
The Santa Clarita Diet is an American horror-comedy TV series created by Victor Fresco for Netflix. It stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as Sheila and Joel, married realtors living in Santa Clarita, California, with their teenage daughter, Abby. Their quiet, mundane lives take a dark turn when Sheila dies and becomes a zombie with an appetite for human flesh. The show follows the family as they adjust to their new reality, dealing with neighbours and cultural norms while trying to find a cure for Sheila's condition. The series received generally positive reviews from critics and audiences, who praised its cast, humour, and engaging premise, although some found the level of gore off-putting.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Genre | Horror Sitcom |
| Creator | Victor Fresco |
| Streaming Platform | Netflix |
| Number of Seasons | 3 |
| Number of Episodes | 30 |
| Premiere Date | February 3, 2017 |
| Setting | Santa Clarita, California |
| Story | An ordinary couple, Joel and Sheila Hammond, become entangled in a series of obstacles when Sheila undergoes a transformation and becomes a zombie with a craving for human flesh |
| Main Cast | Drew Barrymore, Timothy Olyphant, Liv Hewson, Skyler Gisondo, Ricardo Chavira, Mary Elizabeth Ellis |
| Reception | Positive reviews, praised for its cast, humour, and engaging premise, but criticised for its gore |
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What You'll Learn

Sheila becomes a zombie
The Santa Clarita Diet is an American horror-comedy series created by Victor Fresco for Netflix. It stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as Sheila and Joel Hammond, married realtors living in Santa Clarita, California, with their teenage daughter, Abby.
The series centres on the drastic changes that occur in the lives of the Hammond family when Sheila undergoes a metamorphosis and becomes a zombie. Despite appearing and feeling physically healthy, Sheila develops a craving for human flesh and a more primal and impulsive personality.
As Sheila's condition worsens, Joel and the family must adapt to their new reality. They seek a cure for her condition while navigating the challenges of satisfying her hunger for human flesh and dealing with the social norms of their suburban community. The show also explores the underlying message of the dangers of unchecked consumption and narcissism in society.
Sheila's transformation into a zombie introduces a road of death and destruction into the otherwise mundane lives of the Hammonds. As they grapple with her new diet, they must also contend with the cultural expectations and friendliness inherent in their profession as realtors. The show presents a juxtaposition of the chaos of Sheila's condition with the orderly nature of the Santa Clarita community.
The show received generally positive reviews from critics, with particular praise for its cast, humour, and engaging premise. However, the level of gore and violence in the show was noted as a potential concern for some viewers.
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Sheila craves human flesh
The Santa Clarita Diet is an American horror-comedy sitcom created by Victor Fresco for Netflix. The series stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as Sheila and Joel Hammond, a married couple who work as real estate agents in Santa Clarita, California.
One day, Sheila undergoes a mysterious dramatic change and wakes up with no heartbeat, feeling strange, and vomiting. She has become a zombie and now craves human flesh. Despite her new diet and undead status, Sheila does not look or feel physically different, and she continues to work in real estate.
As Sheila and Joel adjust to her new appetite, they must also navigate their relationships with neighbours and cultural norms. They seek a cure for her condition while dealing with the consequences, such as Sheila's altered personality, which has become more primal and impulsive. The show follows the couple as they try to find the worst kind of people for Sheila to eat, leading to a mix of funny and dark moments.
The show received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for its cast, humour, and engaging premise. However, the level of gore and violence may not be to everyone's taste, with the show featuring blood, organs, vomit, and other bodily fluids onscreen.
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Sheila and Joel are realtors
As realtors, Sheila and Joel have to maintain a facade of forced friendliness, even as their lives spiral out of control. They have to navigate their new reality while dealing with neighbours and cultural norms. Sheila's condition comes with a craving for human flesh, and she starts killing and eating people. The couple tries to find the worst kind of people for Sheila to prey on. They also seek a cure for her condition.
Sheila's new diet and personality impact their marriage, with Joel trying to treat her to expensive meals and find her new prey. Their daughter, Abby, also has to adjust to their new reality, making tough realizations and embracing her inner strength. The family's world is further complicated by the presence of neighbours and other characters, such as the sheriff's deputy, Dan, and Abby's friends.
The show, Santa Clarita Diet, is an American horror-comedy created by Victor Fresco for Netflix. It stars Drew Barrymore as Sheila and Timothy Olyphant as Joel, both of whom also serve as executive producers. The show received generally positive reviews, with critics praising the cast, humour, and engaging premise, while also noting that the level of gore might not be to everyone's taste.
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The show's gory content
Santa Clarita Diet is an American horror-comedy series created by Victor Fresco for Netflix. It stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as Sheila and Joel Hammond, a married couple and realtors living in Santa Clarita, California. The show centres on the couple's lives, which take a dark turn when Sheila dies and becomes a zombie. As a zombie, Sheila craves human flesh and has a more primal and impulsive personality.
In one notable instance, Netflix promoted the show in Germany with posters depicting a human finger sliced up like a currywurst, a popular German fast food dish. This advertisement sparked controversy, receiving over 50 complaints that it glorified violence and induced fear, particularly in children. The German Advertising Council forwarded these complaints to Netflix, prompting a discussion about the show's marketing strategies and the potential impact on sensitive audiences.
The show's first season received an approval rating of 78% on Rotten Tomatoes, with an average rating of 7.20/10. While the critical consensus praised the cast, frequent laughs, and engaging premise, it also acknowledged that the level of gore might not appeal to all viewers. Metacritic's review of the first season echoed this sentiment, stating, "Santa Clarita Diet blends comedy and horror to good effect, but its humor may be too uneven and its gore too unrestrained for some."
The show's second season continued to explore comedic gore, receiving an approval rating of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes. The critical consensus for this season highlighted the show's ability to balance humour and gore effectively, stating, "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."
Overall, the show's gory content was a defining element that both intrigued and divided audiences. While some viewers embraced the show's blend of humour and horror, others found it too graphic or unsettling.
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The show's positive reception
Santa Clarita Diet is an American horror-comedy series created by Victor Fresco for Netflix. The show stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as Sheila and Joel Hammond, a married couple of realtors living in Santa Clarita, California. The series centres on the couple's lives, which take a dark turn after Sheila undergoes a transformation and becomes a zombie with a craving for human flesh.
The show received generally positive reviews from critics upon its release. The first season has an approval rating of 78% on Rotten Tomatoes, 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 critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes describes the show as having "an excellent cast, frequent laughs, and an engaging premise", although the level of gore might not be to everyone's taste.
The second season of the show also received positive reviews, with an approval rating of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and an average rating of 7.85/10. The critical consensus on the site states that the show "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 unique premise, dark humour, and engaging characters have been well-received by audiences and critics alike. Many viewers have praised the show's ability to blend humour and horror, with one IMDb reviewer calling it "freaking hilarious" and another saying that it had them "laughing out loud". The show's blend of comedy and gore has been described as "brilliant", with particular praise for the performances of the lead cast and supporting roles.
In addition to its positive reception, the show has also sparked some controversy. In February 2017, Netflix's advertising campaign for the show in Germany received criticism for promoting the show with posters depicting a human finger sliced up like a currywurst, a popular German fast food dish. The German Advertising Council received more than 50 complaints that the advertising was glorifying violence and inducing fear, especially in children.
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Frequently asked questions
The Santa Clarita Diet is an American horror-comedy TV series created by Victor Fresco for Netflix.
The show centres on a married couple, Joel and Sheila Hammond, who are realtors living in Santa Clarita, California. Their lives take a dark turn when Sheila dies and becomes a zombie, craving human flesh.
Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant star as Sheila and Joel Hammond.
The show received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for its cast, humour, and engaging premise. However, some viewers found the level of gore off-putting.
Victor Fresco chose Santa Clarita because of its middle-class residents. The profession of the main characters as realtors was chosen to get them out into the world and to explore the "forced friendliness" inherent in the profession.










