“One Day at a Time” fans rejoice! Netflix cancelled the critically acclaimed sitcom earlier this year in a move that angered online fans, especially Latinx fans (like me) who don’t get to see themselves or their families depicted on screen very often. But now, a few months later, comes news that the show has gotten a new lease on life from Pop TV, the cable network that currently airs another acclaimed laffer, “Schitt’s Creek.”
“How amazing it is to be involved with this brilliant and culturally significant series that deals with important themes one minute while making you laugh the next,” said Pop TV president Brad Schwartz in a statement. “If ‘Schitt’s Creek’ has taught us anything, it’s that love and kindness always wins. Pop is now the home to two of the most critically praised and fan-adored comedies in all of television, bringing even more premium content to basic cable. We couldn’t be more proud to continue telling heartwarming stories of love, inclusion, acceptance and diversity that pull on your emotions while putting a smile on your face.”
“One Day” executive producer Norman Lear added, “Three months ago, I was heartbroken with the news of our beloved ‘One Day At A Time’s’ cancellation. Today, I’m overwhelmed with joy to know the Alvarez family will live on. Thank you to my producing partner, Brent Miller, our incredibly talented co-showrunners, Mike Royce and Gloria Calderon Kellett, and of course, Sony, for never once giving up on the show, our actors or the possibility that a cable network could finally save a cancelled series that originated on a streaming service. And one last thank you to, Pop, for having the guts to be that first cable network. Even this I get to experience — at 96.”
And showrunners Royce and Calderon Kellett said, “We are thrilled beyond belief to be making more ‘One Day At A Time.’ This show has meant so much to so many, and we can’t wait to dive in with our amazing new partners Pop and CBS. And we’d especially like to thank all of the fans for their undying support, helping us turn #SaveODAAT into #MoreODAAT.”
When Netflix made its decision to end the show after its third season in March the streaming service said, “The choice did not come easily — we spent several weeks trying to find a way to make another season work but in the end simply not enough people watched to justify another season.” That didn’t sit well with fans and some journalists, partly because of the show’s acclaim and strong representation for an underrepresented group, but also because Netflix is so notoriously hush-hush about its viewership numbers, so we just had to take their word for it about how many people watched the show in relation to how much it cost to make.
It’s unusual for a streaming series to move to a TV network (usually it’s the other way around, as with “The Killing,” “Veronica Mars,” “Designated Survivor” and so on). Under the agreement “One Day” will air exclusively on Pop TV in 2020, followed by a later rebroadcast of the season on Pop’s parent network CBS. I’d happily watch the show on any screen they can get it on. I thought for sure the show was down for the count. I’m relieved that the show has answered back, “Not yet, mi vida.”
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