In Netflix's 'Santa Clarita Diet,' Drew Barrymore is a Cool Mom - and a Dead Mom

"Santa Clarita Diet," which debuts on Netflix this Friday, is the kind of show that could only exist in 2017. In this time of Peak TV, an era where the most absurd program gets green lit, it's not all that shocking a comedy-horror series starring an A-list actress pops up on the daring streaming service.

In the first few moments of "Santa Clarita Diet," Drew Barrymore's Shelia, a mild mannered real estate agent married to Joel (Timothy Olyphant), the equally boring other half of her realty team, has a sudden vomiting meltdown, giving Linda Blair's Regan MacNeil from "The Exorcist" a run for her money.

After puking a fleshy ball, Shelia realizes something is off -- she has no pulse and instead of bleeding, she oozes dark goo. It doesn't take long for Shelia and Joel to figure out she now has more in common with "The Walking Dead" than "The Real Housewives."

With being undead, Sheila also sheds her personality: She's no longer concerned about her 9-to-5 job or being a conscientious mother and wife. As a zombie, she's a sex-craved-foul-mouthed woman who has an unquenchable thirst for human flesh; she gives no fucks and does what she wants, when she wants it.

But her Southern California holistic thinking remains intact. To satisfy her desire to eat people, Sheila and her nervous nelly husband set out to kill people who "deserve it." After the couple murders people they deem "bad," the victims' bodies are stored in a freezer located inside a storage unit. Shelia then tosses chunks of meat into a blender to make a yummy human smoothie -- good at home or on the go!

With a whacky and gross premise, the camp "Santa Clarita Diet," created by Victor Fresco ("Better Off Ted," "Andy Richter Controls the Universe") is not for everyone. If the guts and the gore don't both you then you're mileage for the comedy-horror will depend on how much you stan for Barrymore, who is charming throughout the 10 half-hour episodes that make up the first season. For those who ride-or-die for the actress, "Santa Clarita Diet" will be an enjoyable romp where they can watch the otherwise harmless Barrymore swear up a storm before biting off a finger with little remorse. Those who don't enjoy her body of work will probably want to bail on the show early.

But even if you're the president of the Barrymore fan club, "Santa Clarita Diet" will leave you wanting more -- unlike Shelia chowing down on a delicious foot, you won't feel fully satisfied. The series is slight, rarely exploring its deeper themes of what it means to lead a fulfilling life, embracing what makes us different, and being your true and authentic self. These bright moments of human spirit come few and far between as "Santa Clarita Diet" is more concerned about a limp plot that doesn't get fully resolved by the end of its first season.

"Santa Clarita Diet" does get a few things right, however. Its exploration on the way in which families come together during times of unexpected change is heartwarming, especially in this cynical era of TV. It's critique on suburban culture, with the use of outlandish horror tropes, proves to be the show's most interesting satirical commentary.

The best parts of "Santa Clarita Diet" are boosted by its wonderful cast. It's a blast watching Barrymore, who genuinely looks like she's having a good time, chewing up the scenery. Olyphant is committed to the role as a husband who is determined to keep his family together as he watches his wife literally deteriorate. He's vibrant and electric, wonderfully balancing out Barrymore, who is often dialed back.

Shelia and Joel's daughter Abby is played by Liv Hewso, who makes her character into a cool and cautious rebel. Early on in the series, Abby befriends her nerdy, paranormal expert neighbor Eric (Skyler Gisondo), who becomes a pivotal person in helping the Hammond family adjust to Shelia's undead lifestyle.

There's also a rotating crop of whacky neighbors, including two cops: A hard-boiled, no-nonsense officer Dan, played by Ricardo Antonio Chavira ("Desperate Houswives"), and easy-going good cop, Rick, played by Richard T. Jones ("American Horror Story: Hotel"). Dan's wife/Eric's mother played by Mary Elizabeth Ellis ("It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia") is a suburban cougar who delivers some of the show's best one-liners and has excellent chemistry with Barrymore.

If nothing else, "Santa Clarita Diet" has a compelling energy and charisma that is conducive to Netflix's stay-home-all-weekend-and-binge model. With a plot that reveals itself like a whacky 80s summer blockbuster, over the course of a total five hours, "Santa Clarita Diet" is best when it comes to its gross-out gags. If Barrymore barfing up an entire week's worth of food tickled you and didn't send you running for the remote, then the rest of the series' bawdy body humor -- from Barrymore slurping on a human shake to the couple hiding dismembered bodies -- will probably be up your alley. "Santa Clarita Diet" might not hit all of its marks but it's an easy watch and a delicious binge-worthy snack.