‘First Kill’ Cancellation Sparks Fan Petition to Save Netflix Series

First Kill fans are out for blood after Netflix canceled the young adult drama, despite the series having logged multiple days on the streaming charts. Following the Tuesday announcement that Netflix had driven a stake into the series after just a single, well-performing season, fans are rallying together in a last-ditch effort to save First Kill, with a Change.org petition garnering thousands of signatures.

The fan-created petition was launched in the immediate aftermath of the cancellation and calls on Netflix to renew First Kill, which centers around vampire Juliette and vampire hunter Calliope, for a second season. Asking fans to “please sign the petition and spread this around so we can renew first kill,” the petition notes that the series “has been in the top ten most streamed shows since it was released on June 10th, 2022, and gathered a very supportive fan base on social media,” adding that First Kill “is an eight-episode season that ends on a heartbreaking note and we should be allowed to let their story be told even more.” The page adds that renewing the series for a second season would be giving fans what they’ve been asking for since the show was first released.”

In just a handful of days, the petition has garnered plenty of eyes, with more than 6,000 fans adding their voice to the overwhelming call for Netflix to renew First Kill. Adding their name to the list, one fan wrote, “the Series Is Fantastic And LGBTQ+ Representation In Media Is So Important !!” A second petition, titled “Renew First Kill for a Season 2,’ has received more than 1,500 signatures.

Premiering back in June, First Kill seemed to be quite a success. Despite a 58% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, a score high enough to certify it fresh, First Kill jumped to the No. 7 spot on Netflix’s Top 10 rankings within the first three days of its premiere, eventually peaking at No. 3. It also earned more than 100 million viewing hours in its first 28 days of release.

Although Netflix didn’t provide a statement addressing the decision, sources told Deadline that the streamer opted not to move forward with a second season due to First Kill failing to “meet thresholds for viewing and completion of episodes.” However, while showrunner Felicia D. Henderson confirmed that as the reasoning for the cancellation, she criticized Netflix’s advertising strategy for the show, telling The Daily Beast failed to properly advertise the series. Noting that the initial art for the show was “beautiful,” Henderson said, the streamer never built on that, noting that “the other equally compelling and important elements of the show-monsters vs. monster hunters, the battle between two powerful matriarchs, etc.” was never promoted.