hayes, Dade (March 4, 2021). "'Firefly Lane' Tops Nielsen U.S. Weekly Streaming Rankings, With 'WandaVision' Gaining More Ground". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  21. ^ Hayes, Dade (March 11, 2021). "'Firefly Lane' Repeats Atop Nielsen U.S. Streaming List, With 'The Sinner' In Close Pursuit". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  22. ^ White, Peter (April 20, 2021). "'Who Killed Sara?' Becomes Netflix's Most Popular Foreign-Language Series In U.S. As Streamer Reveals Figures For 'Firefly Lane' & 'I Care A Lot'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  23. ^ "Firefly Lane: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  24. ^ "Firefly Lane: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  25. ^ Berman, Judy (February 3, 2021). "Netflix's Cheesy Drama 'Firefly Lane' Pairs Well With Wine". Time. Archived from the original on February 14, 2021. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  26. ^ Keller, Joel (February 3, 2021). "Stream It Or Skip It: 'Firefly Lane' On Netflix, Where Katherine Heigl And Sarah Chalke Play Unlikely Best Friends Through The Decades". Decider. Archived from the original on March 6, 2021. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  27. ^ "Firefly Lane: Season 2". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
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