Brenda Khan
Santa Clarita Diet was a comedy horror television series created by Victor Fresco for Netflix, starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as realtors whose lives are turned upside down when Barrymore's character, Sheila, begins to exhibit signs of becoming a zombie. The show ran for three seasons from 2017 to 2019, receiving generally positive reviews and amassing a loyal fanbase. Despite its popularity, Netflix cancelled the series, with some speculating that it was due to the platform's `cost-plus` budget model, which sees production costs increase with each new season. There has been some talk of reviving the show, but with the lead actors now busy with other projects, it seems unlikely that more episodes of Santa Clarita Diet will be made in the near future.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of seasons | 3 |
| Streaming platform | Netflix |
| Genre | Comedy horror |
| Creator | Victor Fresco |
| Stars | Drew Barrymore, Timothy Olyphant |
| Cancellation reasons | Financial, cost-plus budget model, low viewership |
| Future possibilities | Unlikely, but not impossible |
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What You'll Learn
- Santa Clarita Diet was cancelled due to Netflix's cost-plus budget model
- The show received positive reviews and had a loyal fanbase
- Netflix doesn't release viewing figures, but Santa Clarita Diet's audience wasn't large enough
- Creator Victor Fresco was blindsided by the cancellation
- There are no plans for a revival, but it's not impossible
Santa Clarita Diet was cancelled due to Netflix's cost-plus budget model
Netflix's decision to cancel Santa Clarita Diet after three seasons has been attributed to its "cost-plus" budget model. Netflix's model involves paying for a show's production costs upfront, plus a premium of 30% or more of the overall costs. This means that with each new season, the budget increases significantly.
Santa Clarita Diet, starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as realtors in suburban California, was a hit with critics and fans alike. The show received positive reviews and had a unique premise, combining comedy and horror. Despite its success, Netflix's "cost-plus" model meant that the cost of continuing the show increased substantially with each season.
The streaming giant's decision-making is influenced by audience turnout and critical acclaim. While Netflix does not release viewership data, it is speculated that the company focuses on immediate binge-watching behaviour. If a show does not attract a large enough audience quickly, it may be cancelled. Additionally, Netflix considers the financial investment and seeks to stretch its investment dollars across various projects to satisfy investors.
The "cost-plus" model has been criticised for potentially prioritising financial considerations over creative aspects and audience engagement. With each new season, talent fees, bonuses, and production costs increase, impacting the profitability of the show for Netflix.
While Santa Clarita Diet ended on a cliffhanger, there is still a possibility for a revival if viewership and demand make it seem worthwhile. Netflix has revived other shows in the past based on audience demand, and with the success of Santa Clarita Diet, a revival remains a possibility, albeit a remote one.
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The show received positive reviews and had a loyal fanbase
Santa Clarita Diet, a comedy horror television series, was cancelled by Netflix after three seasons. The show's creator, Victor Fresco, was disappointed by the cancellation, as he felt that the show had garnered positive reviews and had a loyal fanbase.
The first season of Santa Clarita Diet 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 also reported favourable reviews, with a score of 67. The site's critical consensus praised the show's cast, humour, and engaging premise, while acknowledging that the level of gore might not appeal to all audiences.
The second season also received positive reviews, with an approval rating of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and an average rating of 7.85/10. The critics particularly enjoyed the show's ability to balance comedy and gore while also developing its characters. The third season maintained the show's positive trajectory, achieving a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an average rating of 7.78/10.
Despite the show's critical acclaim and dedicated fanbase, Netflix decided to cancel Santa Clarita Diet due to financial considerations. Netflix operates on a "cost-plus" budget model, where production costs increase with each new season. The company also considers viewership numbers when deciding whether to renew a show, and Santa Clarita Diet's audience numbers may not have justified its renewal.
The show's abrupt ending left fans disappointed and seeking closure, with online petitions gathering hundreds of thousands of signatures. While there is a possibility that Netflix could revive the show in the future, as they have done with other series, it is unlikely to happen anytime soon due to the busy schedules of the lead actors and the time constraints imposed by Netflix's original deal.
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Netflix doesn't release viewing figures, but Santa Clarita Diet's audience wasn't large enough
Netflix does not release viewing figures to the public, and any data on streaming ratings comes from third-party companies like Nielsen. However, it is believed that Santa Clarita Diet's audience wasn't large enough to justify its continuation. The show was cancelled after its third season, with Netflix citing the reason as the platform's "cost-plus" budget model. With each new season of a series, the budget increases significantly, and talent can see their pay increase from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.
Santa Clarita Diet received generally positive reviews from critics and currently has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes for its third season. The show also had a strong following, with fans expressing their disappointment over its cancellation and even starting petitions to bring it back. However, it appears that the audience wasn't large enough to convince Netflix to continue investing in the show.
One possible reason for the show's cancellation could be the controversy surrounding its advertising. In February 2017, Netflix promoted the show in Germany with posters depicting a human finger sliced up like a popular German fast food dish, currywurst. This sparked criticism, with the German Advertising Council receiving more than 50 complaints that the advertising was glorifying violence and inducing fear in children. Netflix ended the campaign and removed the posters, but this may have impacted the show's popularity in the region.
While Netflix does not release official viewership data, it is known for prioritising immediate binge-watchers. This means that if a show does not attract a significant audience within the first month of its release, it is less likely to be renewed. Santa Clarita Diet may have fallen victim to this strategy, as it failed to gain the necessary traction to convince Netflix to continue investing in subsequent seasons.
Despite the show's critical acclaim and dedicated fan base, it appears that the ultimate decision to cancel Santa Clarita Diet came down to financial considerations and the platform's business model.
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Creator Victor Fresco was blindsided by the cancellation
Santa Clarita Diet, a popular comedy-horror television series, was cancelled by Netflix after three seasons. The show's creator, Victor Fresco, was blindsided by the cancellation. In an interview, Fresco revealed that he was in the process of editing season 3 when he learned from an assistant producer that the sets were being taken down. He stated that this was when he knew the show was definitively not coming back.
Santa Clarita Diet starred Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as married real estate agents, Sheila and Joel Hammond. The show centred on the couple's lives, which took a turn when Sheila began to exhibit symptoms of becoming a zombie. Sheila's new zombie state came with a craving for human flesh and an altered, more impulsive personality. The show received generally positive reviews from critics and fans, with the first season holding a 78% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 67 out of 100 on Metacritic. The second and third seasons also received positive reviews, with the third season achieving a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Despite the show's success and acclaim, Netflix decided to cancel it due to its "`cost-plus` budget model". This model involves paying for a show's production costs upfront, plus a premium of 30% or more of the total costs. With each new season, the budget increases significantly due to pay bumps for talent, writers, actors, and crew, as well as backend costs. Netflix's decision to cancel shows is based on audience turnout and critical acclaim, and the company has a reputation for prioritising short-term profits over the longevity of its original content.
Victor Fresco expressed his disappointment in the cancellation, stating that he felt they had found their niche audience. He also acknowledged the challenges of achieving renewals for streaming shows, especially when compared to traditional broadcast networks. While Netflix has revived some shows in the past due to audience demand, the fate of Santa Clarita Diet remains uncertain.
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There are no plans for a revival, but it's not impossible
Santa Clarita Diet was cancelled in 2019 after three seasons on Netflix. The show, starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant, followed married real estate agents Sheila and Joel Hammond, whose lives were turned upside down after Sheila began exhibiting signs of becoming a zombie.
Despite the show's critical acclaim and loyal fanbase, Netflix decided to cut the show due to financial reasons. The streaming platform operates on a "'cost-plus' model, where they pay for a show's production costs upfront, plus a premium of 30% or more of the total costs. With each new season, the budget increases, and talent can see their pay increase from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.
While there are currently no plans for a revival of Santa Clarita Diet, it's not impossible. Netflix has revived other shows in the past, such as Lucifer, which was renewed for two more seasons after its initial cancellation. Additionally, the creator of Santa Clarita Diet, Victor Fresco, has expressed interest in bringing the show back and has shared some ideas for Joel's undead journey and how he might struggle to come to terms with his new life.
However, there are some obstacles to a potential revival. Firstly, the show's stars, Barrymore and Olyphant, have both been busy with other projects, including Barrymore's talk show and Olyphant's appearance in The Mandalorian. Secondly, there is usually a clause in Netflix's deals that prevents cancelled shows from airing elsewhere for a "significant period of time", which could range from two to seven years or more.
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Frequently asked questions
Netflix's "cost-plus" budget model was cited as a reason for the show's cancellation. With each new season, the series budget increases, and talent pay can increase from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.
Yes, Netflix does not release viewing figures unless it is on its own terms. However, it is speculated that the viewership was not enough to outweigh the production costs.
Yes, the first season received generally positive reviews and had an approval rating of 78% on Rotten Tomatoes. The second and third seasons also received positive reviews, with Rotten Tomatoes approval ratings of 89% and 100%, respectively.
Victor Fresco felt disappointed and blindsided by the cancellation, especially since the show had amassed a loyal fanbase and received critical acclaim. He also mentioned that he felt badly for the fans who were invested in the show.
While there is a slim chance of revival, it is unlikely to happen anytime soon due to the busy schedules of the lead actors and the typical clause in Netflix deals that prevents cancelled shows from airing elsewhere for a "significant period of time."
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