Over the last couple of years, Netflix has started putting out original content for its platform. The company recently announced that they were looking to expand the budget for production, which would allow them to produce more shows and movies than they have already done. This makes sense; a lot of their original content has left audience members wanting second seasons and sequels the moment they finish a binge watch. However, not all of their original content is as enthralling as the larger projects.

“Santa Clarita Diet,” a comedy series following a real estate agent couple after one of them develops a craving for human flesh, premiered earlier this year; the show lacks the depth Netflix usually delivers with their scripts.

While the series does have veteran Drew Barrymore as one of its top billed cast members, her performance throughout is lackluster. Her character development is shaky and unfinished, while it does not seem evident that she fully believes she is the part.   

The zombie trope has been played out for almost the past century, with movies like “World War Z”beating it to death. “Santa Clarita Diet”  leaves the audience wondering whether or not the actors have the ability to give a performance that would allow the viewer to have a willing suspension of disbelief. Many of the actors’ choices lead to unnatural scenes that are almost too uncomfortable to watch. The actors interact with one another as if the first day of filming was the first day that they had ever held a conversation.

The story created many jumps throughout the episode. One second the couple is selling a house and the next Barrymore is vomiting profusely onto the floor—a scene not designed for those with a weak stomach. The couple somehow then ends up burying the body of one of their competing realtors. All of these jumps happened within the first episode, creating plot holes for certain critical moments.

While the show was still easy to follow, many of the situations that the characters found themselves in had a small likelihood of happening from the previous sequence of events that the show had set up. The remote couldn’t be grabbed fast enough after the ending of the first episode to make sure that auto play wouldn’t force the next episode upon the television set.

While there are occasional funny moments that appear through the show, many of these jokes are delivered by the ensemble cast that do not appear on the screen for more than a scene or two. With the second season being green lit, the cast members have tons of work to do before the show can be considered anything of substance.