Netflix has driven a stake into “First Kill,” deciding against picking up the teenage 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 that producers, cast and crew put in on the series, though the decision came down to a matter of viewing numbers versus cost.
Based on a short story from horror writer V. E. Schwab, “First Kill” followed Calliope (Imani Lewis) and Juliette (Sarah Catherine Hook), two teenage girls who fall for one another, but come from warring families: 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 executive produced, alongside Emma Roberts and Karah Preiss for Belletrist Productions.
Critics were lukewarm on “First Kill,” with the series scoring a 58% approval rating from critics on review-aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes. Variety chief TV critic Caroline Framke expressed frustration about the show in her review, calling it “more of a clumsy swing at relevance than a tale anyone can really sink their teeth into.”
However, the series had garnered a dedicated following in the weeks since its premiere. In a post confirming the cancellation, series cast member Goodman expressed gratitude towards the show’s fanbase.
“I have nothing but love for every single one of you!” Goodman wrote. “Thank you all for taking the show in as your own, seeing you all feel seen made all the hard work and hours worth it.”
To all the First Kill fans; I have nothing but love for every single one of you! Thank you all for taking the show in as your own, seeing you all feel seen made all the hard work and hours worth it🫶🏽❤️til the next project 🚀
— Dominic D. Goodman (@dominicdgoodman) August 3, 2022
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