Andrew P. Weston

The Clue Is In The Title

I’ve spent rather an entertaining week – courtesy of Netflix – watching one of the most enjoyable series I’ve seen in a long time.

The show? The Santa Clarita Diet.

Now, I’m never one to give the plot of a film or series away, so I’ll promise not to do that, but you know you’re onto a winner with this little gem from the start.

Imagine the scenario:  Husband and wife realtors Joel and Sheila (Timothy Olyphant & Drew Barrymore) are stuck in a humdrum middle of the road existence. Living in a suburban street sandwiched between a sheriff on one side and a cop on the other, they’re nothing out of the ordinary and something of a boring couple.
The first sign that something’s amiss is when Sheila complains she’s not feeling too good. Later that day, they’re showing a couple around a house, and, when they get to the plushy carpeted bedroom and bathroom area, Sheila commences to add a wall to wall veneer to the thoughtfully laid out décor by projectile vomiting.

Professional to a tee, Joel ushers the shocked prospective customers downstairs where he tries vainly to portray the benefits of the kitchen to the background and somewhat echoing accompaniment of his wife’s gastric misadventure upstairs. (She literally brings up the contents of her stomach...internal organs an all).

Thus begins a gory, nose turning, dry humored adventure where Joel and Sheila have to come to terms with a drastic change, and what that entails.

Though we’re not told directly what that change is, the clue is in the title:

The Santa Clarita Diet.

Clue - Sheila need 100% fresh meat off the bone. Preferably while it’s still alive.

Awesome fun. Don’t forget the cop and sheriff neighbors. Adding to the mix is Liv, their dry teenage daughter and Eric, her next-door shadow who worships the ground she walks on and who just so happens to be geeky enough to help out.

I’ve got to say, I absolutely loved it. Lots of twists and turns, close to the knuckle laughs, last second surprises and most of all...unashamedly gory.

The interaction between the main characters is top notch and I wished this was one of those 20 episode series you get from time to time.

An 5 star comedy gore-fest....and roll on series 2.