7 years ago, Netflix released the third and final season of one of its quirkiest, most unexpected original series. It's a dark zombie comedy that mixes suburban life, horror, and sharp humor in a way that few shows have ever attempted. Who remembers Santa Clarita Diet?
Yes, we're talking about the series that starred Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as Sheila and Joel Hammond, a married real estate couple living in sunny Santa Clarita, California. After Sheila unexpectedly becomes undead, they find their ordinary, predictable suburban lives upended.
March 29 marks 7 years since Santa Clarita Diet ended on Netflix
Created by Victor Fresco, Santa Clarita Diet is unlike traditional zombie stories that focus on apocalyptic chaos and survival. Instead, it takes a very different approach. Sheila’s transformation brought with it a ravenous craving for human flesh, yet she retained her identity as a wife and mother. Joel’s response to Sheila's new reality was priceless. He didn't run away, nor did he freak out. Well, maybe just a little. However, he quickly doubled down on keeping their life together while helping Sheila manage her, let’s say, unconventional new diet.
Their daughter Abby (Liv Hewson), navigating teenage drama and romance, gets roped into the chaos, and the neighborhood friend Eric (Skyler Gisondo) becomes the reluctant sidekick who somehow has to help keep the family’s secret intact.
Besides Barrymore, Olyphant, Hewson, and Gisondo, the cast included Ricardo Chavira, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Andy Richter, Richard T. Jones, Joy Osmanski, Kaylee Bryant, Nathan Fillion, Natalie Morales, and many others.
What set Santa Clarita Diet apart from so many other zombie or horror series was how effortlessly it mixed the ridiculous with the heartfelt. Sure, there were moments of gruesome carnage, shocking surprises, and over-the-top absurdity. But underneath all of that was a story about family, loyalty, and the lengths people will go to protect those they love. Joel and Sheila’s marriage, in particular, became the heart of the series.
Watching them navigate these extreme circumstances together, with Barrymore and Olyphant’s impeccable chemistry carrying every scene, made the absurd premise feel grounded and relatable. Meanwhile, Abby’s struggles as a typical teenager living with an undead mother added both humor and unexpected emotional weight. And we can't forget Eric’s involvement, which often provided comic relief.
By the time the third season premiered, the show had established a loyal cult following. Fans had come to expect a mix of dark humor, inventive storylines, and shocking yet hilarious moments of zombie gore. Santa Clarita Diet season 3 opened doors to new antagonists, including a mysterious zombie-hunting cult, and explored deeper questions about life, death, and morality in the context of undeath. The family’s adventures ranged from Joel infiltrating a secret society to protect Sheila, to Abby grappling with her feelings for Eric, to Sheila herself questioning the meaning of her new life.
Each episode delivered what fans had grown to love, with the series’ writers finding new ways to escalate the absurdity without losing the emotional core of the story. Critics even responded positively, praising the show’s bold approach and the leads’ performances. The third season overall received high ratings on Rotten Tomatoes.
Yet, despite the acclaim, Netflix announced just a couple of weeks after the third season premiered that the series would not continue. Fans were left disappointed. The decision to cancel was attributed to many factors, but it ultimately came down to not enough viewers for Netflix to consider it financially viable to continue.
Many fans expressed frustration on social media and fan forums, pointing out that the show ended with a big cliffhanger that begged for more episodes. But Netflix never came back and reversed the decision, leaving the show’s story unfinished and fans clamoring for answers.
Seven years later, Santa Clarita Diet continues to hold a special place in fans’ hearts. The show proved that zombie stories could be more than grim survival dramas. They could be clever, emotionally resonant, and laugh-out-loud funny, all at the same time. To celebrate this anniversary, we strongly recommend starting a rewatch session of the entire Santa Clarita Diet series. That's definitely what we'll be doing!
All three seasons of Santa Clarita Diet are available to stream on Netflix.