The First Kill Cast & Fans Are Disappointed Over The Show’s Cancellation

The Emma Roberts-produced Netflix series First Kill will not return for a second season, Variety announced on August 2. The show, which combined the star-crossed lovers trope with elements of the supernatural, premiered on the streaming platform on June 10, 2022. After only eight episodes, First Kill became the latest Netflix project to be left unfinished.

Based on a short story by bestselling author Victoria “V.E.” Schwab, who also created and wrote the sapphic fantasy teen drama, First Kill centers on legacy teenage vampire Juliette Fairmont (Sarah Catherine Hook), who’s tasked with claiming her first victim to take her place within her powerful family of bloodsuckers. As it turns out though, Calliope “Cal” Burns (Imani Lewis), the new girl in town Juliette set her sights on, is a vampire hunter from a celebrated family of slayers. Naturally, “both find that the other won’t be so easy to kill and, unfortunately, way too easy to fall for,” the streamer’s official description reads.

First Kill’s Season 1 finale was full of cliffhangers that suggested room for a second season. It’s unclear if Schwab or any cast members will offer any closure about where the series left off. Fans of the show took to social media to express their disappointment and anger over the series being the latest in Netflix’s line of shows featuring queer women and lesbian relationships to be canceled. Fans referenced Everything Sucks!, Teenage Bounty Hunters, and I Am Not Okay With This as other Netflix shows canceled after one season.

Why Was First Kill Canceled?

Though no specific reason has been given, Variety reported “a matter of viewing versus cost” as a possible contributor to why First Kill was canceled. Despite spending three weeks in Netflix’s Global Top 10 and amassing over 97 million hours viewed, the critical response to First Kill was lukewarm, pointing to another potential reason for the show’s cancellation. The show received mixed or average reviews from critics but had favorable reviews from fans.

First Kill Cast Reacts To The Show's Cancellation

Following the cancellation announcement, cast members shared their feelings on social media to thank fans of First Kill and post behind-the-scenes content. Lewis and Hook, the show’s leads, both posted photos on Instagram to mark the ending of the series.

“Forever honored. Forever grateful,” Lewis, who plays vampire hunter Calliope Burns, wrote. She also posted a story featuring a photo of her and co-star Hook, who plays vampire Juliette Fairmont, with the words “Forever your Calliette” written over top, acknowledging First Kill’s central love story.

Hook also posted a story of herself and Lewis, with the message “xoxo, C & J” written. In her farewell post, Hook thanked fans of the show, signing the caption off as her character, just as Lewis did. “So many of you connecting with Juliette means more to me than words can say,” Hook wrote.

Other members of the cast posted their feelings on Twitter. MK xyz, who plays Tess Franklin, Cal’s ex-girlfriend and monster hunter, published a heartfelt message to fans on Twitter, which she also republished on Instagram. “To my queer spirits who felt an undeniable representation and connectivity within the show. Im so proud of us,” xyz wrote, speaking to the power of First Kill’s representation. In another tweet, she wrote, “Thank you guys for fighting to the very end! You’ll continue to see all of us killing it in our future endeavors.”

Cast members were also hopeful about future endeavors for the actors in First Kill. Dominic Goodman, who plays Apollo, took to Twitter and Instagram to make a statement about the show’s cancellation. “It was an honor to bring a black family of hunters to the screen with #FirstKill,” he wrote on an Instagram story with photos of himself and other cast members. On Twitter, Goodman thanked fans of the show. “I have nothing but love for every single one of you!” he wrote.

Other cast members also thanked the show’s fans as part of their cancellation messages. Aubin Wise, who plays Talia Burns, Cal’s mother, posted an Instagram story of her and co-star Jason R. Moore, who plays Jack Burns. Wise wrote, “Thank you So much for the Support and Love from around the world. We can DEFINITELY feel it.”