Netflix cancels Santa Clarita Diet
David Farnor | On 27, Apr 2019
Netflix has cancelled Santa Clarita Diet, after three seasons.
The horror comedy romance, starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant, follows Sheila, a realtor married to Joel, who lives a vaguely discontented life in the titular LA suburb. Their domestic existence undergoes a dramatic change, though, when she ends up undead – and hungry for something that isn’t exactly vegetarian.
Season 2 saw the Hammonds trying to adapt to Sheila’s now-advanced state, evolving into one of Netflix’s best original series, balancing giggles and gore with relationship goals. Within weeks of that sophomore debut, Netflix had already ordered a third run of the series, buoyed by an increasingly positive reception from fans.
“The third course of this intelligently stupid horror-comedy continues to feed us what we never knew we needed,” we wrote in our glowing review of Season 3.
Now, though, the streaming giant has announced that it has given up the Santa Clarita Diet and that Season 3 is the show’s last. The decision arrives as Netflix, which spends more than $8 billion per year on original series, finds itself juggling rising costs with an expanding line-up, with recent cancellation victims including One Day at a Time (also running for three seasons) and all of Netflix’s Marvel series. While neither of those were owned by Netflix, and produced by Sony TV or ABC respectively, Santa Clarita Diet was produced in-house by Netflix. Combined with its star-studded central duo, the decision not to renew the programme comes as some surprise.
“The world had never known a ‘zom-com’ until Santa Clarita Diet, and we’re indebted to creator Victor Fresco for bringing this idea to Netflix,” Netflix said in a statement. “To their endless credit, the incredible Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant were totally game, with an uncanny knack for comedy that brought Sheila and Joel Hammond to vibrant life, even though one of them was undead. We’re grateful to Victor, Drew, and Timothy, along with fellow executive producers Tracy Katsky, Aaron Kaplan, Chris Miller and Ember Truesdell and the terrific cast, including Liv Hewson and Skyler Gisondo, and crew for three hilarious seasons for Netflix members to discover for years to come.”
“Like our audience, we were all-in on Sheila and Joel. Their relationship, in the face of incredible adversity, was inspiring to write and to watch. Mostly, they were funny, which in a comedy is important. Working with Drew and Tim, along with the immensely talented Liv and Skyler, was a joy and a once in a lifetime experience,” Fresco and exec producer Tracy Katsky said in joint statement. “Netflix took at chance on this odd show and for that we will always be grateful. They were supportive, ever positive, and appreciative of our work. Until about noon today. Still, they were just one phone call away from being a perfect studio. Not bad. Everything ends. This was a thing. And so it ended. We’ll miss it but are proud of the work we did and will always appreciate the love and enthusiasm we felt from our audience. It if was up to them, Sheila and Joel would continue for another 10,000 years.”
“Of all of the characters I’ve ever been, Sheila Hammond is one of my favorites,” added Barrymore. “She and Joel were an amazing couple, who had shared goals. And i am lucky to have worked along side Tim Olyphant. It was an honor to get to do something so delightful. Sheila lives forever in me. And I am grateful to Victor Fresco, who created a world so unique.”
Olyphant commented: “I loved working on this show. I’m going to continue coming in and doing scenes. If they don’t want to film it, that’s up to them.”
“We’re aware that the show gets more expensive every year; we’re aware of what seems like templates of [Netflix’s] studio stuff now. It looks like mostly three-season stuff,” he said in a recent interview with THR. “We know they like the show. I like to say the humans there seem to love the show; I don’t know how the algorithm feels about us, and the algorithm makes a lot of decisions, ultimately.”
Fresco added that he envisioned a five-season arc for the seres, but that they “wanted to leave it hopefully satisfying if we don’t come back but also promising something that could be really interesting to explore”.
Watch: Full trailer for Santa Clarita Diet Season 3
11th March 2019
“I wanna be about more than just eating people, but I also really enjoy eating people.” That’s what a zombie existential crisis sounds like in Santa Clarita Diet. Netflix’s horror comedy romance, starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant, returns for Season 3 this month and the full trailer for its third run promises more bloody laughs than ever.
The series follows Sheila, a realtor married to Joel, who lives a vaguely discontented life in the titular LA suburb. Their domestic existence undergoes a dramatic change, though, when she ends up undead – and hungry for something that isn’t exactly vegetarian.
Season 2 saw the Hammonds trying to adapt to Sheila’s now-advanced state, evolving into one of Netflix’s best original series, balancing giggles and gore with relationship goals.
“At first, you can’t decide if it’s overtly imprudent or inherently inventive, but you soon find yourself not caring. Once you give it the benefit of the doubt, you find yourself enjoying every ridiculous, macabre moment that’s offered up on a platter,” we wrote in our review of Season 2.
Season 3 picks up as the couple face down a new threat from Shalita Grant’s FBI agent Tess Rogers, who is investigating an explosion at a fracking site in the town, not to mention chomp down on local Nazis and raise mutant spiders. And, underneath the sitcom-esque surface, lingers the question: what exactly does it mean to be in a relationship with someone who will live for eternity?
Find out on Friday 29th March, when Santa Clarita Diet Season 3 premieres on Netflix. Here’s the video:
Trailer: Santa Clarita Diet gets March release date
15th February 2019
Netflix is serving up a third portion of its Santa Clarita Diet, and much sooner than you might expect.
The horror rom-com, which stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant, follows Sheila, a realtor married to Joel, who lives a vaguely discontented life in the titular LA suburb. Their domestic existence undergoes a dramatic change, though, when she ends up undead – and hungry for something that isn’t exactly vegetarian.
Season 2 saw the Hammonds trying to adapt to Sheila’s now-advanced state, evolving into one of Netflix’s best original series, balancing laughs and gore with relationship goals.
“At first, you can’t decide if it’s overtly imprudent or inherently inventive, but you soon find yourself not caring. Once you give it the benefit of the doubt, you find yourself enjoying every ridiculous, macabre moment that’s offered up on a platter,” we wrote in our review of Season 2.
A third was ordered shortly after, with NCIS: New Orleans alum Shalita Grant joining the cast as FBI agent Tess Rogers, who is investigating an explosion at a fracking site in the town, and will no doubt increase scrutiny of our lead married couple.
‘Til death? Santa Clarita Diet Season 3 arrives on Netflix on Friday 29th March. Here’s the trauker:
Shalita Grant joins Santa Clarita Diet Season 3
20th August 2018
Shalita Grant has signed up for Netflix’s Santa Clarita Diet, ahead of its third season.
The horror rom-com, which stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant, follows Sheila, a realtor married to Joel, who lives a vaguely discontented life in the titular LA suburb. Their domestic existence undergoes a dramatic change, though, when she ends up undead – and hungry for something that isn’t exactly vegetarian.
Within months of its sophomore debut, the streaming giant ordered another round of the diet, and the show’s makers are wasting no time in expanding the cast accordingly. NCIS: New Orleans alum Grant will play FBI agent Tess Rogers, who is investigating an explosion at a fracking site in the town.
Netflix renews Santa Clarita Diet for Season 3
8th May 2018
Netflix has renewed Santa Clarita Diet for a third season.
The zombie romantic comedy, which stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant, follows Sheila, a realtor married to Joel, who lives a vaguely discontented life in the titular LA suburb. Their domestic existence undergoes a dramatic change, though, when she ends up undead – and hungry for something that isn’t exactly vegetarian.
Season 2 saw the Hammonds trying to adapt to Sheila’s now-advanced state, even though she’s desperately working to hold on to her suburban lifestyle and not be defined as just another monster. Unfortunately, while the family has become markedly better at murder, the number of missing people in Santa Clarita is starting to pile up and it’s no longer going unnoticed…
After an even first season, Season 2 saw Santa Clarita Diet become one of Netflix’s best originals around, offering spills, giggles and (worryingly) relationship goals.
“At first, you can’t decide if it’s overtly imprudent or inherently inventive, but you soon find yourself not caring. Once you give it the benefit of the doubt, you find yourself enjoying every ridiculous, macabre moment that’s offered up on a platter,” we wrote in our review.
The decision follows the news that Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt will end with its upcoming fourth season, as Netflix increasingly tightens its list of programmes that are given renewal orders. With less than two months gone since Season 2’s debut, though, Santa Clarita Diet looks set for several more courses to come.
Did someone say Season 3? pic.twitter.com/qBN0quswHW
— Santa Clarita Diet (@SCDiet) May 8, 2018