Leena Watts
The Netflix original series Santa Clarita Diet stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as married realtors, Sheila and Joel, living in Santa Clarita, California. The show is a dark comedy with a unique premise: after Sheila goes through a mysterious transformation, she develops a taste for human flesh. While the show received praise for its cast and humour, it was also criticized for its excessive gore and inconsistent writing.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Genre | Horror-Comedy |
| Sub-genre | Zombie comedy, Dark comedy |
| Creator | Victor Fresco |
| Cast | Drew Barrymore, Timothy Olyphant, Liv Hewson, Skyler Gisondo, Patton Oswalt, Nathan Fillion |
| Number of Seasons | 3 |
| Number of Episodes | 30 |
| Runtime | 2017-2019 |
| Streaming Platform | Netflix |
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What You'll Learn
Santa Clarita Diet's rating and reception
Santa Clarita Diet is a Netflix original horror-comedy series that premiered on February 3, 2017. The show stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as Sheila and Joel Hammond, a married couple who are real estate agents living in Santa Clarita, California. The series centres on the couple's lives, which take a dark turn when Sheila dies and becomes a zombie with a craving for human flesh.
The show received generally positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has an approval rating of 78% based on 73 reviews, with an average rating of 7.20/10. Metacritic reports that the first season received "generally favourable reviews" with a score of 67 out of 100, based on 30 critics. The second season also received positive reviews, with an approval rating of 89% based on 19 reviews and an average rating of 7.85/10 on Rotten Tomatoes.
The show's unique blend of comedy and horror received a lot of praise, with many viewers finding it hilarious and entertaining. The performances of the lead actors, Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant, were also well-received, with some viewers noting that Barrymore's charm balanced out the dark subject matter of the show. The supporting cast, including Liv Hewson and Skyler Gisondo, was also praised for their comedic performances.
However, some viewers found the show's gore and graphic content off-putting. The show's marketing and advertising also sparked criticism in Germany, where Netflix promoted the show with posters depicting a human finger sliced up like a currywurst, a popular German fast food dish. The German Advertising Council received complaints that the advertising was glorifying violence and inducing fear, especially in children.
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The show's cast and their performances
The cast of Santa Clarita Diet includes Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant, who star as Sheila and Joel, a married couple and realtors living in Santa Clarita, California. Barrymore and Olyphant also serve as executive producers for the show. Liv Hewson plays their daughter, Abby Hammond, and Skyler Gisondo plays their neighbour, Eric Bemis. The cast also includes Mary Elizabeth Ellis as Lisa Palmer, Dan's wife and Eric's mother; Ricardo Chavira as Dan Palmer, a sheriff's deputy and the Hammonds' neighbour; and Thomas Lennon as Andrei Novak, the principal of Santa Clarita High School.
The show also features a number of notable guest stars and recurring actors, including Ramona Young, Sydney Park, Grace Zabriskie, DeObia Oparei, Jonathan Slavin, Joel McHale, Maggie Lawson, Zachary Knighton, Goran Visnjic, Portia de Rossi, Markie Post, Patton Oswalt, Ryan Hansen, Derek Waters, Ravi Patel, Gerald McRaney, Leo Howard, Malcolm Barrett, Kerri Kenney-Silver, and Richard T. Jones.
Reviews for the show have been generally positive, with particular praise for the cast and their performances. One reviewer on IMDb commented that "each and every performance in this comedy is brilliant, from the most minor of supporting roles to the lead cast." The reviewer also highlighted the unexpected nature of the show, stating that "it stars Timothy Olyphant and Drew Barrymore as Joel and Shiela, married realtors who live in Santa Clarita raising their teenage daughter. Shiela wakes up one dead feeling strange and throws up. She also has no heartbeat. She's a zombie."
Another reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes described the show as having "an excellent cast, frequent laughs, and an engaging premise", while a review in TV Guide praised the performances of the lead actors, stating that "Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant are fantastic as the Hammonds, a married couple dealing with the aftermath of Sheila's transformation."
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The show's plot and premise
The Santa Clarita Diet is a comedy-horror television series created by Victor Fresco. It aired from 2017 to 2019 and was a Netflix original show.
The show centres on Sheila and Joel Hammond, a married couple who are realtors living in the Los Angeles suburb of Santa Clarita, California. They are played by Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant, respectively. The couple has a teenage daughter named Abby, played by Liv Hewson.
The premise of the show involves Sheila undergoing a dramatic transformation, dying and coming back to life as a zombie with a craving for human flesh. This new development in her life gives her a new lease of life, making her feel and look better than ever. However, it also sends her down a path of death and destruction.
The show explores how Sheila's new reality impacts her family and their lives. For example, Abby is faced with the challenge of accepting her mother's new reality and dealing with the secrets her parents keep from her. The show also delves into the humourous aspects of their new situation, such as when Sheila perks up at the news that a paedophile has moved into the neighbourhood because she is on the lookout for undesirable people to eat.
The show has been described as having a "perfect balance of heart and humour" and has received praise for its cast, writing, and unique take on the zombie genre. However, some viewers have found the level of gore off-putting, with one reviewer stating that the "first few episodes suffer from an excessive amount of gore".
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The show's production and creators
The Netflix original horror-comedy series Santa Clarita Diet was created by Victor Fresco, who also serves as showrunner and executive producer. The show was produced by stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant, alongside Michael A. Ross, Brittany Segal, Aaron Kaplan, Tracy Katsky, Chris Miller, Ember Truesdell, and Ruben Fleischer.
Fresco first wrote the script and then gave it to his production partners Tracy Katsky and Aaron Kaplan, who enjoyed it. Netflix began promoting the show in November 2016, recruiting several models and television personalities to pose with various Santa Clarita Diet-themed products, including drinks and smoothies as part of a special "diet plan", spoofing other weight-loss products commonly advertised on social media.
The show stars Barrymore and Olyphant as Sheila and Joel Hammond, married realtors who live and work in Santa Clarita, California. When Sheila dies, their lives take a dark turn. The location of Santa Clarita was chosen because of its middle-class residents, and the profession of realtors was chosen because it "gets them out into the world" and the "forced friendliness" inherent to the profession.
The show received generally positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has an approval rating of 78% based on 73 reviews, with an average rating of 7.20/10. The site's critical consensus states: "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." On Metacritic, the first season received a score of 67 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
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Comparisons to other shows
The Netflix original series *Santa Clarita Diet* has been compared to other TV shows in its class, including *iZombie* and *Warm Bodies*, with some viewers noting that *Santa Clarita Diet* is more realistic than the former two. The show has also been likened to a zombie-themed version of the classic American sitcom *Ozzie and Harriet*.
The show's premise has also invited comparisons to other TV shows about the undead, such as the *TWD* universe. However, unlike the *TWD* universe, *Santa Clarita Diet* is written as a comedy.
Some viewers have also compared *Santa Clarita Diet* to other Netflix shows, noting that the show's budget seems to have been allocated more towards the cast than production value. Despite this, viewers have praised the performances of the cast, which includes Drew Barrymore, Timothy Olyphant, Patton Oswalt, and Nathan Fillion.
In terms of tone and style, *Santa Clarita Diet* has been described as a "hit-and-miss" dark comedy with a "fake" or "coy" tone. The show has also been called "weird" and "oddly simple," with a "brittle, all-on-the-surface style." Despite this, many viewers have found the show funny, engaging, and addictive, with some praising the writing and performances of the cast.
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