By Henry Hards
| Published
Netflix cancels shows swiftly, at the first sign of weakness. It’s a business model that’s worked out well for the streamer. What’s less obviously correct is their tendency to also shut down shows that seem to be doing well. That’s what happened to a series called First Kill in 2022.
First Kill was about Calliope (Imani Lewis), a teenage girl turned monster hunter expected to complete her first kill, and Juliette (Sarah Catherine Hook), a young vampire from a long line of immortals.
The show follows their tense and unpredictable interactions. Their planned confrontation becomes a complicated alliance, blending action, suspense, and supernatural drama across a high-stakes world of hunters and vampires. First Kill mixes classic vampire lore with modern teen romance, and it doesn’t shy away from flirtatious, sometimes sexy, lesbian vampire encounters.
Part of the series’ hook comes from the chemistry and sexual tension between its leads, combining romance, danger, and coming-of-age dilemmas. Alongside the monster-of-the-week plots, the story threads moments of seduction, attraction, and rivalry that heighten the stakes. It blends supernatural action with a teen LGBTQ romance sensibility in a distinctly stylized way.
Netflix canceled the show at the end of its first season. What’s strange about that is Netflix usually bases its cancellations on cost versus viewership. However, First Kill broke into the top 10 list of English-language shows in the first three days of its release, landing at number seven. It would climb to 48 million hours viewed within the first week, sitting only behind Stranger Things Season 4 and Peaky Blinders Season 6 among the streamer’s top three releases. The show jumped well over 100 million hours viewed in its first 28 days.
Not only were people watching First Kill, they seemed to really love it. Audience reaction to First Kill was extremely positive. The series holds an extremely good 89% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics were less enthusiastic, but even their reviews were mixed at worst.
After the show was axed, fans started petitions to get it back. They got tens of thousands of signatures and have tried to continue letting Netflix know how they feel. So far, the streaming giant hasn’t listened, but there’s still a strong community talking about it.
Netflix never told fans why the show was canceled. They play things close to the vest. But given the strong, positive reaction to the show, First Kill’s existing season may be worth checking out if you missed it the first time around.
