‘Firefly Lane’: Chris McNally of ‘When Calls the Heart’ Has a Key Role in Season 2
The last seven episodes of Firefly Lane are here, and they feature a special treat for fans of When Calls the Heart. Chris McNally, who plays Lucas Bouchard in the Hallmark Channel series, appears in the Netflix show as a character who plays an important role in young Kate and Tully’s life.
[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Firefly Lane Season 2 Part 2.]
Chris McNally plays Mr. Waverly in ‘Firefly Lane’ Season 2
The timeline-hopping Firefly Lane follows long-time best friends Kate (Sarah Chalke) and Tully (Katherine Heigl) from their days growing up outside of Seattle in the 1970s through their 20s when they’re starting their careers to their early 40s, when Kate is battling breast cancer.
The show’s final batch of episodes dropped on April 27. In episode 10, “All the World’s a Stage,” we meet Sam Waverly, a substitute teacher filling in for teenage Kate (Roan Curtis) and Tully’s (Ali Skovbye) English class. McNally’s character is young and hip (he likes the Grateful Dead) and he encourages his students to embrace Shakespeare by organizing a performance of Romeo & Juliet.
Tully develops a crush on her teacher in ‘Firefly Lane’
At first, Tully is skeptical of Mr. Waverly’s efforts to make Shakespeare seem cool. But once she lands the role of Juliet in the class play, she changes her tune. Before long, she develops a serious crush on her teacher. Though Kate tries to dissuade her, Tully thinks she and Mr. Waverly are meant to be together.
Tully asks Mr. Waverly to stay after class and run lines with her. She tries to tell him how she feels, but he quickly shuts her down.
“I am not your Romeo, Tully,” he tells her. “I’m an adult. You’re a kid.”
She tries to tell him she’s a woman, but he tells her that’s not how he sees her, leaving Tully hurt and embarrassed over his rejection of her.
Later, after one of Tully and Kate’s classmates is killed in an accident, Mr. Waverly encourages his students to work through their feelings about her death. And when the actor playing Romeo backs out at the last minute, he comes up with a creative solution that indirectly helps Kate make an important decision about a relationship.
Chris McNally is also in ‘Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies’
McNally’s appearance in Firefly Lane doesn’t mean that he’s leaving When Calls the Heart. The actor is confirmed to return for season 10 of the Hallmark Channel series, which will premiere in July 2023. The new episodes will pick up after his character’s romantic proposal to Elizabeth (Erin Krakow) in the season 9 finale. However, a “drastic” obstacle for Lucas could present some challenges for him and Elizabeth as they plan their wedding, the actor recently told ET.
In addition, McNally appears in the new series Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, which is currently streaming on Paramount+. Coincidentally, he also plays a high school English teacher in that show.
All episodes of Firefly Lane Season 2 are now streaming on Netflix.
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