Netflix has bet on “First Kill,” deciding not to pick up the teen vampire series for a second season. The news comes nearly two months after the streamer debuted all eight episodes of the show’s first season in early June.
Sources close to the matter maintain that Netflix is proud of the work the producers, cast and crew put into the series, although the decision came down to a question of viewing numbers versus cost.
Based on a short story by horror writer VE Schwab, “First Kill” followed Calliope (Imani Lewis) and Juliette (Sarah Catherine Hook), two teenagers who fall in love with each other, but come from of families in conflict: one a dynasty of vampire hunters. , the other a line of bloodsuckers.
The series also starred Elizabeth Mitchell, Will Swenson, Aubion Wise, Jason Robert Moore, Gracie Dzienny, Dylan McNamara, Dominic Goodman, Phillip Mullings Jr., MK xyz, Jonas Dylan Allen and Roberto Mendez. Felicia D. Henderson and Schwab are executive producers, along with Emma Roberts and Karah Preiss for Belletrist Productions.
Critics were lukewarm to “First Kill,” with the series earning a 58% approval rating from critics on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. Variety’s chief television critic Caroline Framke expressed her frustration with the show in her review, calling it “more of a clumsy swing to relevance than a story anyone can sink their teeth into”.
However, the series had built up a dedicated following in the weeks following its premiere. In a post confirming the cancellation, series cast member Goodman expressed gratitude to the show’s fan base.
“I have nothing but love for each and every one of you!” Goodman wrote. “Thank you all for embracing the show as your own, seeing you feel seen made all the hard work and hours worth it.”
To all First Kill fans; I have nothing but love for each and every one of you! Thank you all for taking the show as your own, seeing you feel seen was worth all the work and hours 🫶🏽❤️ until the next project 🚀
— Dominic D. Goodman (@dominicdgoodman) August 3, 2022