
Netflix's horror-comedy Santa Clarita Diet, starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant, was cancelled in 2019 after three seasons. The show received positive reviews from critics and had a passionate fanbase, but Netflix does not release viewing figures unless the numbers are high, and it seems that Santa Clarita Diet's viewership was not enough to outweigh its production costs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Streaming service | Netflix |
| Number of seasons | 3 |
| Number of episodes | 30 |
| Episode duration | 30 minutes |
| Genre | Horror sitcom, comedy |
| Plot | A couple of real estate agents in Santa Clarita, California, face a series of obstacles when the wife undergoes a metamorphosis, becomes undead, and starts craving human flesh. |
| Starring | Drew Barrymore, Timothy Olyphant |
| Production status | Cancelled |
| Reason for cancellation | Financial reasons, low viewership |
| Critical response | Positive reviews, praise for cast and premise |
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What You'll Learn
- Santa Clarita Diet was cancelled by Netflix due to production costs outweighing viewer figures
- The show ran for three seasons, from 2017-2019
- The first season received positive reviews, with a 78% rating on Rotten Tomatoes
- The second season was also well-received, with an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes
- The show's premise centres on a wife and mother who becomes a zombie

Santa Clarita Diet was cancelled by Netflix due to production costs outweighing viewer figures
Santa Clarita Diet, a Netflix-original series starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant, was cancelled by the streaming platform after three seasons. The show, created by Victor Fresco, is about married realtors Sheila and Joel, who live in Santa Clarita, California, and whose lives take a dark turn when Sheila becomes a zombie and starts craving human flesh.
While the show received generally positive reviews from critics, with an approval rating of 78% on Rotten Tomatoes for its first season and 89% for its second, Netflix does not release viewing figures unless it is on its own terms. Therefore, it is difficult to know exactly how many people tuned in to watch Santa Clarita Diet. However, it is clear that the viewer figures were not high enough to outweigh the production costs, as Netflix made the decision to cancel the show.
In a statement, show creator Victor Fresco and producer Tracy Katsky Boomer expressed their disappointment, saying, "Like our audience, we were all-in on Sheila and Joel." The show's passionate fanbase was left disappointed and frustrated by the cancellation, especially as the show ended on a cliffhanger, leaving several unanswered questions about the fate of its characters.
One of the challenges faced by the show was the cost of production. Netflix operates on a cost-plus" model, where they cover all production costs and offer around 30% extra to own most of the licensing rights. This model requires a significant financial investment, and when a show does not deliver high enough viewer numbers, it can become a burden on the platform's resources.
It is important to note that financial considerations are not the only factor in Netflix's decision-making. The platform also values critical acclaim and the satisfaction of its investors, who play a key role in the Netflix model. However, in the case of Santa Clarita Diet, the decision to cancel the show was likely influenced by a combination of factors, including production costs and viewer figures.
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The show ran for three seasons, from 2017-2019
The Netflix original series Santa Clarita Diet ran for three seasons from 2017 to 2019. The show stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as Sheila and Joel Hammond, a married couple who are real estate agents in Santa Clarita, California. The show centres on the couple's lives, which take a dark turn when Sheila dies and becomes a zombie.
The first season of the show premiered on 3 February 2017 and consisted of 10 episodes. It received generally positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has an approval rating of 78% based on 73 reviews, with an average rating of 7.20/10. Metacritic reported that the first season received "generally favourable reviews" with a score of 67 out of 100, based on 30 critics.
The second season of the show premiered on 23 March 2018 and also received positive reviews. It has an approval rating of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 19 reviews, with an average rating of 7.85/10.
The third season of the show was well-received by fans, with one review on IMDb stating that it was a "generous meal of entrails, morbid humour, and a touching affirmation of marital love". Despite its popularity, Netflix cancelled the show after three seasons, with some speculating that it was due to financial reasons and low viewership.
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The first season received positive reviews, with a 78% rating on Rotten Tomatoes
The first season of Santa Clarita Diet received positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has a rating of 78% based on 73 reviews, with an average score of 7.20/10. The website's critical consensus reads: "Santa Clarita Diet serves up an excellent cast, frequent laughs, and an engaging premise – but the level of gore might not be to everyone's taste."
Metacritic reports that the first season received "generally favourable reviews" with a score of 67 out of 100, based on 30 critics. The show's second season also received positive reviews, with an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 19 reviews. The critical consensus on the site states: "Santa Clarita Diet rides the momentum of its freshman season with non-stop comedic gore and a big heart that bleeds – profusely – for its lovable characters."
Santa Clarita Diet is an American horror-comedy created by Victor Fresco for Netflix. The show stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as Sheila and Joel Hammond, a married couple and real estate team living in Santa Clarita, California. Their lives take a dark turn when Sheila becomes a zombie and starts craving human flesh. The show received praise for its cast, humour, and engaging premise, but some viewers may have been put off by its high levels of gore.
Netflix does not typically release viewing figures, and it is unclear how many people watched Santa Clarita Diet. However, it can be assumed that the show did not attract enough viewers to outweigh its production costs, as it was cancelled after three seasons. Despite this, the show has clearly garnered a dedicated fanbase, with many fans expressing disappointment over its cancellation and their desire for a definitive ending to the story.
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The second season was also well-received, with an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes
The Netflix original series Santa Clarita Diet received generally positive reviews from critics. The second season received an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 19 reviews, with an average rating of 7.85/10. The critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes states:
> "Santa Clarita Diet rides the momentum of its freshman season with non-stop comedic gore and a big heart that bleeds – profusely – for its lovable characters."
The show's second season was also rated positively on Metacritic, receiving a score of 67 out of 100 based on 30 critics. Despite its positive reception among critics, Netflix ultimately cancelled Santa Clarita Diet after three seasons due to financial reasons and low viewership. The streaming platform does not typically release viewing figures, but it is believed that the show's audience was not large enough to outweigh its production costs.
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The show's premise centres on a wife and mother who becomes a zombie
The Netflix original series Santa Clarita Diet centres on a wife and mother who becomes a zombie. The show is an American horror-comedy sitcom, created by Victor Fresco, and stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as married realtors, Sheila and Joel Hammond. The couple lives and works in the fictional town of Santa Clarita, California, and has a teenage daughter, Abby.
Sheila and Joel lead ordinary, mundane lives until Sheila undergoes a metamorphosis and becomes undead. She starts craving human flesh and her personality becomes more primal and impulsive. As Sheila's family tries to help her through this transformation, they also have to deal with neighbours and cultural norms, and get to the bottom of a potentially mythological mystery. The show also features a range of quirky characters, including the Hammonds' neighbour, Lisa's son, and Dan's stepson, Eric Bemis, and Dan Palmer, a sheriff's deputy who is killed and eaten by Sheila.
The show's premise of a wife and mother becoming a zombie and the subsequent impact on her family and community has been well-received by critics. The first season received generally positive reviews, with an approval rating of 78% on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 67 out of 100 on Metacritic. The second season also received positive reviews, with an approval rating of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes. The show has been praised for its cast, humour, and engaging premise, although the level of gore has been noted as not being to everyone's taste.
Santa Clarita Diet's three seasons offer a unique blend of comedy, horror, and morbid humour, with Barrymore and Olyphant's chemistry brightening each blood-soaked instalment. The show's unique premise and genre-bending nature have gained it a dedicated following, with many viewers enjoying the mix of laughs and gore.
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Frequently asked questions
Netflix does not release viewing figures unless the show has been a success. Therefore, we do not know how many people watched Santa Clarita Diet. However, it is clear that it was not enough to outweigh the production costs.
The show received generally positive reviews from critics. The first season has a 78% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 67 out of 100 on Metacritic. The second season received positive reviews as well, with an 89% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
It is unclear whether the viewership decreased over time, but some viewers were disappointed with the show's early cancellation, suggesting that they would have continued watching.
The show was cancelled due to financial reasons. Netflix felt that there was no viable reason to continue investing in the show.











































