‘One Day At A Time’ May Be Saved By CBS All Access, But Hurdles Remain
The beloved TV series One Day at a Time was cancelled by Netflix in mid-March after three seasons, in news that disappointed a fan base that was passionate about the series. In the weeks since, a social media campaign has pushed for a new home for the series, with the creative team behind the show pushing for another network or streaming service to pick it up.
Now, there’s some hope for One Day at a Time, although the future of the series is far from certain.
According to a new report in Vulture by TV reporter Josef Adalian, One Day at a Time has been shopped to other outlets by production company Sony Pictures Television, and the company has received at least one offer, from streaming service CBS All Access.
However, the show still “remains a long shot to survive,” the report said. One reason for that is that Netflix has the contractual right to veto a move for the show to a different streaming service for two years after its Netflix cancellation.
The piece also said that Norman Lear, the 96-year-old TV legend who created the original One Day at a Time and was an executive producer on the new show, has personally reached out to Netflix content head Ted Sarandos to allow the show to continue. However, it doesn’t appear that Netflix has given that go-ahead.
Other potential vendors include Pop TV and The CW, while it’s also possible that a broadcast TV network could jump in.
One Day at a Time debuted on Netflix in 2017, adapting Lear’s original show with a similar premise: a single mother living with her two children, while dealing with life’s challenges and a building superintendent/landlord named Schneider.
.@CBSAllAccess wants to save ‘One Day at a Time’ but @Netflix is not budging, @Vulture reports. pic.twitter.com/ZFSxYw1gmi
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) April 2, 2019
The new show, however, adapted the premise to feature a Cuban-American family, including a daughter who is openly gay. The show touched on issues like depression, anxiety, PTSD, drug addiction, and immigration, while also developing multifaceted and beloved characters. One Day at a Time was very much of the moment, while also squarely in the tradition of Lear-created shows like Good Times, All In the Family, and the original One Day at a Time, which frequently dealt with pressing social issues.
The cast included Justina Machado in the lead role, with Hollywood and Broadway legend Rita Moreno playing her traditional Cuban mother. The show also starred Todd Grinnell, Isabella Gomez, Marcel Ruiz, and Stephen Tobolowsky.
CBS All Access is best known for such series as Star Trek: Discovery and The Good Fight, while Jordan Peele’s version of The Twilight Zone recently debuted on the service.
