Netflix is ending Firefly Lane with Katherine Heigl after 2 seasons Tom's Guide Skip to main content Tom's Guide is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's why you can trust us.

Netflix is ending Firefly Lane with Katherine Heigl after 2 seasons

By Henry T. Casey published 5 October 2022 The BFFs won't see a third season (Image credit: Netflix) Another week, another announcement that a Netflix show is ending. Yes, Netflix just announced the second season of Firefly Lane, a Katherine Heigl-led show, is its last. The news broke on Monday (October 3), when a Deadline (opens in new tab) report announced the upcoming season will also be the final one. The first half premieres December 2 and the second set will arrive in 2023. The series adapted a Kristin Hannah novel of the same name, and while it saw initial success, that doesn't seem to be enough. This is a case of Netflix seemingly not prioritizing early ratings over long-term performance. The Wrap (opens in new tab) reported that Firefly Lane was at the top of Nielsen's list of the Top 10 streaming series for the Week of Feb. 1-Feb. 7. This was months before Netflix's own Top 10 site - which shows the hours-watched per week - launched. Nielsen estimated that Firefly Lane accrued more than 1.3 billion minutes (21.7 million hours) in just its first five days. This was a little under twice as much as Bridgerton (659 million minutes) did that week, though this was over a month after the Regency soap's December 25, 2020 debut. WandaVision (589 million minutes), which was in the middle of its weekly episode drops, accrued around 45 percent as many minutes viewed. Firefly Lane ending after only two seasons following a good debut is another sign of how confusing it is to track Netflix shows. The service hasn't always offered a ton of metrics for viewership. Yes, it's one of the best streaming services, but we sympathize with those who are baffled when their favorite shows die seemingly premature deaths.

What Firefly Lane is about And what should you know for season 2

Firefly Lane tracks the lives of long-time BFFs Tully (Katherine Heigl) and Kate (Sarah Chalke). The two met in freshman year of high school in the 1970s, and it shows them in their early 20s as well as their 40s in 2023. Throughout the show, their bond is strengthened and tested by life's challenges. We also see them as teens, with Ali Skovbye as Tully and Roan Curtis as Kate. I won't spoil the Firefly Lane season 1 cliffhanger ending for you, but it's safe to say that one of their loved ones may not make it to the next season.

Firefly Lane reviews What critics say

Firefly Lane season 1 has a 47 percent Rotten Tomatoes score (opens in new tab), with a mix of positive and negative reviews from critics. TIME Magazine's (opens in new tab) Judy Berman wrote that while "Firefly Lane is simply not a good show," with "many limitations ... there's something lovable about it." These contrasting ups and downs are sprinkled into her review, as she writes "the central friendship is not just believable, but also endearing." The show won her over because of Keigl and Chalke's "grounded lead performances," as well as the show's "surprisingly decent dialogue" and "genuine warmth." No signs suggest that they are treating the end of the show as a negative, either. Richard Roeper at The Chicago Sun-Times (opens in new tab) writes that Firefly Lane "is a good-looking show that relies heavily on the kinds of cliffhangers we've seen on episodic network TV dramas for decades." He commends the show for having an "impressive" budget for music, with needle drops like Patsy Cline's "Crazy," INXS' "Never Tear Us Apart" and "Coming Around Again" by Carly Simon. That said, Roeper also criticized the shows flashbacks as "gimmicky and ubiquitous." Making matters worse, he says they take you "out of the story" and make audiences "feel removed from the proceedings, just when we should be deeply involved."

Firefly Lane outlook What should you expect

What's unclear with all of this is if the peopler running Firefly Lane wrote season 2 with the expectation that it would be the end of the story. No signs suggest that they are treating the end of the show as a negative, either. An Instagram post (embedded below) from Heigl says "Part 1 of our 16-episode supersized season features 9 episodes, with @kristinhannahauthor amazing story of Tully and Kate concluding in 2023 with Part 2 and the remaining 7 installments." A post shared by Katherine Heigl (@katherineheigl) (opens in new tab) A photo posted by on Therefore, Firefly Lane fans may be able to watch the second season without worrying that it will have an abrupt ending. Firefly Lane season 1 didn't cover all the material from the book it is based on, and it's unclear how much material season 2 will pull from the novel's sequel Fly Away.Today's best chromecast with google tv (HD) dealsReduced Price (opens in new tab)Google Chromecast with Google TV (HD) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)$38.99 (opens in new tab)$29.98 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab)See all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices

Be In the Know

Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Henry T. CaseySenior EditorHenry is a senior editor at Tom's Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans. More about entertainment 7 new movies to watch this week on Netflix, HBO Max and more (Oct. 25-28) How to watch House of the Dragon on HBO Max right now - release time and episode scheduleLatest Best 75-inch TVs of 2022See more latest ► Topics Netflix Streaming What to Watch See all comments (0) No comments yet Comment from the forums MOST READMOST SHARED1How to use a PS4 controller on Steam2How to stream Nintendo Switch to Twitch3WhatsApp updates: Desktop beta gains a smart privacy tool4How to install Android apps on Windows 115iPadOS 16 review: Not quite a game changer1How to know if someone blocked your number2The 10 best free Steam games3Why you want a mechanical keyboard4How to set parental controls on PS4 and PS4 Pro5Best 75-inch TVs of 2022