Firefly Lane Season 2 Part 2 Review: A lot of potential, little realized 

Firefly Lane returned with the second part of its second season on April 27, 2023, on Netflix. While Netflix initially strayed away from splitting shows into parts or releasing episodes on a weekly or monthly basis, they have recently started experimenting with the format by splitting seasons into two halves (seen in You, Stranger Things, and Better Call Saul). It was still an odd choice to do this to this light-hearted friendship story.

But this two-part format actually worked in favor of Firefly Lane as the show could split up and focus on the more serious issues in the second half of the second season instead of focusing on the same old tried-and-tested jokes and tale of broken friendships. With a lot more gravity behind the plot this time, Firefly Lane attempted to do something incredible with the premise of the two friends, Tallulah "Tully" Hart (Katherine Heigl) and Kate Mularkey (Sarah Chalke), and their path to reunion following a piece of heartbreaking news.

But things did not shape up as well as they could have. In essence, this Kristin Hannah adaptation could have been much more than what it ended up being. But the second part of the new season was still arguably one of the strongest segments of the entire series.

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Firefly Lane Season 2 Part 2 is a straightforward story but is often weighed down by unnecessary comic scenarios

After the first nine episodes depicted the friendship breakup between Kate and Tully, the new part of the second season focused on a much more serious topic.

The most intriguing thing about the show has been the split timeline that covers multiple phases of their friendship.

This season continues the format but manages to bring in an interesting dynamic. The second part of Firefly Lane Season 2 begins with the aftermath and effects of the brutal friendship breakup, which saw Tully grieving the loss at the other end of the Earth and Kate dealing with the revelation of Stage 3 breast cancer.

The first episode sees Tully talking about Kate to a co-worker. On the other side, Kate is dealing with some really heartbreaking scenarios. But the show does not shy away from hinting that they would get back together very soon. This honest understanding of the genre was something rare in this part. Moreover, it did not wait around too long to depict the friends getting back either, but it wasn't rushed either.

Kate's powerful storyline gives a much-needed gravity to the story, which has, with rare exceptions, hovered on the edge of absurd comedy. But what the show does not do very well is integrate the humor skillfully between these heart-warming, and often heartbreaking, scenarios.

Yes, there is plenty of humor in the first few episodes of the second part, but it all seems predominantly unnecessary and irrelevant. It could have built a solid premise around the more serious events in this storyline given that this time they did have the chance.

Anyhow, the good part is that Firefly Lane does not drag out either sequence too much. The humor is limited, and so is the tragedy, making the show very balanced.

Being the final few episodes of the series, it also manages to provide a sense of tightness and direction, something that the first half of the second season missed out on.

By the time Firefly Lane wraps up, it leaves behind a sweet aftertaste, which is not bad at all for the final part of a story. It may not have been perfect, but it was a human journey to an inevitable end.

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Firefly Lane season 2 part 2 is now streaming on Netflix.