Madeleine Hull
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, a married couple living a quiet life in Santa Clarita, California. Their lives take a dark turn when Sheila dies and comes back as a zombie with a craving for human flesh. The show has been rated TV-MA due to its graphic content, including gore, violence, and sexual references. It also contains frequent coarse language and comedic scenes that may not be suitable for younger audiences.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Genre | Horror-comedy |
| Sub-genre | Sitcom |
| Content rating | TV-MA |
| Content warnings | Sex, violence, gore, coarse language |
| Plot | A suburban family's life takes a dark turn when the mother dies and comes back as a zombie with a craving for human flesh |
| Tone | Light and sunny |
| Dialogue | Fresh and smart |
| Characters | Appealing |
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What You'll Learn
The show's high level of gore
Santa Clarita Diet is a horror-comedy hybrid about a successful suburban family whose lives take a dark turn when the mother, Sheila, dies and comes back to life as a zombie with a craving for human flesh. The show has been described as having a "high level of gore", which may not be to everyone's taste.
The show's gory elements include graphic depictions of violence and blood, with one review noting that the show features "chewed-off digits and ripped-open chest cavities". Another review describes the show as "sweet and bloody", with a "refreshing juxtaposition of viscera with middle-class suburbia".
The human flesh that Sheila craves and consumes is made from various items, including gummy bears, dehydrated apples, beet paste, pasta, and moistened cake. These props are all vegetarian, as the actor Drew Barrymore, who plays Sheila, does not eat meat.
In addition to the graphic violence and blood, the show also features intense horror elements, including zombies and a potentially mythological mystery. The show's creator, Victor Fresco, has stated that the zombie angle allowed him to explore the concept of narcissism, as "the undead are the ultimate narcissists".
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The juxtaposition of horror and comedy
Santa Clarita Diet is an American horror-comedy sitcom created by Victor Fresco for Netflix. The show follows a suburban family whose lives take a dark turn when the mother, Sheila, dies and comes back as a zombie with a craving for human flesh.
The comedic elements of the show also serve to enhance the horror aspects. The light-hearted tone and humour help to offset the darkness of the subject matter, making the gory and violent scenes more palatable for viewers. This juxtaposition creates a sense of contrast that can heighten the impact of the horror elements, as the audience is lulled into a false sense of security by the comedic moments.
Additionally, the horror and comedy elements often intersect in interesting ways. For example, the show explores the concept of narcissism through the lens of the undead, portraying zombies as the ultimate narcissists who will do anything to satisfy their desires. This exploration adds a layer of depth to the show's portrayal of horror and provides opportunities for comedic moments as the characters navigate their new reality.
Overall, the juxtaposition of horror and comedy in Santa Clarita Diet creates a unique and engaging viewing experience. The show's blend of humour and horror, along with its exploration of darker themes, has received generally positive reviews from critics and audiences alike.
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The show's treatment of sex and sexual themes
Santa Clarita Diet is an American horror-comedy hybrid that revolves around a suburban family whose lives take a dark turn when the mother, Sheila, dies and comes back as a zombie with a craving for human flesh. The show's treatment of sex and sexual themes is explicit and coarse.
The show makes many references to sex, depicting the undead as having an awakened libido. There are several explicit references to sex acts, including oral sex, which is shown on-screen (although only the woman's top half is visible). The dialogue includes coarse expressions such as "pounding one out", "humping", "banging", and "boning". The show also features a scene in which a co-worker tries to blackmail Sheila into having sex with him, to which she responds by biting off his fingers and disembowelling him.
The show's treatment of sex and sexuality is often played for laughs, with characters using crude and explicit language to discuss their sexual desires and experiences. The show also uses sex and sexuality to explore the concept of narcissism, with the undead portrayed as being driven by their own desires and willing to do anything to satisfy them, regardless of the impact on others.
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The show's use of profanity
The show features a range of expletives, including "f--k", "damn", "goddamn", and "bulls--t". There are also some coarse expressions for sex, such as "humping", "banging", and "boning". The characters also use some creative insults, such as calling someone "dickless", "puss", and "honeybunch" to imply a lack of masculinity.
The show's dialogue is described as "fresh and smart", with the profanity adding to the comedic tone. The show embraces sitcom clichés, but the things the characters say are hysterical, and the show has a core of sweetness running through it.
The profanity is used to emphasise the absurdity of the situation the characters find themselves in, with Sheila's transformation into a zombie sending her down a road of death and destruction. The juxtaposition of the profanity with the show's suburban setting and the characters' everyday lives as real estate agents adds to the comedic effect.
The show's creator, Victor Fresco, chose the real estate profession for the characters because "it gets them out into the world" and allows for interactions with a range of people, which can lead to some creative profanity-laden dialogue.
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The show's cancellation
Santa Clarita Diet was cancelled by Netflix after three seasons. The third season received a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and had featured in various Top 10 binge/streaming rankings. Despite the show's popularity, Netflix decided to cut the show short, much to the dismay of its fans and the show creators.
The streaming giant does not release viewing figures unless it is on its terms. However, it is speculated that the show's cancellation was due to a combination of factors, including the show becoming too expensive to produce. Netflix operates on a "cost-plus" model, where it pays upfront a show's production costs plus a premium of 30%+ of the costs. While the payments are modest after the first and second seasons, they escalate after the third season, especially for series owned by Netflix.
The show's producer, Tracy Katsky Boomer, expressed her sadness about the cancellation, stating, "We are all so sad. We have loved making it so much." The show's creator, Victor Fresco, also thanked the cast and crew for bringing the show to life.
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Frequently asked questions
Santa Clarita Diet is rated TV-MA due to its frequent references to sex, coarse language, and violent content.
The show's premise involves a woman who becomes undead and, as the characters joke, this awakens her libido.
The show uses words like "fuck", "damn", "goddamn", and "bullshit". It also includes sexual terms like "humping", "banging", and "boning".
The show is a horror-comedy, so it includes violent and gory content. This includes scenes of characters eating human flesh, vomiting, and disemboweling.
Yes, the show also includes frequent drug use, with one of the main characters, Joel, smoking pot often.
