Daybreak: Season 1 – Netflix Series Review

DAYBREAK is a new horror-comedy series on Netflix. It’s Ferris Bueller’s Day Off meets Mad Max meets Zombieland. In other words, it’s pretty awesome. Season 1 is out now and features 10 episodes. Read more about the new Netflix series in our season 1 Daybreak review here!

DAYBREAK Season 1 out on Netflix now and you definitely want to check it out if you like horror-comedy.

The new 10-episode horror-comedy series on Netflix, based on a graphic novel by Brian Ralph, is full of popculture references. And while it is pretty damn funny, it does also have some darker moments. And a whole lot of WTF?! moments.

Especially one scene in episode 2 of Daybreak should make you sit up and pay attention. Continue reading our season 1 review of Daybreak below!

The perfect popculture hybrid

To describe Daybreak real quick, you could say that it’s like a live action version of The Last Kid on Earth. Of course, the humor is darker and the kids are older, but otherwise it works damn well. You can watch this animated production on Netflix now and read our review of The Last Kids on Earth here >

But really, you should use some iconic movies instead. By doing this, you could describe the Netflix series Daybreak as a horror-comedy version of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off with the gritty post-apocalyptic elements of Mad Max and the wonderfully crude and dark humor of Zombieland.

For the record, the word zombie isn’t really used in Daybreak. Even though everyone over the age of 18 years old have turned into weird creatures that crave blood in a zombie-like manor, they are called “Ghoulies”. These Ghoulies do act quite differently from zombies in many ways. I mean, they do sound like normal people at first.

However, The Walking Dead is referenced by episode 2 in the most perfect way!

Also, while this is a post-apocalyptic world with zombie-like creatures, the apocalypse wasn’t due to any virus that turned adults into “Ghoulies”. No, it happened because someone who loves tweeting couldn’t help himself from launching a nuclear bomb. That’s the brief explanation given in episode 1 of Daybreak anyway.

The cast of Daybreak Season 1

Colin Ford is the absolute star of the Netflix series Daybreak as Josh Wheeler. He’s both the narator and the main protagonist, so you’ll get to experience this post-apocalytic world with his character, Josh. You’ll probably recognize Colin Ford from the Stephen King series Under the Dome or the horror-thriller Family Blood (2018).

Don’t miss: Our review of Family Blood starring Colin Ford >

Also, I have to mention Matthew Broderick, who’s part of the Daybreak cast as “Burr”. Basically, this new Netflix series is like a post-apocalyptic version of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986). This movie is synonomous with Matthew Broderick, since he played the title role.

In Daybreak, he plays the principal of Glendale High School (oh yes, the story takes place in Glendale, California). Meanwhile, Colin Ford’s Josh is basically the new Ferris Bueller. So many deliciously obvious references are made to the iconic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off that it feels like a zombie version of the 1980s movie. Which I love! 

It’s like two of my favorite movie niches in our Netflix series.

Speaking of references, the girl Josh is looking for is called “Sam Dean”. Not Winchester, but maybe a reference to this will come along as well. You never know!

Watch Daybreak on Netflix now!

The new Netflix horror-comedy series was created by Aron Eli Coleite and Brad Peyton. Aron Eli Coleite previously worked on the original run of the Heroes series (2006-2009) along with several other productions since then. Brad Peyton created the animated action-adventure series Dr. Dimensionpants. However, most will probably know him as a director.

Brad Peyton directed the Dwayne Johnson movies San Andreas and Rampage Out of Control. Many horror fans may be more familiar with his name due to him directing the horror movie Incarnate from 2016.

Brad Peyton also directed episodes of Daybreak as did several other directors. Including Kate Herron who directed several episodes of the brilliant Netflix series Sex Education and will be directing the Marvel Studios series Loki (coming in 2021). Another director on Daybreak is Michael Patrick Jann. He previously directed the comedy-thriller Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999).

The apocalyptic plot in Daybreak is obviously more light and fun than anything you might have seen in Heroes or any movie by Peyton. However, for fans of horror-comedy, this new Netflix series should hit the sweet spot in many ways. Especially because fans of genre movies and TV series should get pretty much every single reference!

Daybreak Season 1 is available on Netflix in all countries from October 24, 2019.

Details

Creators: Aron Eli Coleite, Brad Peyton, Jeff Fierson
Stars: Matthew Broderick, Colin Ford, Krysta Rodriguez, Austin Crute, Sophie Simnett, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Cody Kearsley, Jeanté Godlock, Gregory Kasyan

Plot

Living his best life in post-apocalyptic LA, a slacker strives to find the girl of his dreams while outwitting mindless ghouls and cliquish gangs.