The Alvarez family has found a new home! As reported by Vulture, One Day at a Time has been renewed for Season 4 by Pop TV, three months after being canceled by Netflix. The cable channel has ordered 13 episodes that are set to premiere in 2020. And best of all, the entire cast is returning, including Justina Machado, Rita Moreno, Isabella Gomez, Marcel Ruiz, Todd Grinnell, and Stephen Tobolowsky.
Due to Netflix's licencing terms that prohibited the show from being sold to a streaming competitor for several years, it seemed unlikely that One Day at a Time would find a new home. However, Sony Television, the production company behind the comedy, didn't give up, which led to them striking a deal with Pop TV, a channel that's best known as the home of Schitt's Creek. Per Vulture, the first three seasons of the show will remain on Netflix, but Pop will be airing those seasons on cable prior to the premiere of Season 4. That means you'll be able to catch up on (or rewatch) the show even if you don't have Netflix.
In even better news for this scrappy comedy about a Cuban-American family, the deal also stipulates that Pop's parent company, CBS, will air Season 4 at some point in 2020 after its cable run concludes, which could introduce the series to an entirely new audience. All in all, things are definitely looking up for the Alvarez family, and the the show's cast, crew, and fans couldn't be happier about the surprise renewal.
In a statement to Vulture, the show's iconic executive producer Norman Lear said, "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 Calderón 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."
Due to the amount of time that passed between the show's cancellation and eventual renewal, some of the writers have moved on to other projects. Despite this, co-showrunner Kellett told Vulture, "We're sad, but we're also excited that they're being lifted up. And Mike and I have already been reading a bunch of great writers, some really exciting people. So we'll have some original staff and some fresh talent that we can show the ropes."
Overall, the series is expected to look and feel the same as it did on Netflix, which is excellent news. One Day at a Time is known for tackling issues like immigration, sexuality, and PTSD with a level of care and humor that's needed in the television landscape. Now that it's transitioning to cable, the comedy will have to include act breaks for commercials, but beyond that, the Alvarez family will be as bold as they've ever been. And no one is happier about that than the show's vocal fan base that fought so hard for Season 4.
One of those vocal fans happens to be Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. Shortly after the renewal was announced, he tweeted, "NOW IT CAN BE TOLD!@everythingloria texted me the good news last week and I was so excited I FaceTimed her MID-SHAPEUP#ODAATSAVED." Another fan, @TaylorCamacho4, wrote, "ONE DAY AT A TIME GOT RENEWED FOR ANOTHER SEASON IM CRYING IT REALLY IS THE BEST FAMILY SHOW EVER MADE #ODAATSAVED." Another Twitter user, @AwkwardHolland, added, "YES! NO SURPRISE THAT @PopTV, WHO GAVE US "SCHITT'S CREEK", WOULD PICK UP AN EQUALLY QUEER AND PROGRESSIVE SHOW LIKE "ONE DAY AT A TIME" AND NO MY CAPS LOCK ISN'T ACCIDENTALLY ON, I AM SCREAMING ALL OF THIS."
It's safe to say that she show's fandom is feeling the love today, and in just a few short months, they'll be able to see what's next for the beloved Alvarez family, because it looks like their story is just getting started.
