The dramatic series “Firefly Lane” came out on Netflix Feb. 3. I was very excited for this series after the first episode captured my interest with its classic family, romantic and friend drama, but I was utterly disappointed by its melodramatic acting and hard-to-follow plot. 

The narrative follows two best friends Kate (Sarah Chalke) and Tully (Katherine Heigl) throughout their friendship. It switches between the 70s, when they were in their teens, the 80s, when they were in college and had their first job at a small broadcast news center, the present, when they are both grown adults and the future, which leaves their full story a mystery. While this is initially what drew me to this show, the constant switching between decades gets choppy and confusing because the time often switches without much connection between scenes, leading to gaps in the lines of focus.

This show is a lot like the drama “This Is Us,” in the sense that the watcher knows a bit of the ending before knowing the full story, so there is definitely some fun in piecing the story together. The mysteries, though, don’t stay mysteries for long because, for the majority of the time, the truth is revealed by the end of the episode. This aspect of the show was one I was really looking forward to, but the fact that the secrets of the show were revealed so early on made me lose interest fast.

Then, when the storyline did capture me, the acting and cheesy script ruined the emotion. The show covers very serious topics such as rape, divorce and growing up, but any time a serious topic would be introduced, the cliche one-liners ruined the moment and, quite frankly, degraded the seriousness. The script isn’t the only problem though. The other problem I have is with the actors’ and actresses’ delivery of the cheesy script. At times, the script seemed forced, and honestly, I feel like I would have to force the lines if I had to perform with that script.

Although I have been bashing “Firefly Lane,”it does have some intriguing aspects. Between portraying the turbulence of growing up and the troubles adults face, the plotline definitely keeps the interest of the viewer. Along with a pretty engaging plot, each episode ends on a cliffhanger which forces the viewer to binge. The emotional ups and downs send you on a ride you don’t know if you can get off.

As a reporter myself, I did appreciate the journalistic side of this series. I especially enjoyed the aspect of Tully trying to make it as a broadcaster in a man’s world. It strongly exemplifies the inequalities that women faced then, as well as now, especially in such an intense career. The feminist twist to the plot was really what I stayed for. With the pressure on Kate, as an adult, to stay strong during her divorce and the harshness that growing up as a woman brings, especially in the 70s and 80s, “Firefly Lane” encapsulated the true struggles women face in every aspect of their lives, from the domestic sphere to the working field.

Overall, I would not recommend this show, unless you are looking for an extremely hackneyed show with humor that seems to be aimed at middle-aged moms. It definitely did have great moments where I could connect to the characters, but the show generally lacked humor I could connect with because of the generational differences.