There’s nothing more beautiful than seeing a friendship blossom between two women in a powerful pact, especially when the characters are entirely different. It embodies a connection in which we all dream of experiencing in our lives. Hollywood has done an amazing job with its representation of female friendships in television from characters like Issa and Molly in “Insecure” to Blaire and Serena of “Gossip Girl.” Although these relationships may sometimes seem to focus on superficial aspects, the focus on positive female friendships is so important for young and female-identifying viewers.
Based on the novel by Kristin Hannah, “Firefly Lane” is one of the most accurate representations of female friendship witnessed on-screen. It isn’t as powerful as “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,” but there’s something lovable about this series that keeps you glued to the TV as it dives deeper into the history of the two main characters.
Tully Hart (Katherine Heigl, “Suits”), the daughter of a drug-dependent hipster mom with a troubled past, moves to Firefly Lane where she meets her next-door neighbor, Kate Mularkey (Sarah Chalke, “Rick and Morty”). Kate, although nerdy and quirky to the extreme, captivates Tully, and they eventually become the best of friends. The series explores the friendship between Tully and Kate from youth into adulthood, portraying the finer and not-so-fine things in life.
Maggie Friedman, the show’s creator, skillfully portrays both the positive and negative aspects of female friendships. Think of it as the “Woman’s Saga.” It explores everything from happiness to anger, jealousy and life’s growing pains.
While the show is set up to encourage viewers to root for either character in their personal storylines, it still portrays how codependency can take shape in friendships. It illustrates what happens when two friends are so invested in their friendship with one another, they begin to ignore their own personal problems or, even worse, ignore the ill-treatment of one party all for the purpose of having a friend. We get insight into an unspoken tension that lies closely beneath the surface. So close that in every new episode, you expect it to eventually blow up in their face.
The series doesn’t shy away from the difficult issues that girls go through. It feels authentic and familiar, which is what these types of television shows need. It’s what one would call a “Bildungsroman,” illustrating how the main characters rely on one another for moral growth. They ultimately begin to learn more about themselves, albeit at different paces. “Firefly Lane” is a positive representation of friendship in its entirety. The life of a friendship is capable of sustaining longevity through an understanding of self and the situation, through thick and thin.
This show is for the softies. It makes me want to call up my best girlfriends for a night out or a Friday night slumber party. Everyone needs a best friend simply to share thoughts, feelings and triumphs that they can relate to one another with. That emotional support develops a strong bond that is extremely hard to break, and life could be really detrimental without it.
But what happens when one party crosses the line? Granted, no friendship is perfect. But that doesn’t mean differences that occur in a friendship gives the right to end it. Things happen. Life happens. But friendship is forever.
Daily Arts Writer Jessica Curney can be reached at jcurney@umich.edu.