‘One Day at a Time’ Has a Savior, But Netflix Stands in the Way

A stipulation in One Day at a Time's Netflix deal may hinder the show from finding a new home outside the streaming service, which cancelled the much-loved sitcom in March.

The streaming platform CBS All Access made a bid to save the sitcom, which revolves around a Cuban family living in Los Angeles and featured prominent queer and non-binary characters, but part of Netflix's terms don't allow the series to continue on another streaming service for at least three years from the day of its third season premiere, Vulture reports. Though it cannot jump to another streaming service for a few years, the window to jump to a broadcast or cable network is only a few months, meaning a deal for a cable network could save the show, though that seems unlikely.

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva reported that executive producer Norman Lear reached out to Netflix content boss Ted Sarandos to ask that he allow One Day to have a shot on a new platform. However, his efforts reportedly didn't work.

One Day's broadcast options are limited. Deadline says the CW is interested in the show, but it does not produce half-hour sitcoms and only airs shows produced by Warner Bros TV and CBS TV. Vulture reports that smaller cable channel Pop TV, which airs Schitt's Creek in the US, is interested in picking up the show, but that it may not be able to afford One Day at a Time. Pop TV, however, could air the show if it found a partner to produce the Latinx-themed sitcom.

When Netflix announced that it cancelled fan favorite show One Day at a Time, many did not take the news well. The show was never a widespread hit, but it did have a fervent following who appreciated its humor and its representation. Netflix acknowledged as much in its tweets announcing the cancellation, which it called "difficult."

The streaming giant even went so far as to say that the show was a "firm reminder to us that we must continue finding ways to tell these stories."

Out has reached out to Netflix for comment.

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