There have been a ton of new shows canceled recently, and now you can add Netflix’s First Kill to that growing list. Reported exclusively by Deadline, the love-infused vampire series isn’t returning for a second season at the streamer.
There was no reason given for why First Kill was canceled, but it can be assumed that either it wasn’t getting the views Netflix was hoping for, or they just didn’t like the overall product. In this case, it feels like the latter as shows in this heart-swelling genre like Bridgerton, Emily in Paris, and Virgin River have all been mega hits for the streamer. First Kill was based on a short story written by Victoria “V. E.” Schwab, who also served as a series co-writer, and acted like a modern retelling of the classic forbidden love story Romeo and Juliet. Just swap the Renaissance-era lovers for a modern-day vampire(Juliette) and a monster hunter(Calliope). The series in its eight episodes had its moments with a solid ensemble cast and lead performance from The Conjuring 3’s Sarah Catherine Hook, but overall the monster-filled concept was hindered by a low budget.
It felt like Netflix didn’t have the money to make this particular show live up to the high-quality standard viewers have become used to with the streamer’s other popular shows. The effects were distractingly poor, the fight sequences were very choppy, there were some baffling music as well as editing choices throughout, and the series had some egregious ADR work at times. It also didn’t help that the writing wasn’t the best either. From a narrative perspective, First Kill’s problems all start with the main love story not being that engaging. Juliette and Calliope weren’t really likable main characters, which is a big issue for a story in this genre, and the series never focused on the more interesting parts of the narrative. This included the wider lore of the monster hunter guild and Juliette’s bloodline.
Again First Kill had its entertaining moments, and it’s always great to see more LGBTQ+ representation on television, but this series will sadly be remembered for both failing as a horror story and romantic drama. A vampire show that lacked any bite, romantic tension, or exciting monster fights. It was a series that truly struggled to find its identity. Although it would have been nice to see Netflix give this show a chance to fix its problems in a second season, First Kill is a rare series for the streamer that never made a strong case for another season. However, for people who are fans of this series, this news will be extra disheartening as the finale left us dangling on the twist of Calliope’s brother Theo becoming a vampire himself.
While First Kill took a brutal stake to the heart, you can form your own opinion and binge the series in its entirety on Netflix now.