Why won't there be a Firefly Lane season 3?

The second and final season of the Netflix series has had a staggered release, with season 2 part 1 airing on the streamer at the start of December 2022.

Sadly, there won't be a third instalment of the drama and, while there's no denying that more time for Kate and Tully in this world would have been a wonderful thing, there's actually a pretty sad explanation for the lack of season renewal.

So, get your tissues at the ready, and read on for everything you need to know about why there won't be a third season of Firefly Lane.

Why there won't be a Firefly Lane season 3?

Unfortunately, season 2 is the last outing for Firefly Lane. Netflix previously confirmed that season 2 will be the final season of the show, but it seems as though it's for a very good reason.

While Netflix has previously come under fire for prematurely cancelling shows, this time round it seems as though the decision to end the series is an apt one.

As the drama is based on Kristin Hannah's book of the same name and its sequel Fly Away, we know that Kate's cancer diagnosis is terminal and the last episodes will deal with the impact of Kate's death, as well as how Tully and Kate's daughter Marah deal with it years later. This is all explored in the novel too, with Kate's death leaving Marah and Tully completely devastated.

Of course, it's a sad ending and is set to be a touching collection of episodes, but something tells us that season 2 part 2 will bring the kind of satisfying final ending we've all been hoping for.

To ensure the story of Firefly Lane was told in all its glory, showrunner Maggie Friedman said she made sure that season 2 was longer in length to achieve her vision.

Talking to Glamour, she said: "Originally, season 2 was just going to be 10 episodes, but I was talking to one of the Netflix executives who’s been such a great champion of the show and said, 'I know where the end of the story is.'"

She continued: "'I know exactly what I want it to be. I just want to make sure that we get there and don’t end on a cliffhanger and then something happens and we don’t complete it.' I wanted to make sure that I got to tell the full story."

Essentially, Friedman didn't want Firefly Lane to suffer a similar fate to some of the streamer's cancelled shows and, echoing that sentiment, Netflix VP of drama series Jinny Howe said: "She wanted to tell the story in the two books. This felt like the most special and best way to deliver the series to the fans of the show while honouring Maggie’s vision at the same time."

After the major rift of season 2 part 1, Kate had a momentous change of heart and turned up on Tully's doorstep following her cancer diagnosis, only to find that Tully had embarked on a trip to Antarctica.

From the trailer for part 2 alone, it's clear to see that this is set to be an emotional rollercoaster of an ending but picks back up with a look into Tully’s stay in Antarctica, and Tully and Kate’s reunion. Season 2 had initially taken us through the highs and lows of their 30-year friendship, but underlined that the pair always came back to one another in some way. Now, we'll see how they remain rocks for each other.

Speaking to Deadline about shooting the final scenes, Chalke admitted that even though she knew what was coming as she had read the original Kristin Hannah book, the script made her cry. "It was really beautifully written. Obviously, I had some trepidation about shooting it. It was quite an emotional day."

You can buy Firefly Lane and Fly Away by Kristin Hannah here. Firefly Lane is available to stream on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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