Santa Clarita Diet
A suburban zombie comedy about family and flesh cravings.
Santa Clarita Diet is an American comedy horror television series created by Victor Fresco for Netflix. The series follows husband-and-wife real estate team Joel and Sheila Hammond, whose lives change when Sheila becomes a zombie. It premiered on February 3, 2017, and ran for three seasons before being canceled on April 26, 2019.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Comedy horror
- Creator
- Victor Fresco
- Starring
- Drew Barrymore
- Timothy Olyphant
- Liv Hewson
- Skyler Gisondo
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Seasons
- 3
- Episodes
- 30
- Producer
- Leila Cohan-Miccio
- Nancy Juvonen
- Jimmy Simons
Facts from the source article.
Cast
Drew Barrymore portrays Sheila Hammond, Joel's wife and Abby's mother. Timothy Olyphant plays Joel Hammond, Sheila's husband and Abby's father. Liv Hewson appears as Abby Hammond, the couple's daughter. Skyler Gisondo plays Eric Bemis, the Hammonds' neighbor and son of Lisa and Dan. Ricardo Chavira portrays Dan Palmer in season 1, a sheriff's deputy and Eric's stepfather who is killed by Joel and eaten by Sheila. Mary Elizabeth Ellis plays Lisa Palmer, Dan's wife and Sheila's friend. Andy Richter appears as Carl Coby, the Hammonds' boss. Richard T. Jones plays Rick, a Santa Monica police officer and neighbor. Joy Osmanski portrays Alondra, Rick's wife. Kaylee Bryant plays Sarah, a classmate of Abby and Eric. Nathan Fillion (seasons 1–2) and Alan Tudyk (season 3) portray Gary West, a realtor and co-worker who becomes a zombie after Sheila kills him, with only his severed head remaining. Natalie Morales plays Anne Garcia, a sheriff's deputy who becomes involved with Lisa. Thomas Lennon appears as Andrei Novak, the high school principal. Ramona Young plays Ramona, a Rite-Aid employee who is a zombie. Sydney Park portrays Winter, a classmate in environmental club. Grace Zabriskie plays Mrs. Bakavić in season 1, Novak's grandmother. DeObia Oparei appears as Loki Hayes in season 1, a convicted felon who becomes a zombie. Jonathan Slavin plays Ron, an asylum inmate who later becomes a zombie. Joel McHale and Maggie Lawson portray Chris and Christa, realtors married to each other. Zachary Knighton plays Paul in seasons 2–3, a descendant of the Knights of Serbia. Jee Young Han plays Marsha in season 2, Paul's wife. Ethan Suplee appears as Tommy in season 3, Paul's brother. Shalita Grant plays FBI Agent Tess Rogers in season 3.
Production
Victor Fresco developed the premise from a desire to create a family show with an unfamiliar approach. The zombie element allowed him to explore narcissism, as he considered the undead to be ultimate narcissists who want what they want without regard for others. Fresco drew on his upbringing in the San Fernando Valley for the setting, choosing Santa Clarita for its middle-class residents. The Hammonds' profession as realtors was selected because it gets them into the world and involves forced friendliness. Hal Johnson and Joanne McLeod appeared in a Canadian promo parodying their Body Break series. In February 2017, German advertising for the show featuring a human finger sliced like currywurst drew over 50 complaints for glorifying violence and inducing fear. The German Advertising Council forwarded the complaints to Netflix, which ended the campaign and removed the posters.
Reception
The first season of Santa Clarita Diet received generally positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 78% approval rating based on 73 reviews, with an average rating of 7.20/10. The critical consensus notes the excellent cast, frequent laughs, and engaging premise, though the level of gore may not suit all viewers. Metacritic reports a score of 67 out of 100 from 30 critics, indicating generally favorable reviews. The second season also received generally positive reviews, with an 89% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 19 reviews and an average rating of 7.85/10. Critics described it as maintaining momentum with non-stop comedic gore and a big heart for its characters. The third season earned a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 18 reviews, with an average rating of 7.78/10. The critical consensus highlights the season as a generous meal of entrails, morbid humor, and a touching affirmation of marital love, with Barrymore and Olyphant's chemistry brightening each installment.
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