TV Review: Firefly Lane

Death, sickness, betrayal. There is nothing that can break the bond between best friends. At least that is what Tully and Kate thought…

The ten-episode series – based on the novel of the same name by Kristin Hannah – spans over four decades. It depicts the relationship between popular, impulsive Tallulah ‘Tully’ Hart – someone everyone is drawn to (not realising that her desire for attention comes from a place of pain) and Kathleen ‘Kate’ Mularkey – Tully’s antithesis (probably the reason why they are so close), as they navigate their way through life side by side.

As a child, Tully faced issues of neglect with her mother Dorothy “Cloud” Hart. She was irresponsible to look after her, so she left her in the care of her grandmother for years.  One day “Cloud”  returned to take a young Tully to live with her which did not work out well as she abandoned Tully on a bench where she was found and returned home to her grandmother.

Once she became a teenager, her mother returned again and took her to live at Firefly Lane, where she befriended her neighbour Kathleen “Kate” Malarkey by turning to her after a traumatic incident.

The show constantly jumps backwards and forwards over the four decades, which can be confusing. However, you can keep track by being guided by the clothes, the music and most significantly the ways that the two girls look – whether that be young, older or airbrushed (the middle decades.)

The time jumps are an integral part of the story as they connect to the moments in the present (real) time and demonstrate how the friendship between the girls grows both stronger and deeper over time despite all the tragedies they have faced.

By Ellie Moylan

Feature image: CNN

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