The Netflix dark comedy Santa Clarita Diet does a fantastic job of creating a universe for its ensemble of over-the-top characters to run around in. The series follows the Hammond family, Sheila, (Drew Barrymore) Joel, (Timothy Olyphant) and their daughter Abby (Liv Hewson) as they try to find out what exactly is going on with Sheila, after all the first episode ends with her killing and eating Gary (Nathan Fillon) something no viewer saw coming.

But the show is much more than just the Hammond’s trying to figure out what is going on with the matriarch of the household while trying to hide it from everyone else. Throughout the released two seasons we see the Hammond house almost torn apart by Sheila’s cannibalistic urges numerous times, and yet the family always comes back stronger than ever. This is mostly due to the love the family has for each other, Sheila and Joel are not your typical TV couple who secretly hate each other, which given that Sheila literally eats people would be completely understandable. Their love for each other, and especially their love for Abby makes their twisted situation work.

These strong bonds are created by the quick and clever dialogue found throughout the series, after all in a show about a Santa Clarita mother becoming the undead, you have to take a step back and laugh at the situation, even after some of the more gruesome scenes. It’s through this uniquely balanced series cocktail that the strengths of the show cement it as one of the most out there, yet thoughtfully written shows to date. Although it’s not the only show in the ‘undead’ genre (The Walking Dead, iZombie, etc) it does take a unique approach to the typically horror focused genre, similarly to cult classic Shaun of the Dead. The craziness of the situation mixed with the character’s responses make the series one of the funniest and thought provoking shows ‘on air’ (Sidenote: Can you call streaming shows ‘on air?’). With each new crazy plotline stacked up against them audiences have to wonder, what I would do if my mother started acting like Sheila? Would we be like Abby and Joel and immediately trying to figure out the best ways of going about it, including rewriting our personal morals? Would we lock her up in the basement like Sheila does to herself in season 2? Or would we immediately alert the authorities?

Hopefully we will never have to answer that hypothetical situation and in the meantime we can enjoy watching the Hammond’s and their friends try to navigate the insane world that is your mother turning into the undead.