Netflix s new teen drama lacks bite critics say TechRadar Skip to main content TechRadar is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's why you can trust us. Netflix s new teen drama lacks bite critics say By Tom Goodwyn published 14 June 2022 A bloody take on the Bard (Image credit: Netflix) Audio player loading… First Kill, Netflix's new vampire-led teen drama, has proved to be divisive with reviewers. The Netflix show debuted on Friday (June 10) with all eight episodes in its first season dropping on the same day, as has become Netflix tradition. Based on the short story of the same name by V. E. Schwab, First Kill is a reimagining of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It follows Juliette Fairmont, a vampire from a long dynasty of vampires who are able to live in plain sight in Savannah, Georgia. Approaching her 16th birthday, Juliette, who has spent her life thus far living off blood pills, discovers that the pills are losing their efficacy and she must confront the prospect that it is time for her to make her first kill – something she does not want to do. Things are complicated further by the arrival of a new girl in town, Calliope Burns, who Juliette quickly becomes infatuated with. Trouble is, Calliope's family history is just as complicated as Juliette's. She's a monster hunter raised by a family of monster hunters. Oh dear... Modern day takes on Shakespeare's plays have proved to be rich source material for teen dramas, with the likes of 10 Things I Hate About You, She's The Man and Get Over It all winning a place in heart of teenage movie goers with their clever takes on The Taming Of The Shrew, Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Night's Dream. So how does First Kill stack up with the critics? Not very well, as it turns out. Do critics hate it They don't hate it, but they're not exactly enamored either. The show has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 55%, which isn't a kicking, but it's not enough to earn the show a certified fresh rating. Some critics really dislike it, too. Variety's Caroline Framke (opens in new tab)wrote that the show was "sunk by a noxious combination of flat writing and flatter directing", while Decider's Joel Keller (opens in new tab) said that the show's "storytelling is so clumsy it's just very hard to watch." A few critics were more taken with the show, though, with Paste Magazine's Anna Govert (opens in new tab) writing the show was a "...lot of fun. It's campy, it's quippy, and it's melodramatic; everything you could ever want from a modern, teenage, Shakespearean vampire story". Meanwhile, San Jose Mercury News' Randy Myers (opens in new tab) said: "If you surrender to its delicious cheesiness, you'll have a lot of fun." Analysis Will this kill First Kill Some spoilers for First Kill follow, so if you want to watch the show, stop reading here please. It sounds obvious, but it will depend how many people watch the show. As we've learned in 2022 thus far, Netflix have no problem canceling shows if they aren't bringing in the required numbers. First Kill is a short story from a collection of vampiric tales, not a giant young adult book franchise, so it didn't have a baked-in fanbase ready to go. The show does, however, end on a cliffhanger with both Juliette and Calliope alive and kicking, which is rather different from Shakespeare's tragic ending for poor old Romeo and Juliet. The showrunners must fancy their chances, but we'll await to see the audience figures. Looking for a new Netflix show to get stuck into? We've up 30 of the best of them. Tom GoodwynSenior Entertainment EditorTom Goodwyn is TechRadar's Senior Entertainment Editor. He oversees TechRadar's coverage of the best TV shows, documentaries and movies across streaming services, theaters and beyond. Based in East London, he loves nothing more than spending all day in a movie theater, well, he did before he had two small children… See more TV news TechRadar Newsletter Sign up to get breaking news, reviews, opinion, analysis and more, plus the hottest tech deals! Thank you for signing up to TechRadar. You will receive a verification email shortly. There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again. MOST POPULARMOST SHARED1The iPhone 14 Pro is made of the wrong stuff; the Pixel 7 proves that to me2Stop saying Mario doesn't have an accent in The Super Mario Bros. Movie3Google Pixel Tablet is what Apple should've done ages ago4RTX 4090 too expensive? Nvidia resurrects another old favorite5More than one million credit card details leaked online1The iPhone 14 Pro is made of the wrong stuff; the Pixel 7 proves that to me2iPhone 15 tipped to come with an upgraded 5G chip3If this feature succeeds for Modern Warfare 2, Microsoft can't ignore it4Apple October launches: the new devices we might see this month5The Rings of Power episode 8 trailer feels like one big Sauron misdirect Technology Magazines (opens in new tab)● (opens in new tab)The best tech tutorials and in-depth reviewsFrom$12.99 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab)