Netflix, you might want to go on private.
It’s been quite a year for the streamer. Despite some unfortunate cost-cutting measures and the fact the they continue to give a platform to hateful rhetoric disguised as “comedy,” they’ve also offered up plenty of original programming centered on LGBTQ stories and characters.
To name a few: Heartstopper became one of Netflix’s most buzzed about hits, Stranger Things is finally exploring one character’s coming out, Uncoupled has a middle-aged gay man front and center, and First Kill put a sapphic spin on Romeo & Juliet with its Buffy-esque First Kill.
Alas, it was just this week that Netflix put a stake through the heart of First Kill fans, canceling the lesbian vampire teen romance after only one season. While showrunner Felicia D. Henderson says execs told her the seres’ “completion rate” wasn’t high enough to garner a renewal, its axing points to a larger, disconcerting trend.
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“Why does Netflix keep canceling WLW shows?,” our colleagues at INTO asked, astutely observing that, more often than not, series centered on WLW come to an untimely end. Despite garnering positive reviews and an impressive fanbase, Netflix determined there wasn’t enough of an appetite for First Kill to live beyond its initial eight episodes.
But First Kill is just the latest of many to be gone too soon. As INTO references, there’s I Am Not Okay With This, Everything Sucks!, One Day At A Time, Sense8—we could go on. And as these series get buried, fans are beginning to note that this seems to be happening disproportionately to WLW-centric film and television.
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If First Kill’s demise was due to some algorithm that determined it wasn’t cost-effective programming, then how are other, less successful series able to stick around? And why, in some fans’ views, is Netflix more eager to greenlight content about cis, gay men, more willing to give it a fighting chance?
Well, that’s where things start to get a little bit stickier. What we can definitively say is that First Kill fans are mad as h*ll about this cancellation—and they’re not going to take it anymore!
Look no further than the replies of, well, just about anything tweeted by the @Netflix account these past few days. For example, we were thrilled about a first look at the talented Colman Domingo in the upcoming biopic about gay activist Bayard Rustin. But drowning out any excitement for the film are countless responses urging Netflix to bring First Kill back.
Cancel lesbian shows but makes male centric gay movie or whatever this is. Lesbophobic, that's what you are! I like Colman Domingo, he's a good guy, but #CancelNetflix! Neflix hates women!
— CZFirstKill? (@CzFirstKill) August 4, 2022
Now, it’s more than a little misguided to attack a biopic about a Black, gay man—it’s the kind of starry, important feature about an under-celebrated POC hero that still feels like a rarity in 2022. But First Kill fans are making it known that they’re very angry about the cancellation, false equivalency be d*mned.
Most common among the replies are claims of “lesbophobia,” as well as the hashtags #SaveFirstKill and #CancelNetflix.
netflix is lesbophobic
netflix is lesbophobic
netflix is lesbophobic
netflix is lesbophobic
netflix is lesbophobic
netflix is lesbophobic
netflix is lesbophobic
netflix is lesbophobic
netflix is lesbophobic— fuck you netflix 💅 (@HarleyDang) August 4, 2022
Of course, Rustin is far from the only title to receive fans’ ire. Virtually any Netflix tweet you click on, you’ll find many multiple angry replies—even if they have nothing to do with queer stories, vampires, or anything related to First Kill at all.
After sharing a clip from military romance Purple Hearts, the account received messages like this one:
your hatred for lesbians is clear by your constant cancellation of sapphic shows and i hope you never make a cent off of another wlw/lesbian production ever again, fans and the cast and crew of first kill deserve better than what you’ve given them pic.twitter.com/z4HAB8JGOM
— emma • iq spoilers (@h4lcyonism) August 3, 2022
Here’s a follow-up to a tweet about Lost Ollie, a sweet-looking family adventure about toys trying to return home:
🌟FIRST KILL SEASON 2
FIRST KILL SEASON 2
FIRST KILL SEASON 2
FIRST KILL SEASON 2🌟
— OnAMission🔥 (@odaat4life) August 3, 2022
And don’t even get us started on @Most, the dedicated social hub for Netflix LGBTQ-focused content. Earlier this week, they shared photos of the cast of the aforementioned Uncoupled, causing many First Kill fans to ask: “Where was the promo for First Kill?”
Where’s the first kill promo??? Where’s the first kill season 2 announcement? We are tired of being ignored
— Melanie Munie (@melaniemunie23) August 2, 2022
No, stop giving us bad shows and stop cancelling lesbian shows
— malin🎗️ (@maynoliaa) August 3, 2022
Renew #FirstKill pic.twitter.com/RKzvSfDlbw
— Uselesbian 🐱 (@humann_not_only) August 2, 2022
There really doesn’t appear to be any end in sight. Netflix tends to stick to their guns—no matter how many wrong-headed decisions they make—so it’s highly unlikely that the streamer will go back on its decision and revive First Kill for a second season. And, even if they did, haven’t fans already “canceled” their Netflix subscription any way?
At the very least, the message is loud and clear: Netflix has p*ssed off the wrong people. And the only solution now? get some more shows about WLW into production, stat!
CatholicXXX
Please! There are more gay/bi female characters on tv and streaming services than gay/bi men. The only “representation” gay men are getting is on drag race and they don’t even view themselves as men!
They cancelled the show because it wasn’t performing well. That’s it.
Cam
Oh please,, you always come in to
1. Defend anybody not putting out LGBTQ content.
2. Try to cause a division by lying.
There are shows, uncoupled, Love Victor, Heartstopper, etc… so right there, more than just Drag Race.
DarkZephyr
I kind of agree with Catholic for a change. It seems to me every time any big platform announces new LGBT characters, its *almost* always female ones because lesbian characters are seen as more “palatable”. I think its stupid for LGBT people to point out male LGBT characters as a bad thing. Sorry, but I do.
LumpyPillows
STFU Cam.
Cam
@LumpyPillows
Awww, sweetie, you forgot to switch back to your other screename before defending yourself.
As always, your troll game is sad and weak.
Cam
@DarkZephyr
I get what you’re saying and I agree. I was pointing out that there is more representation out there than just Drag race, which is what Troley McTrollsalot was claiming.
DarkZephyr
@Cam, you’re definitely right there. Drag Race is not all we have.
I just find it annoying however that certain cis lesbians are trying to lump themselves in with the struggle for trans representation right now over this issue by complaining about “cis gay males”. These cis women get far more representation than any other group within the LGBT community, and they have for decades. And so many of them align with the likes of JK Rowling that I just want to roll my eyes when I see them wanting to join the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants with trans women whenever its convenient for them.
LumpyPillows
Lol, cam, who am I supposed to be this time? You’re a psychotic bully. Seek professional help.
Toofie
Netflix has been canceling tons shows left and right. If you don’t draw in the viewers, they’ll cancel you.
Mack
While I hate for “gay” shows to be canceled, you’re right. If it can’t attract viewers then it’s a loss for them. I wished every show on TV/streaming stations had a LGBTQ character since it’s closer to real life than that of shows with no LGBTQ characters. But most right wingers feels “out of sight, out of mind” is the way to go. By us not being there we don’t exist. And babe WE DO EXIST.
bachy
It’s about the money, honey. Not “lesbophobia.”
Plus, post-pandemic, people are getting out more. We’re not sitting on our butts watching Netflix 24/7 anymore. So yeah, big changes in programming ahead.
Brian
One of the tweets definitely reads like the trope, “I’m not racist; I have a black friend.” These women are trying to create some sort of competition between minorities. The comparisons are unnecessary.
inbama
Stop blaming Netflix.
That had a major series with a lesbian star. it’s not their fault she transitioned.
dilemmax
If you are going to use acronyms in your article, at least give us a reference so we can continue reading the article. I had to look up WLW.
Cam
Multiple screenames of the same account ALWAYS come in to rabidly defend a service anytime a Queer show is cancelled.
DarkZephyr
I had never heard it before but I assume it means “women who love women” or something? I mean the article IS about a lesbian show and nowadays we live in a culture that likes to be mindful of character limits, so terms that take up fewer characters are becoming more and more prevalent. “WLW” is shorter than “Lesbian”.
LumpyPillows
I had no idea what it meant and didn’t even bother to look it up. Sloppy and whiney article.
LumpyPillows
Cam, STFU.
Cam
@LumpyPillows
I didn’t post that, but if you’re trying to snag my screename again, it will work out for you about as well as it did last time.
As always, your troll game is sad and weak.
LumpyPillows
Snag what? Get back on your meds.
When I post a comment it has real content, not just shrill screeching that everyone you disagree with is the same person with a million screen names. That’s just pathetic. We can always count on you to say the same thing and to support any left wing nonsense that gets fed to us by right-wing think tanks to make us look stupid or dangerous. Thinkmore, and take your meds.
Winsocki
Lesbian characters and shows easier accepted than male gay…. you know lesbians are str8 male fantasies. If a show is crummy or boring ( Like I would never be interested in First Kill ) so be it. Lots of shows I liked were canceled. HBO Carnivale was great to me. Canceled. I loved Witchblade.
Ryan99
Well, I probably helped get it canceled.
Watched the first episode and thought, “Oh great, another angsty teen vampire show. So over these.” and clicked it off. Nothing about episode 1 told me it was anything different.
LumpyPillows
If they really didn’t like lesbians they wouldn’t cancel the shows, they just wouldn’t make them at all. You people are clueless whiners. They show got cancelled because it wasn’t that good. We are far better off with Netflix and LGBTQ representation.