Introduction
Santa Clarita Diet was a horror-comedy television series released by Netflix in 2017. The show starred Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as Joel and Sheila Hammond, a married couple who lived in the suburban town of Santa Clarita, California. When Sheila mysteriously turns into a zombie, the couple must learn how to balance their mundane lives with her new undead lifestyle.
The series was well-received by viewers and critics alike, earning 8.3/10 on IMDb and an approval rating of 79% from Rotten Tomatoes. Despite its popularity, Netflix announced that the series would not be renewed for a fourth season in April 2019.
This article will explore why Santa Clarita Diet was cancelled by examining the show’s ratings, production costs, creative differences between producers and Netflix, promotion tactics, critics’ reception, and performance compared to other Netflix series.
Analyzing the Ratings and Viewership of Santa Clarita Diet
Santa Clarita Diet was generally well-received by viewers and critics alike. According to the streaming service Parrot Analytics, the series had an average demand expression score of 5.46 million at the time of its cancellation, which is higher than the average demand expression score of 4.8 million for all Netflix Originals.
However, the show’s viewership numbers were lower in its third season than its first two seasons. According to Nielsen ratings, the first episode of season three was viewed by 2.6 million people, a stark decrease from the first episode of season two, which had 4.3 million viewers.
This decline in viewership may have been a factor in Netflix’s decision to cancel the series. As Joe Lewis, head of comedy and drama at Netflix, said, “We are grateful to creator Victor Fresco for bringing us this imaginative series — and these fantastic characters — and we’re thankful to the fans for their support over the past three seasons.”
Examining the Production Costs of Santa Clarita Diet
In addition to declining viewership, the production costs of Santa Clarita Diet may have also been a factor in its cancellation. According to Variety, the show had an estimated budget of around $3 million per episode in its third season.
This is a significant increase from the budget of the first season, which was estimated to be around $1.5 million per episode. This increase in production costs may have been too much for Netflix to justify continuing the series.
To put the show’s production costs in perspective, it is worth noting that the average production cost for a Netflix Original is around $4.5 million per episode. Therefore, despite the increase in budget for its third season, Santa Clarita Diet was still below the industry standard.
Exploring the Creative Differences Between the Producers and Netflix
Another possible reason for the cancellation of Santa Clarita Diet was the creative differences between the show’s producers and Netflix. According to Deadline, there were disagreements between the show’s creators and Netflix about the direction of the series.
Victor Fresco, the show’s creator, reportedly wanted to take the series in a more serialized direction, while Netflix wanted to keep it as a half-hour comedy. These creative differences may have played a role in Netflix’s decision to cancel the series.
Discussing the Impact of the Show’s Cancellation on Fans
The cancellation of Santa Clarita Diet was met with disappointment from fans of the show. Many took to social media to express their sadness over the news and to share their favorite moments from the series.
Many fans were particularly disappointed by the fact that the show ended on a cliffhanger, leaving the fate of its characters unresolved. As one fan noted on Twitter, “It’s so sad that #SantaClaritaDiet was cancelled. I was looking forward to finding out what happened next.”
Investigating the Reasons Behind Poor Promotion of the Series
The poor promotion of Santa Clarita Diet may have also contributed to its low viewership numbers and eventual cancellation. Despite the fact that the show was highly praised by critics and viewers, Netflix did little to promote it.
The show was rarely featured in Netflix’s promotional campaigns and received very little press coverage. This lack of promotion likely led to fewer viewers tuning in for the show’s third season.
Assessing the Reception of Santa Clarita Diet by Critics
Santa Clarita Diet was generally well-received by critics. The show earned an approval rating of 79% from Rotten Tomatoes and 8.3/10 on IMDb. Critics praised the show’s unique blend of comedy and horror, as well as the performances of its leads.
Despite its critical acclaim, the show’s ratings were still low enough for Netflix to decide not to renew it for a fourth season. This may be due to the show’s niche appeal or the fact that it wasn’t heavily promoted.
Evaluating the Show’s Performance Compared to Other Netflix Series
When compared to other Netflix Originals, Santa Clarita Diet performed relatively well. According to Parrot Analytics, the show had an average demand expression score of 5.46 million, which is higher than the average demand expression score of 4.8 million for all Netflix Originals.
Furthermore, the show had an average viewership of 2.6 million for its third season, which is comparable to the viewership of other popular Netflix Originals such as Stranger Things and Ozark.
Conclusion
Santa Clarita Diet was a critically acclaimed series that was beloved by fans. However, its cancellation by Netflix suggests that the show’s ratings and production costs, as well as creative differences between producers and Netflix, played a role in its demise.
The show’s poor promotion, critics’ reception, and performance compared to other Netflix Originals may have also contributed to its cancellation. Ultimately, the cancellation of Santa Clarita Diet was a disappointment to fans of the show.
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