Horror comedies walk a tightrope between scares and laughs, and the best ones—like Ash vs Evil Dead or What We Do in the Shadows—make you chuckle at things you probably shouldn't. In 2017, Netflix threw its hat in the ring with Santa Clarita Diet, a show that took the zombie genre and turned it on its head. Starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant, it was a breath of fresh air in a crowded field. Now, seven years after its abrupt cancellation, this series is more than worthy of a comeback.
A Zombie Story Like No Other
The premise is deceptively simple: suburban mom Sheila (Barrymore) becomes a zombie. But not in the usual way—no bites, no virus, no shambling horde. Instead, she gets sick after eating some bad Serbian clams and starts projectile vomiting, much to the horror of her husband Joel (Olyphant) during a real estate open house. After a frustrating trip to the ER (a sly jab at healthcare), they head home, where Sheila seems fine—except for a missing heartbeat and a newfound, insatiable appetite.
Enter Eric (Skyler Gisondo), the know-it-all teen next door, who identifies Sheila's condition. She's a zombie, but not the decaying kind—she's the peppiest, most cheerful undead you'll ever meet. The comedy comes from the contrast: Sheila tries to live a normal life while secretly craving human flesh, and Joel treats her condition like a manageable quirk rather than a catastrophe. Together, with daughter Abby (Liv Hewson) and Eric, they dispose of bodies and hunt down "bad people" for Sheila to eat, all while maintaining the facade of a perfect suburban family.
Barrymore brings a wicked innocence to the role, while Olyphant showcases his comedic chops in a rare departure from his usual tough-guy parts. The show also features absurd cameos, like Nathan Fillion, and buckets of blood. It's three seasons of horror-comedy perfection that never got the recognition it deserved.
Why It Deserves a Second Chance
But was three seasons enough? The series ended on a cliffhanger that saw Mr. Ball-Legs (you have to watch to understand) crawl into Joel's ear, forcing Sheila to bite him to save his life—turning him into the undead. This set up a potential fourth season exploring their life as an immortal couple, but Netflix pulled the plug. The show had already expanded its world with the Knights of Serbia, a medieval secret society, but it never lost its suburban charm.
Bringing Santa Clarita Diet back would offer fresh storytelling opportunities. How have Joel and Sheila fared as a zombie couple? Is there a cure? The possibilities are endless. Plus, there's a delicious irony in resurrecting a show about the undead. In an era where streaming platforms are reviving beloved series, this one deserves a second chance. If you haven't seen it, now's the time to catch up—and maybe, just maybe, Netflix will listen to the fans.
For more underrated gems, check out this sitcom gem or this fantasy epic that also deserve your attention.
