Firefly Lane

Sean Mularkey, Kate's older brother, is depicted as a closeted gay man who, as a teenager, is seen kissing a male friend by Tully, who keeps his secret for years. Sean eventually marries a woman and has a child, but later comes out to his sister Kate and then his wife, leading to his wife kicking him out. Additionally, Kate's daughter, Marah, reveals to Tully that she is dating her girlfriend before confiding in her mother, indicating a same-sex relationship.

As a teenager, Tully (Ali Skovbye) is sexually assaulted by an older boy, Pat, after being intoxicated at a party. This traumatic event is depicted and its lasting emotional consequences are explored throughout the series. Johnny Ryan (Ben Lawson), Kate's husband, is seriously injured in an explosion while covering the war in Iraq, with the painful aftermath and his recovery forming a significant plotline in Season 2. Other violent scenes include characters punching each other and a robbery where someone is shot.

Characters are frequently shown engaged in sex scenes, with portrayals including outlines of breasts, bare skin, bare behinds, and side boob, alongside characters wearing revealing lingerie. Tully (Katherine Heigl) often engages in casual sexual encounters, such as a one-night stand with a younger man, Max, where she dismissively states, 'I didn't ask' his name and 'I don't do second dates'. A graphic and difficult rape scene involving teenage Tully is a core element of the plot, impacting her character's development.

Characters, particularly Tully (Katherine Heigl), are noted for their frequent use of strong curse words, including the 'f**k' word, 's**t,' 'b**ch,' and 'a*****e'. A review explicitly states, 'Many of the characters (especially Tully) say words like “h**l,” “son-of-a-bi**h”, “bi**h”, “w***e”, “f**k”, and “a*****e”, and *a*s.' to the point where counting stops.

Tully's mother, Cloud (Beau Garrett), is a recurring character explicitly depicted as a drug addict, whose addiction leads to her periodically abandoning Tully and being arrested for drug possession. Teenagers in the series are shown engaging in alcohol consumption and using illicit drugs, including marijuana and cocaine, highlighting underage substance use.

Tully's experience of sexual assault at age 14 results in profound and lasting trauma, which is explored through vivid flashbacks and significantly impacts her relationships and emotional well-being into adulthood. Tully's childhood is marked by the recurring abandonment by her drug-addicted mother, Cloud, leading to a deeply unstable and emotionally distressing upbringing that shapes her character. Johnny Ryan's injury in an explosion while covering the Iraq war and his subsequent struggles with PTSD and recovery are portrayed with significant emotional intensity.