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FIRST KILL REVIEW S1 E1

FIRST KILL REVIEW S1 E1: first kiss
Based on the short story

We love a teen paranormal Romeo and Juliet-type romance story, especially one with DIVERSITY! Keep reading to see the First kill Review S1 E1. 

Based on a short story, First Kill follows the growing passions between Juliette and Calliope. Juliette is a vampire, and Cal is a monster hunter. So, of course, their love is destined to end in heartbreak, just like to popular Shakespear couple. There is also a sort of enemies-to-lovers trope, and by that I mean Cal tries to kill Juliette and Juliette tries NOT to kill Cal. 

Love is complicated, right?

BASED ON A SHORT STORY

Based on First Kill be V.E Schwab, this TV Show adaptation premiered on June 10th, 2022 on Netflix. 

It is based on a short story, so only the very first episode of the series should be considered an adaptation. The rest of the series is an original continuation of what would have happen if the short story continued. 

first kill tv show adaptation review

FIRST KISS S1 E1

UNDER PRESSURE FROM HER PARENTS TO SWAP HER BLOOD PILLS FOR THE REAL THING, JULIETTE SETS HER SIGHTS ON THE NEW GIRL, CAL, WHO HAS HER OWN FAMILY STRESS. 

QUICK OVERVIEW

If you haven’t seen this show yet, and are here to figure out what it’s all about, here are some quick warnings and tidbits of information for you.

  • It is about Vampires, and you will get some Twilight vibes. It’s not that bad, I promise!
  • There is A LOT of diversity. You’ll see lesbians, gay guys, black and brown people, and sexual activity. So, if you are mentally living in the 1800s and might feel outraged at the diversity, then this show probably isn’t for you.
  •  Relatable characters! Yes, the teenagers, older siblings, AND parents are very relatable. So relatable, in fact, that I wouldn’t be surprised if the mom of a teenage girl is one of the show’s writers. You will find a character that you can connect with. 
  •  Each episode is 45 minutes long, so it is VERY bingeable. 

BEST QUOTES from Season 1 Episode 1

JULIETTE

ONE DAY I, TOO, WILL BE A SELF-CONFIDENT, BULL-BY-THE-HORNS KIND OF GIRL WHO DOESN’T GIVE A SHIT WHAT MY PARENTS THINK. 

JULIETTE

I CANT SHAKE THE FEELING THAT AS SOON AS I BLINK, YOU’LL DISAPPEAR. 

ELINOR

JUST REMEMBER: STAY STRONG, BE PREPARED, AND ALWAYS FINISH WHAT YOU START.

CALLIOPES FRIENDS / EX

I SWEAR STRAIGHT GIRLS SHOULD COME WITH A WARNING. 

ENGLISH TEACHER

SETTING IS NEVER JUST A BACKDROP IN A STORY. ITS A CHARACTER, OFTEN THE FIRST ONE WE MEET. 

CALLIOPE

THERE ARE ONLY THREE RULES FOR BEING A GOOD HUNTER. KEEP YOUR HEAD ON. BE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING. AND ALWAYS FINISH WHAT YOU START. 

JULIETTE

THERE ARE ONLY THREE RULES FOR YOUR FIRST KILL. STAY CALM. BE PREPARED FOR ANYONE. 

CHARACTERS

JULIETTE

JULIETTE FAIRMONT – One of the two main characters of the story. She is a born vampire that comes from a very old and powerful family. Juliette is not like a normal vampire because she doesn’t want to kill anyone. She is empathetic, compassionate, and loving. Juliette is also very socially awkward and loves to read, making her one of the most relatable characters. 

CALLIOPE

CALLIOPE BURNS – One of the two main characters of the story. She is a monster hunter born into a long line of famous and powerful hunters. Cal is the only one in her family to have not made a kill. Opposite Juliette, Calliope is very head-strong and really wants to fit in and impress her family. 

ELINOR

Elinor is Juliettes older sister. She is beautiful, confident, strong, independent, and everything that Juliette wants to be when she grows up. Her fatal flaw: She is a heartless vampire. Elinor loves her little sister but doesn’t care for anyone else. She kills for blood, but also because she finds it fun. She is petty and vindictive and… well, dangerous. It’s a good thing that she is on Juliette’s side. 

BEN

Ben is the hilarious best friend and often comic relief. He pushes the story forward by forcing Juliette out of her comfort zone. 

THESEUS

Theseus is one of Calliope’s older brothers. He is a monster hunter and made his first kill when he was 12 years old. He is the wise and well-rounded older brother. Always ready with facts and information and patience, he is almost like a father figure while their dad is away.

APOLLO

Apollo is one of Calliope’s older brothers and a successful monster hunter. He is impatient, eager, a little selfish and egotistical, and always ready to take down some monsters. 

ANALYSIS of First Kill Review S1 E1

IS THE FIRST EPISODE LIKE THE SHORT STORY?

Yes, yes it is! In fact, this first episode is based on the full short story. Many scenes, plot points, and some characters were added into the first episode to make it a little more full. If this episode had followed the short story exactly, then it would probably only be about 20-30 minutes long. 

The tv show adaptation did a fantastic job of sticking to the story while also taking creative liberties to make it more watchable. 

IS IT INSPIRED BY TWILIGHT?

There are several references to Twilight throughout the first episode. There is definitely a little bit of a twisted-tale kind of inspiration from the Twilight series. The intro song is proof of that. It LITERALLY mentions Edward and Bella. 

 However, this is NOT the same as Twilight. First of all, there is actual diversity in this TV Show. 

Secondly, the main characters, despite being teenagers, do not easily fall into toxic habits. They slowly fall for each other while remaining more emotionally independent than Edward and Bella ever did. 

Finally (for now), the relationship dynamics are vastly different. It almost feels like the creators very intentionally made the main characters into what Edward and Bella SHOULD have been. It’s almost as if… the producers listen to us when we go on TikTok rants about everything that was wrong with Twilight. 

SHOULD YOU WATCH IT?

Yes! if you like a good Romeo and Juliet romance with paranormal creatures and a modern spin, then you’ll love this show. There are a few slow moments where a few scenes are dedicated more to providing a back story than driving the plot forward, but that’s totally normal for a pilot episode. 

Do you love New Orleans and history? Then this show will get you a little excited. The southern city is well known for having a deep history of the supernatural, and the references dropped in this show are spot-on. 

I highly recommend watching this original Netflix show. But be warned, it sounds like there won’t be a Season 2… 

BOOK DEPOSITORY

The collection of short stories, which includes First Kill, can be found on the Book Depository website. Look for “Vampire Never Get Old: Tales with a Fresh Bite” and get FREE SHIPPING anywhere in the world! 

The banner link above will take you to this awesome book website! 

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