Santa Clarita Diet is an American comedy horror television series created by Victor Fresco for Netflix, starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant. The single-camera series premiered on February 3, 2017, and ran for three seasons. The show centers on Joel and Sheila Hammond, a husband and wife real estate team in Santa Clarita, California, whose normal, mundane lives change dramatically when Sheila undergoes a metamorphosis, becomes undead, and starts craving human flesh.
Series Overview
Santa Clarita Diet is a show that blends suburban life with the macabre. Fresco serves as the showrunner and is an executive producer alongside Barrymore, Olyphant, Aaron Kaplan, Tracy Katsky, Chris Miller, Ember Truesdell, and Ruben Fleischer. The series quickly gained attention for its unique premise and blend of horror and comedy.
The Premise
Joel and Sheila Hammond are everyday suburban real estate agents in Santa Clarita, California. Their lives take a dark turn when Sheila undergoes a metamorphosis and becomes undead. As a result, she develops a craving for human flesh, leading to a series of comedic and horrific situations. The show explores how the couple navigates this new reality while trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy.
Alan Tudyk's Role
Alan Tudyk appeared in season 3 as Gary West, a realtor and the Hammonds' co-worker. Gary West is a minor character on the Netflix series Santa Clarita Diet. Previously portrayed by Nathan Fillion (seasons 1-2)
Gary West's Undead Journey
While moving Gary’s body from the spot where they had initially buried him, Joel and Sheila hear him speak from his grave. Because Sheila did not kill his brain, he became undead, too. Sheila and Joel take his head home and keep him in the basement. Gary then wants Joel and Sheila to give his niece, Kayla, the deed to his house in Michigan before they kill him. After doing this, he decided to stay undead, so they continued to keep him in their basement until they moved him into the storage unit when they got a new storage unit specifically for killing.
Read also: Ritchson's diet plan
Recurring Characters
- Richard T. Jones as Rick, a Santa Clarita police officer and the Hammonds' neighbor.
- DeObia Oparei as Loki Hayes (season 1), a convicted felon.
- Jonathan Slavin as Ron, an asylum inmate who was later released and whom Joel told his little secret to in season 2.
- Portia de Rossi as Dr. Cora Wolf.
- Patton Oswalt as Dr. Hasmedi.
- Grace Zabriskie as Mrs. Bakavic.
Production and Development
Victor Fresco came up with the premise from wanting to make "a family show with an interesting approach that we haven't seen before". The zombie angle also allowed Fresco to explore the concept of narcissism: he stated "the undead are the ultimate narcissists." For the setting, Fresco drew from his own experience growing up in San Fernando Valley.
Reception
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. The second season received generally positive reviews as well. The season has an approval rating of 89% based on 19 reviews, with an average rating of 7.85/10 on Rotten Tomatoes. The third season has an approval rating of 100% based on 18 reviews, with an average rating of 7.78/10 on Rotten Tomatoes.
German Advertising Controversy
In February 2017, advertising for the show 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. After receiving more than 50 complaints that the advertising was glorifying violence and inducing fear, especially in children, the German Advertising Council, a self-regulatory institution, forwarded the complaints to the company.
Humor and Tone
When I first started binge-watching this show, I didn’t really laugh that much in the beginning of season one. Maybe I was trying to get used to the premise or maybe the jokes weren’t really landing, but something magical happened in the second half of the first season and for seasons two and three as well. The dark horror comedy just works. Maybe it’s the dynamic between the characters or maybe they just started being a little bit more comfortable with the humor, but I found myself constantly laughing out loud while watching this show.
Read also: A guide to facial benefits in Santa Clarita
Read also: Santa Clarita massage therapy