Summary
“Sweet Child O’ Mine” brings emotional converging timelines that witnesses Kate’s pregnancy, while dealing with Tully’s dilemma of whether she wants to be a mother.
This recap of Netflix’s Firefly Lane season 1, episode 5, “Sweet Child O’ Mine” contains significant spoilers.
We’ve established how much love Kate felt for Johnny when reminded of her pregnancy with Marah. The opening sequences of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” are a montage of Kate’s pregnancy, and Tully and Kate’s childhood; there’s a scene showing Cloud pregnant with Tully and escaping her parent’s home. After this montage, it quickly flits to Tully throwing up in the town and then going straight to work to be on her show. The series continues to combine both their worlds, with similarities across both timelines.
Kate is adamant that she doesn’t want to be friends with Tully
“Sweet Child O’ Mine” then flits to their teen days, and Kate is angry at Tully for lying about her mother having cancer. Kate is trying to split up as friends, but Tully really wants to talk about it. Tully grabs the stuff she has of Kate’s and tells her to have a good life. Kate’s mother tells her daughter that things are hard at Tully’s house. I think this proves that the adult in this situation has a deeper understanding of what’s truly happening with Tully.
Later on, Cloud comes over and returns a book that belongs to Kate. Cloud calls Kate a bright light and that she misses the dynamic duo between her and Tully. Inside the book, Tully has done some drawings that make Kate emotional. When she heads into the kitchen, she sees her mother flirting on the house phone. Kate not only had to deal with a brief fall out with her best friend, but she also had to grasp that her mother was potentially cheating on her father, at least emotionally.
Kate freaks out that she’s going to be a mother
Then the series flits forward to Kate’s pregnancy; the doctor is doing her ultrasound. Kate tells Johnny and Tully that she wants other things in life and not just to be a mother; she begins to freak out at everyone for telling her to calm down. “Sweet Child O’ Mine” gives the typical hormonal panics that come with pregnancy.
Tully doesn’t know if she wants to be a mother
“Sweet Child O’ Mine” deals with Tully’s dilemma — she has expressed in previous episodes that she’s always clung to the possibility of having a child, but that she has never seen herself as a mother.
In the present day, Kate and Tully debate whether Tully should be a mother. The TV host is worried about changing her lifestyle, and she isn’t sure about “how to be a mother”. Kate reassures her that no-one knows how to be a mother. Tully wants to talk about Travis, but Kate isn’t interested. After a brief conversation about motherhood, they discuss Tully’s interview with Kimber that Kate arranged.
Johnny is annoyed at Tully’s involvement
Predictably, Firefly Lane shows how Tully was there for Kate during the pregnancy as much as her husband.
In the past, Johnny gets frustrated that Tully wants to be involved with everything to do with Kate’s pregnancy. He sarcastically asks if Tully is the father. Kate reassures Johnny that Tully is just worried about her. Johnny wants them both to bond over the pregnancy, rather than Tully just being involved all the time. He thinks she’s sexy when pregnant. As they are about to have sex, Tully walks through the door. Johnny is fuming.
Marah talks to Johnny about his punch on Travis
Firefly Lane season 1, episode 5 deals with the aftermath of the showdown between Johnny and Travis in the music showcase in Episode 4. In the present day, Marah tells Johnny she knows why he punched Travis. Johnny explains that her mother did not cheat on him and that he was looking for someone to blame, and that it’s complicated. He explains that some couples cannot make it work, even when they love each other. Suddenly, their dog Axl is struggling to get up, bringing more heartbreak to the situation — a family about to split up has to now deal with the death of a family dog.
Kimber’s interview with Tully
It then flits to the interview with Kimber and Tully. Kimber asks about her childhood and wants to know about her mother — she can’t find a record of her and wants to know if she’s really dead. Kate breaks up the interview to give Tully a break as she’s struggling. Kate speaks to Tully privately — she doesn’t know how to deal with this segment of the interview. Tully then freaks out about being pregnant and she doesn’t even know the father’s last name. Both women laugh, and Kate tells her she will support her no matter what — their bond remains charming as ever.
“Sweet Child O’ Mine” flits to Kate’s pregnancy, and it’s the baby shower. Kate has a brief panic attack and feels she is crazy. Tully helps calm her down and tells her “getting what she wants” is scary. She suggests they ditch the baby shower. The theme continues that both women are always there for each other at different and similar stages of their lives.
Kate and Tully make up
In the teen timeline, Kate and her mother plan to go to a John Denver concert together. Kate asks her mother who she was on the phone with and if she’s getting a divorce. Margie explains that they are not getting a divorce and that she and her father have a mature love. Kate’s mother then claims that John Denver was the night before, so they have accidentally missed it — but it looks like she is making it up, as she can see Tully across the road rummaging through bins, and she can tell her daughter is straining to help. She asks Kate to help Tully. Tully apologizes and says Kate is her best friend.
Kate’s waters break
Back to Kate’s pregnancy, and Tully gives her a gift. It’s a beautiful, expensive necklace. Tully tells her she has a reporter position at WNBC, but she isn’t going to take it. Kate tells her that New York is better and more exposure. Tully doesn’t want to leave and that she has a life where she is now, and that she’s comfortable. Suddenly, Kate’s water breaks and they have to head into the hospital. The story angles it in a way that Tully feels she has a secure circle, a family she never had, and moving to New York would be too much of a big change; she wants Kate nearby.
Johnny arrives at the hospital and tells Tully to leave and states that he is the father. Kate tells them she wants them both to be there. The birth is successful. Tully starts remembering losing her mother in crowds and leaves the room as Johnny and Kate share their moment. It’s awful watching Tully be hindered by her past with her mother.
In the present day, Axl is put down; Marah, Kate, and Johnny stroke him until he dies. They are all devastated, but as a family and together. Meanwhile, Tully and Max go for a walk and eat hot dogs together.
Johnny vows to protect the family
Back to the past after Kate giving birth. Johnny tells Tully she wants to keep the dog that he gave them. Johnny is emotional and tells Tully that he wants his little family to be safe and Marah to never suffer. Tully seems emotional, hanging on to every word. She never had that upbringing of feeling protected, and it suddenly hits her that she missed such an important segment of her life due to her incapable mother.
In the present, Marah asks Kate if she can go to her best friend’s house. Kate wants a hug before she does but Marah storms off. Kate breaks down in tears in front of Johnny and states she was glad they were all there for the end of Axl’s life. Johnny is heading out for his new job, so this is a “goodbye” — the family is officially split.
The ending
Tully thanks Max for giving her a second chance and she wants to see him again. As the elevator door shuts on Max, Tully blurts, “I’m pregnant”. Meanwhile, Kate strips down and skinny-dips in water. As the episode ends, Kimber finds Cloud working at a cafe. She asks about Tully Hart. The last thing Tully needs right now is her mother returning!
Firefly Lane season 1, episode 5 brings emotional converging timelines that witnesses Kate’s pregnancy, while dealing with Tully’s dilemma of whether she wants to be a mother. There are many themes on childhood trauma and broken families that feel stronger in this chapter as we reach the halfway stage.
