Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Pop TV will no longer be the home of One Day at a Time, which is leading those behind the show to look for a third network to house the family sitcom.
“Much has changed at Viacom in the last year and unfortunately we won’t be on Pop anymore. Thanks to everybody over there for the opportunity to do season 4.And guess what? We’re still trying for season 5. What if #ODAAT was the first show ever on 3 networks?” co-showrunner Mike Royce tweeted Tuesday.
Co-showrunner Gloria Calderón Kellett added, “I’m not sad just yet, y’all. We still have some hope for new homes. Hang tight, my loves. You know that if I go down, I will go down swinging for this show (& cast & crew) I love.”
Mike & I are so touched by the outpouring of love for the show! We’re bummed the news got out early because in a few weeks our fate will be sealed either way. And we weren’t so much cancelled as the result of a business shift. I hate the up and back for y’all. Hang in there!
— Gloria Calderón Kellett (@everythingloria) November 25, 2020
Sadly, One Day at a Time had its revived fourth season cut short by the coronavirus pandemic. According to the article, this is because Pop is moving away from expensive scripted content, and apparently, they can’t go to any other streamer due to issues with Netflix.
One Day at a Time has had a frustratingly difficult journey in the streaming world, which undermines what an exceptionally good sitcom it is. Does it have some issues? Of course, but they are similar issues to every major sitcom that is trying to manage being “woke” and having comedic elements. When I think about One Day at a Time, it feels like it fits in perfectly between black-ish and Fresh off the Boat. Those shows always use current-ish internet speak and deal with what is happening in the present day.
Plus, sitcoms are built to handle these topics. I mean, did we forget how shows like All in the Family dealt with social issues? Abortion, homosexuality, etc. were all things that got tackled in the sitcoms of our parents’ era. I think it is held more sharply against One Day at a Time simply because Latinx issues are so broad, and I think the discourse around the way it discusses the military is important. Still, on a landscape where there are so few Latinx-led shows, I’d rather the show be challenged to explore these things inside the writer’s room than just cancel it.
There is so much there still needing to be explored, especially Afro-Latinx representation and history, and I hope that if the show finds a new home, it’ll be able to develop even more. It has the potential.
(via THR, image: Pop TV)
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