The California real estate market is notoriously cutthroat, but Drew Barrymore seems to take that much too literally in the upcoming Netflix series Santa Clarita Diet, a ghoulish 13-episode, single-camera horror comedy bowing this February. A full trailer is now available. Created by Victor Fresco (of Better Off Ted and Andy Richter Controls The Universe), the show casts Barrymore as a married realtor and suburban mom who undergoes a strange supernatural transformation seemingly overnight. Her heart no longer beats, and she has insatiable cravings for human flesh and blood. Is she a zombie? Well, the members of her family aren’t exactly comfortable with that term. Timothy Olyphant costars as her remarkably supportive husband, who helps her pick out potential victims and dispose of the messy remains. Set to Cake’s remake of “I Will Survive,” the trailer shows that Santa Clarita Diet will not skimp on the gore, viscera, and vomit. Indeed, the very first scene has Olyphant and Barrymore (both of whom serve as producers) soaked in blood.
There are multiple reasons for optimism here. Besides Fresco’s own resume, the show boasts an impressive cast. Dependable performers like Mary Elizabeth Ellis and Nathan Fillion have recurring roles, and the trailer includes glimpses of guest stars like Patton Oswalt and Thomas Lennon. The show’s dark heart certainly seems to be in the right place, skewering SoCal shallowness along with the tropes of the zombie subgenre. Olyphant is a long way from Justified here, but he looks like he’s having fun. And there’s something almost subversive about seeing America’s sweetheart Barrymore casually gnawing on a human arm. Viewers will have a chance to judge for themselves when all 13 episodes debut on February 3, 2017.