Popular YA Vampire Drama "First Kill" Has Been Canceled By Netflix, And Fans Are Calling Out The Unfair Standards
Netflix has canceled First Kill, a YA lesbian vampire drama, after just one season.
The series, which premiered June 8, starred Imani Lewis and Sarah Catherine Hook. It followed two teens, one descended from a family of vampire hunters and the other from a dynasty of vampires, as they found themselves entangled in an unexpected enemies-to-lovers romance. It consisted of eight episodes.
Although critical reception was mixed, First Kill quickly garnered a devoted fanbase and shot to the top of viewership charts. The series made its way into Netflix's weekly Top 10 for English-language TV shows within its first three days. According to Deadline, it "easily cleared 100 [million] hours viewed in its first 28 days of release."
Most Netflix renewal decisions are generally based on viewership versus cost. Sources told Deadline that First Kill "still did not meet thresholds for viewing and completion of episodes."
Given First Kill's high viewership numbers, viewers are understandably confused and frustrated about the decision.
I cannot even believe #FirstKill isn’t getting another season. It makes zero sense from a budgetary and viewership perspective. Also, those optics are TERRIBLE. I’m gobsmacked.
there was literally no reason to cancel first kill. it had more than 30 million views in its first week and more than 40 million it’s second, it was trending on twitter for weeks before and after it’s release and it was in the top 10 shows in over 80 countries for several weeks
netflix saying first kill’s cancellation was bc of views not being enough for the cost when they literally gave them a budget of 5 dollars and a juice box and got 100 million viewing hours in return…
Fans have also pointed out that Netflix's Heartstopper, which was renewed for two more seasons, had considerably lower viewership numbers than First Kill. The series amounted to approximately 53.4 million hours of views when it was in the Top 10, in comparison to First Kill's nearly double that.
Heartstopper, adapted from a series of graphic novels, centers around a romance between two teenage boys.
netflix renewed heartstopper for two more seasons but not first kill ?? WHEN FIRST KILL HAD WAYYY MORE STREAMS ? does anyone see the issue here or…
first kill brought in more numbers than heartstopper and yet they got a double renewal while first kill got cancelled after ONE season…
"To be clear, the argument here is not that Heartstopper shouldn’t have been given those two extra seasons. It’s a great show that definitely deserved it," Forbes writer Paul Tassi wrote. "But First Kill fans want to know why their own series wasn’t granted another season, even just one more, to wrap up its unfinished storylines, which has happened to so many other Netflix shows before it."
we're not comapring first kill with heartstopper we're comparing how netflix treats mlm-centric shows to how they treat their wlw shows
The cancellation has also sparked a conversation about how WLW (woman-loving-woman) stories — especially ones with BIPOC casts and lesbian characters specifically — are often still not given a fair chance. Several other sapphic shows have been canceled by Netflix after one season, including Teenage Bounty Hunters, Everything Sucks, and I Am Not Okay with This.
Can we please let queer women thrive? First #TheWilds and now #FirstKill, which was a campy vampire star crossed lovers DELIGHT with a ton of potential.Not only were these shows w/w focused, they were filled with DIVERSE leads across the board. People felt seen. For ONCE.
thinking about the mistreatment of wlw in media (shows & movies), how either they're brutally unalived or the show gets cancelled, how sapphics struggle to find comfort & relatability in most corners of the world so we turn & rely on fanfiction for happy endings
netflix is weird as hell for cancelling first kill. a successful wlw show with a black female lead being cancelled after outperforming SEVERAL netflix originals?… what
okay not joking rn, this is getting so tiring first they kill off wlw characters and they stop doing that, they cancel the shows with lesbian repwe need some exclusive wlw streaming service SOMETHING IM TIRED
Creator and executive producer Felicia D. Henderson confirmed the series cancellation on Twitter: "My #FirstKill fan-fam. Unfortunately, it's true. Netflix has cancelled the show. I remain very proud of the cast, writers, & everyone who worked so hard to produce this amazing show. And most of all, I'm grateful for every one of you who supported us. Thank you w/my whole heart."
RIP #FirstKill. 💔
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