Nathan Fillionwouldn’t be the actor he is without his work in the sci-fi genre, butfans shouldn’t overlook his smaller roles.Fillion also lent his talents to thecrime procedural TV showCastle, which relied on his natural chemistry with his co-stars, and this work paved the way for his starring roles in series likeThe Rookie.
However, even in his smaller roles, Fillion gives his all to the project, embodying the tone of the show as he does in his underrated Netflix series. This offbeat TV show features many iconic stars and gave Fillion the opportunity to push himself as a performer, giving audiences a taste of his range.
From his iconic work inFireflyto his recent role asGreen Lantern inSuperman, Fillion is often associated with the sci-fi genre. However,there’s no genre that Fillion hasn’t made his mark on,as his comedic timing is a large part of what makes his roles in more serious works so charismatic.
His Work In Santa Clarita Diet Is Hilariously Morbid
Santa Clarita Dietaired on Netflix from 2017 to 2019 and is one of the most unfairly overlooked horror-comedies on the streaming service.Fillion plays Gary West, a rival real estate agentwho comes up against Shelia (Drew Barrymore) and Joel (Timothy Olyphant). The series follows the pair in the wake of Shelia’s transformation into a zombie.
When Gary pushes the couple too far, he ends up on the wrong side of Shelia’s appetite and becomes an undead head that Shelia and Joel keep around for real estate help. It’s an inherently macabre situation, butSanta Clarita Dietand its cast manage to make even the darkest parts of the story funny.
Drew Barrymore andTimothy Olyphant give hilarious performances inSanta Clarita Diet, which allowed each member of its well-known cast to step out of their comfort zones. Even as a disembodied head, Fillion has fantastic chemistry with Barrymore and Olyphant, with their characters becoming something of an iconic trio on the show.
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Santa Clarita Diet Is One Of Nathan Fillion’s Best Shows (& He Needs To Play More Villains)
Fillion Shines As The Morally Bankrupt Gary, Who Only Gets Better After He Dies
Based on Fillion’s work inSanta Clarita Diet, it’s obvious thatFillion is underutilized as a villain on TV.Even though he isn’t the star of the project,Santa Clarita Dietshowcases all the things audiences and critics love about Fillion as an actor. He gets to be tongue-in-cheek and revel in the moments that make viewers love to hate him.
Buffy The Vampire Slayerfans will remember Fillion’s turn as the villain Caleb in season 7.
Buffy The Vampire Slayerfans will remember Fillion’s turn as the villain Caleb in season 7, and how the actor proved then how well he can balance terrifying villainy with a sharp sense of humor.Santa Clarita Diethas a lot in common with works likeBuffy The Vampire Slayer, as they both juxtapose everyday issues with horror-fantasy elements.
As his career progresses, it will be exciting to see if Fillion takes on more genre work like inSanta Clarita Diet. It looks like there’s no end in sight forThe Rookie, so we knowNathan Fillionwill be back on our screens soon, but he should continue pushing himself in these smaller but no less memorable roles.
