Netflix’s First Kill mixes star-crossed lovers with vampires

Netflix’s First Kill makes its stance as a vampire coming-of-age story that acknowledges its similarities to Romeo and Juliet. However, First Kill presents a slightly different type of vampire than what fans have seen in other recent romantic vampire stories such as in The Vampire Diaries Universe or The Twilight Saga.

In the Netflix series, Juliette is a legendary vampire born with vampire capabilities. As a result, she has grown up knowing what is in store for her future, including the significance of making her first kill. Meanwhile, Calliope comes from a long line of monster hunters. She has trained her entire life to track down and kill various forms of beasts. But, unlike Juliette, Calliope looks forward to making her first kill.

One is a vampire. The other is a hunter. If anyone should not be falling in love, it’s these two. However, for all the reasons they should not fall in love, the heart can not ignore its desire, and Juliette and Calliope’s connection is the start of an epic romance and a severe set of problems.

Throughout the first season, First Kill tackles the conflicts of falling in love with the enemy. Although Juliette and Calliope are not a threat to each other, their families sure are, and it seems the duo is destined to be star-crossed lovers.

However, this is not just a romance story. Instead, it also heavily features the conflicts in their family dynamics as things heat up between the vampires, vampire hunters, and the townspeople.

Juliette’s family is filled with conflict, whether it be between Juliette’s desire to avoid killing and how that affects her family’s safety or the strain between Juliette, her sister, and their parent’s relationship with Juliette’s estranged brother, Oliver.

Meanwhile, as monster hunters, Calliope’s family places themselves in danger constantly. However, Calliope’s parents can occasionally end up on opposites of an argument regarding if their children are kids first or monster hunters first.

First Kill avoids the concept of no one knowing monsters exist, making it known that the townspeople are aware monsters used to roam the streets. But, rather than diving deep into that history, First Kill makes short references to that people had been scared and then moved along to focus on the more prominent present storylines.

However, First Kill takes advantage of the strife between the two central families rather than building toward a grand reconciliation between them. As a result, the series never introduces another significant threat that forces Juliette and Calliope’s families to work together.

Although there are occasional attempts at brief truces, they are never asked or forced to become closer than necessary. However, the season is not without cliffhangers either, and the finale leaves plenty of room for a lot of drama during a potential second season for both of the show’s central families.

First Kill presents the love story as an undeniable connection while tying it to the central familial conflict. Juliette and Calliope, as much as they may want to be together, have so many obstacles that are wishing for even a moment of calm may be too much at times. Still, between romance, family drama, friendship, and the overarching mystery of how any of this could conclude with a happy ending, First Kill gives its audience a lot to bite into.