
Santa Clarita Diet is a horror-comedy series that aired on Netflix from 2017 to 2019. The show centres on Sheila and Joel Hammond, a suburban realtor couple whose lives are turned upside down when Sheila becomes a zombie with a craving for human flesh. The show received positive reviews for its dark humour and unique take on the zombie genre. Despite its popularity, Netflix cancelled the show after its third season, leaving fans disappointed and frustrated as the series ended on a major cliffhanger. The final moments of the show see Joel possessed by a flesh-eating spider, leading Sheila to bite him to save his life, leaving his fate unknown. While some fans found the ending satisfying, others were left wanting more.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ending | Cliffhanger |
| Fan Reaction | Disappointed |
| Plot | Wrapped up |
| Main Characters | Sheila, Joel |
| Genre | Horror, Comedy |
| Number of Seasons | 3 |
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What You'll Learn

Sheila bites Joel to save him from Mr Ball Legs
In the third season of the Netflix horror-comedy series *Santa Clarita Diet*, the Hammond family's life finally appears to settle down. No more Serbian labs, no more Sheila Hammond stuck on the edge of a massive spike. But then, a giant, fleshy spider-like zombie creature, Mr. Ball Legs, crawls into Joel Hammond's ear and directly into his brain.
In an effort to save her spouse, Sheila bites Joel, who is human, to turn him into a zombie. This is a genuinely terrifying moment that leaves fans questioning whether Joel is dead, undead, or possessed by his wife’s Mr. Ball Legs. However, before panicking about Joel’s fate, there may be some good news. If you look at all of season 3’s evidence, you’ll realize Joel is probably just a regular old zombie now.
Throughout the season, Joel debates whether he wants to spend eternity with Sheila as an undead. In the finale, "Cult of Sheila", he admits that he's afraid the promise of eternity will put the Hammonds' marriage at stake. This is a question that clearly hurts his wife, who spends the season hoping Joel will say yes to forever. In the final official scene of "Sheila", Joel overcomes all his fears and tells Sheila that after their daughter Abby goes off to college, he would be ready to be turned.
In the last few seconds of the show, it seems that there is some kind of symbiosis involved. Mr. Ball Legs takes over Joel to say "Mama", as Sheila wanted, and Joel seems to be able to speak again afterward. It is also unlikely that Mr. Ball Legs can remain in Joel's body for much longer after Sheila bit her husband. The entire zombie-making process is built around expelling a spider creature.
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Joel is possessed by Mr Ball Legs
The ending of the third season of Netflix's Santa Clarita Diet left fans with a major cliffhanger. After three seasons of Joel Hammond debating whether he wants to be turned into a zombie to spend eternity with his undead wife, Sheila, he finally decides he is ready to be turned. However, in a shocking turn of events, Sheila's pet spider-like creature, Mr. Ball Legs, crawls into Joel's ear and directly into his brain, seemingly possessing him.
This development left fans with many questions and theories about Joel's fate. Some speculated that Mr. Ball Legs had simply killed Joel or that Joel had become a zombie himself. Others wondered if Joel was now possessed by Mr. Ball Legs and under his control.
In the show, each zombie character is shown to have their own spider creature, known as Mr. Ball Legs, which they vomit up during their transformation. These creatures act as pets to their hosts and can even possess people, as seen in the case of Ramona, another zombie character.
While the show's creators initially kept quiet about Joel's fate, fans finally received an answer from creator Victor Fresco, who confirmed in a tweet that Joel was indeed possessed by Mr. Ball Legs. According to Fresco, Mr. Ball Legs initially makes Joel do his bidding, but eventually, Joel and Sheila work together to hunt bad people, ensuring their love for each other goes on forever.
This twist sets up an intriguing new dynamic for the potential fourth season, as fans are left wondering about the implications of Joel being possessed and the new challenges the couple will face. Unfortunately, the show was cancelled after the third season, leaving fans with no closure and many unanswered questions.
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Sheila and Joel's relationship
Sheila and Joel Hammond are not your typical married couple. After all, one of them is a zombie. But despite this unusual development in their lives, they have a strong and loving relationship.
Sheila and Joel work together as realtors and partners, bringing out the best in each other professionally. They also have a healthy sex life, which is an important part of their relationship. Even when they face challenges, they tackle them together, even if their tactics are not always flawless.
In Season 1, Joel and Sheila navigate her new appetite for human flesh. They try to only kill people they deem morally unsound, but as Sheila's cravings become harder to control, they face the possibility of getting caught. Despite the stress and disagreements that come with their work, they always put their daughter Abby first.
In Season 3, Joel debates whether he wants to spend eternity with Sheila as an undead. He worries about the impact of immortality on their marriage and questions if love is only possible because life is fleeting. After much contemplation, he eventually decides he wants to be with Sheila forever and tells her he is ready to be turned. However, before Sheila can turn him, Mr. Ball Legs, a spider-like zombie creature, enters Joel's brain, leaving fans questioning whether Joel is dead, undead, or possessed.
Ultimately, the show's creator, Victor Fresco, confirmed that Joel is possessed by Mr. Ball Legs, and although he initially makes Joel do his bidding, he and Sheila eventually hunt bad people together, with their love enduring forever.
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Abby and Eric's relationship
Abby and Eric's friendship deepens as they both share the burden of knowing that Abby's mother, Sheila, is undead. Eric is actively involved in keeping Sheila's condition from worsening and helping the family survive. In Season 1, Eric kisses Abby, but she does not reciprocate his feelings. In Season 2, Eric develops a relationship with Ramona, a Rite-Aid employee who turns out to be a zombie. Abby and Eric pretend to be dating in Season 3 to throw off suspicion of their demolition of a fracking site. However, the lie becomes too much for them, and they "break up" in front of the student body. Despite this, their bond strengthens as they continue to help each other through the challenges of having an undead parent.
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The Knights of Serbia are dealt with
The Santa Clarita Diet ended with Joel Hammond possessed by Mr. Ball Legs, a heavily-eyed spider creature that lives inside zombies. This happens after Joel decides he wants to spend eternity with his wife, Sheila, who is a zombie.
The Knights of Serbia, a group whose sole purpose is to track down and destroy zombies, are dealt with thanks to Joel's plan to become a Knight himself. He passes the necessary tests, gets his gear, and is now free to protect the zombies he cares about, including his wife. He can also potentially fulfil his oath and take out any other Knights that might cause trouble.
The show ends on a cliffhanger with the Hammond family's life finally appearing to settle down, only for Mr. Ball Legs to enter Joel's brain, leading Sheila to bite him. It is left ambiguous whether Joel is dead, undead, or possessed by Mr. Ball Legs.
The show was cancelled by Netflix after three seasons due to a drop in viewing numbers, leaving fans disappointed as the ending was sudden and left many storylines unresolved. However, some fans found the ending perfect, and the show's creator, Victor Fresco, confirmed that Joel is indeed possessed by Mr. Ball Legs, and they hunt bad people together.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the show was cancelled after season 3, leaving the story with many loose ends. However, some viewers have said that while it ends on a cliffhanger, it also wraps up many of the show's plots.
In the final episode, Sheila and Joel are finally enjoying domestic bliss, but then a giant, fleshy spider-like zombie creature crawls into Joel's ear. Sheila bites Joel to save him, turning him into a zombie.
Show creator Victor Fresco said season 4 would have explored Joel's new life as a zombie and how that affected his relationship with Sheila. He also wanted to explore the relationship between Abby and Eric.





















