First Kill
First Kill is a supernatural teen drama series that premiered on Netflix, based on a short story by V.E. Schwab. The narrative centers on Juliette Fairmont, a teenage vampire struggling to make her first kill to embrace her lineage, and Calliope Burns, a monster hunter from a celebrated family of slayers, who is also seeking her first kill. Their paths intertwine as they develop a forbidden romantic relationship, forcing them to confront their families' ancient feud. The series explores themes of identity, duty, and forbidden love within a world populated by supernatural creatures and their hunters. It is rated TV-MA and is generally intended for mature teen and young adult audiences, given its themes of violence, romance, and some mature content.
Concerns
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
HighThe series' central plot revolves around a prominent lesbian romance between the two main characters, Juliette Fairmont (a vampire) and Calliope Burns (a monster hunter). The show actively promotes queer representation, with the creator and cast highlighting its importance. Both characters' families are depicted as accepting of their daughters' sexual orientations.
The primary romantic storyline throughout the series is the forbidden love between Juliette Fairmont and Calliope Burns, two high school girls who fall for each other despite their conflicting supernatural backgrounds. Juliette Fairmont is explicitly identified as a lesbian character, and her former best friend, Ben Wheeler, is also gay; they dated briefly in elementary school upon realizing their sexual orientations. Calliope Burns is also portrayed as a lesbian character, with her sexuality being a core part of her character development and relationships.
Violence
HighAs a supernatural drama centered on vampires and monster hunters, 'First Kill' contains frequent and intense depictions of violence. The narrative is driven by the necessity for both protagonists to make their 'first kill,' involving feeding on humans for vampires and slaying monsters for hunters. This includes graphic depictions of attacks and blood.
Juliette, a vampire, is required to make her 'first kill' to mature into adulthood, which involves draining humans of blood. This is a recurring theme and a source of internal conflict for her. Calliope, a monster hunter, must also achieve her 'first kill' by slaying a monster to gain her family's acceptance, leading to multiple violent confrontations with supernatural beings. The show is described as 'bloody and gratuitous by nature,' indicating explicit and impactful violent scenes.
Romance and Sexual Content
HighThe series features significant romantic and sexual content, primarily focusing on the lesbian relationship between Juliette and Calliope. This includes steamy make-out scenes and implied sexual activity between teenage characters of both same-sex and opposite-sex pairings.
The relationship between Juliette and Calliope is a central driving force of the show, characterized by intense romantic and 'steamy' make-out scenes. The show also depicts 'teen guys and teen girls make out with both the same and opposite sex,' and notes that 'sexual tension' is a real driving force within the narrative, suggesting implied sexual activity beyond just kissing.
Witchcraft & Occult
HighThe show is deeply rooted in supernatural and occult themes. It features vampires, monster hunters, and their respective mythologies. The origin story of the vampires directly references biblical figures, reinterpreting them to create a supernatural lineage.
The core premise is built around two powerful supernatural factions: 'Legacy vampires,' described as matrilineal direct descendants of Lilith who chose to be bitten by the Serpent in the Garden of Eden, and 'monster hunters' from The Guardian Guild. These origins and ongoing practices involve inherent magical abilities, rituals for vampire maturation, and the use of specialized tools and knowledge for monster hunting, clearly establishing a significant occult framework.
Scary & Intense Content
HighThe series, being a supernatural teen drama, features intense and frightening content. This includes frequent violent encounters between vampires and hunters, graphic moments, and a consistent atmosphere of danger and suspense inherent in the monster-filled world.
The overarching plot demands that both main characters, Juliette and Calliope, engage in acts of 'killing' to fulfill their destinies, creating constant high-stakes and intense situations. The show's nature as 'bloody and gratuitous' ensures that many scenes involve graphic supernatural violence and the threat of death, contributing to a generally frightening and suspenseful tone.
Profanity
MediumProfane language is consistently used throughout the series by teenage characters. While specific explicit quotes are not detailed, reviews indicate that strong language is a notable aspect of the dialogue, contributing to its TV-MA rating.
A review from Plugged In explicitly states that characters 'use profane language' within the show. The presence of strong language is consistent with the show's TV-MA rating, appearing in various conversational and intense moments among the teenage cast.
Substance Use
MediumTeenage characters in 'First Kill' are shown engaging in recreational substance use, including smoking marijuana and consuming alcohol. These instances often occur in social settings, particularly during parties.
Reviews indicate that 'teen guys and teen girls... smoke marijuana, drink alcohol, and party'. This suggests that casual use of both alcohol and marijuana by underage characters is depicted within the series, typically in contexts of social gatherings without significant negative consequences explicitly highlighted as a central plot point.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumA central theme of 'First Kill' is the rebellion of the protagonists against their families' ancient traditions and expectations. Juliette and Calliope pursue a forbidden romance despite their families being sworn enemies, directly defying parental authority and societal norms within their respective communities.
Juliette and Calliope actively pursue their romantic relationship despite their families' intense disapproval and long-standing feud, choosing their feelings over their ingrained family duties. The series also highlights 'little parental oversight' for many of the teen characters, allowing them more freedom to engage in defiant behaviors and make independent choices that go against their elders' wishes.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumThe series incorporates an alternative mythology for vampires that reinterprets biblical narratives, specifically concerning Lilith and the Serpent in the Garden of Eden. This re-framing of religious texts for a supernatural origin story can be perceived as an anti-Christian theme.
The vampire lore establishes 'Legacy vampires' as direct, matrilineal descendants of Lilith, who is said to have chosen to be bitten by the Serpent in the Garden of Eden. This narrative diverges significantly from traditional Christian interpretations of these biblical figures and events, presenting a supernatural origin story that contrasts with Christian theology.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
TV-MA. The series is recommended for mature audiences aged 17 and older due to its frequent supernatural violence, explicit lesbian romance, suggestive sexual content, pervasive profanity, and themes of rebellion against parental authority. The show also incorporates occult elements and depictions of substance use among teenagers.
Additional Notes
The series was canceled after one season, so there are no subsequent seasons or adaptations that introduce new or intensified content beyond what was present in the initial eight episodes.
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