Modesto’s Timothy Olyphant has insatiable appetite for laughs in cannibalistic comedy

Timothy Olyphant is used to carrying a badge and a gun for his TV roles.

In fact, his new Netflix series “Santa Clarita Diet” is his first starring role on television where he doesn’t play a lawman. Instead his next role is filled with unlawful, and rather unappetizing, behavior – which gets played for big laughs. And the Beyer High School graduate couldn’t be happier about it.

In a recent interview on the “Today” show, the Modesto-raised actor called his half-hour comedy series alongside Drew Barrymore “a ton of fun.” On the show, which will be released Friday, Feb. 3, the actors play a married suburban couple living in an idyllic neighborhood outside of Los Angeles.

But the two real estate agents’ routine lives get upended when Barrymore’s character, Sheila, dies and then returns unchanged except for her unusual appetite. While the show skirts around outright calling her a “zombie,” Sheila is decidedly undead and has an insatiable craving for flesh.

But unlike its TV zombie genre counterparts, like the gritty apocalyptic “The Walking Dead” or more comedic police procedurals “iZOmbie,” “Santa Clarita Diet” is an unusual take on domestic life. The show is equal parts suburban satire and couples comedy – with more blood, guts and dismembered body parts.

“There’s just the right amount of gore,” Olyphant told “Today” about the show’s horror premise.

Olyphant, who’s spent three seasons as Seth Bullock on the HBO Western “Deadwood” and six seasons as as Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens on the FX series “Justified,” gets to show off a side not as many of his TV fans have seen before – his comic timing. The actor, whose film roles have ranged from “Scream 2” to “Live Free or Die Hard,” has made a name for himself on critically acclaimed television dramas. He earned an Emmy nomination for “Justified” and Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for “Deadwood.”

Still he has shown glimpses of his lighter side, with guest spots on everything from “My Name Is Earl” to “The Mindy Project” and the short-lived Rob Lowe series “The Grinder.”

Olyphant’s mother, Modesto resident Katherine Wright, went down to the show’s Southern California set to watch taping of the series last fall. She said that while the show’s more macabre premise may not be for everyone, she hopes people enjoy seeing his comedic skills.

“I love it. He really has a wonderful sense of humor. He is really funny,” Wright said. “He is just really enjoying it, and they had a great time doing it.”

Olyphant’s Joel goes from complaining about a shoddy toaster oven to shoving a dead body into a meat freezer. As a mild-manned, pot-smoking Realtor, his Joel is determined to keep his family together and keep their “little family secret” from getting out.

The series has so far garnered largely positive reviews. The Hollywood Reporter praised the “fine chemistry between Barrymore and Olyphant,” and Variety praises the actors’ “deadpan brilliance.”

Olyphant and Barrymore also serve as producers on the Netflix series, which Wright said gives him more input and ownership to the stories.

“He likes that very much; it’s more satisfying to feel more like you have a part and a say and can steer the ship a little bit,” Wright said.

As with all Netflix original series, “Santa Clarita Diet” will premiere all of its 10-episode first season at once. The network has become known for its high-quality drama and comedic work, from “House of Cards” to “Orange Is the New Black” and last year’s breakout “Stranger Things.”

The series gives plenty of screen time to Olyphant and Barrymore, and the changing – though surprisingly not all negative – effects of her new dietary needs.

“The show ends with a bit of a cliffhanger. It starts at crazy, and it ends at just more crazy,” Olyphant told Entertainment Weekly. He added that the series is “designed to continue.”

This story was originally published February 1, 2017 at 10:50 AM with the headline "Modesto’s Timothy Olyphant has insatiable appetite for laughs in cannibalistic comedy."