Dhruv Trivedi
Netflix’s ‘First Kill’ blends YA high school romance with ancient vampire lore as it explores classmates Juliette and Calliope’s budding relationship. The former hails from a long line of powerful vampires while the latter is raised as a proud vampire hunter. Their opposing legacies cause all manner of hurdles for Juliette and Calliope as they try to find a way to be together. Ultimately, the situation gets out of hand as both the ancient orders become involved and innocent people begin to die.
Based on a story by V.E. Schwab, ‘First Kill’ is a romantic saga encompassed in violent fantasy. A number of intriguing magical characters appear on both sides, but the focus remains on the delicate (and tumultuous) love story of the young central characters. If you’re a fan of such modern-day fantasy romance, we’ve got a couple of binge-worthy suggestions! You can watch most of these shows similar to ‘First Kill’ on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.
7. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018-2020)
Though a little light on the romance aspect, ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’ is based on the classic ‘Archie’ comics character Sabrina Spellman. The show, much like the comic it draws from, follows the young witch, Sabrina, as she straddles the human and magical worlds. Like ‘First Kill,’ this show also blends YA themes with fantasy, with the central character facing hurdles due to her dual life. Viewers who enjoyed the tense and creepy bits of ‘First Kill’ will also find some worthy scares in ‘Chilling Adventure of Sabrina.’
6. Moonlight (2007-2008)
There’s a lot to love in this fantasy romance series which centers around private investigator Mick St. John, who is turned into a vampire by his bride on the night of their wedding. Now, many years later, John struggles to control his feelings for human women even as he lives and continues his investigations as a vampire. There is a lot that fans of ‘First Kill’ will enjoy in ‘Moonlight’ as the central characters of both shows struggle with romantic feelings that they know will be disasterous. Moonlight is also fittingly set in modern-day LA.
5. Shadowhunters (2016-2019)
Also known as ‘Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments,’ the show follows young Clary Fray, who finds out on her eighteenth birthday that she comes from an ancient order of demon hunters. As she struggles with her newly discovered half-human-half-angel identity, Clary must also grapple with the specter of forbidden love. Does this sound like an ideal follow-up to ‘First Kill’? That’s because it is! Incidentally, ‘Shadowhunters’ is based on the book series ‘The Mortal Instruments’ by Cassandra Clare.
4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
Another classic from the world of vampire television, ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’, draws from the 1992 fantasy film of the same name and follows the titular character, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a “vampire slayer.” Buffy, who is one of the “chosen ones,” takes on a variety of dark creatures while juggling her regular “human” life. Once again, for fans of the strong female leads of ‘First Kill,’ ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ is a worthy follow-up. With seven seasons on the board, the show is also incredibly binge-worthy and will more than fulfill your modern-day vampire-saga cravings.
3. A Discovery of Witches (2018-)
The show follows Diana Bishop, a witch who falls in love with a vampire and must overcome all the hurdles that ensue. Based on the ‘All Souls’ trilogy by Deborah Harkness, the show is an intriguing dive into forbidden love amongst ancient beings in a modern world. Unfortunately for the central character, Diana, her love is embodied in a vampire. Much like ‘First Kill,’ this show also features a strong female lead character who tries to modernize her ancient legacy and falls into a web of chaotic events that stem from her unlikely relationship.
2. The Vampire Diaries (2009-2017)
‘The Vampire Diaries’ is essential viewing for fans of the vampire-drama genre and follows a winding storyline that is as complex as it is intruiging. The series follows Elena, an orphan who falls in love with not one but two vampires! The show is the quintessential blend of YA relationships and vampire lore, spanning an epic saga that delves into ancient orders and burning rivalries. Fans of ‘First Kill’ will find a lot of the same emotional intrigue in ‘The Vampire Diaries’ with many the same fantasy elements that make romantic vampire narratives just so irresistible.
1. True Blood (2008-2014)
The ultimate in long-running vampire sagas, ‘True Blood’ follows the intrepid Sookie Stackhouse, a telepathic waitress who finds herself in the middle of an ancient faceoff. The show is set in a world where vampires are a known entity in the real world and must struggle for equal rights. Like ‘First Kill,’ the show focuses on the balance that the central character must maintain to avoid their dual worlds from colliding. Most notably, Sookie, too, must grapple with the complexities of an impossible romance and does so with her supernatural mentality.
Read More: Best Vampire Shows on Netflix
