One Day At A Time Is Back With Season 4 On Pop TV

One Day At A Time season 4 update — DKODING Studio

The Alvarez family is back to us! The Pop TV show just premiered its 13 episodes of season 4 on 24^th March 2020. The show that was originally created for Netflix, was taken over by Pop TV after it was cancelled by the streaming platform post its 3^rd season, in March 2019.

Created by Gloria Calderon Kellett and Mike Royce, the show is a remake of the 1970 Norman Lear sitcom, of the same name, that centres around the Alvarez clan, a little chaotic Cuban-American family living in Echo Park in Los Angeles. It follows the life of Penelope Alvarez, played by Justina Machado, a newly single Army veteran, who drives through the ups and downs of life.

Highlights

All about ODAAT
The episode 11
Will there be another season?

All about ODAAT

ODAAT has been there for a long long time now. It is a show that is widely appropriate for the time and has received innumerable positive reviews by the critics because of the portrayal of a Latinx family while dealing with issues such as mental health and sexuality in a more subtle and acceptable way. The show has successfully played its part in bringing Latinx stories to the limelight, especially with the cast of Rita Moreno, the first Latina to win an EGOT.

However, even after giving 3 back to back successful seasons, which attracted a huge fan base, the show could not go past the Netflix programming schedule and got dropped after its 3^rd season, on claims of low viewership.

The decision met with an immediate fan uproar, that caused the launch of various online petitions to #SaveODAAT, including celebrity fans like Lin-Manuel Miranda. Therefore, it wasn’t long before the show found a new home in June, as Pop TV swooped in to save the show.

The show took over the place of ‘Schitt’s Creek’ after its final season on the channel. A division of CBS, Pop has also purchased the linear rights to the first three seasons, and it is the first time that a cancelled Netflix series has been picked up by another network.

You asked for it, we got it! New season of #OneDayAtATime is coming to @PopTV! #MoreODAAT pic.twitter.com/KxD1j4XsNF
— Pop (@PopTV) June 27, 2019

When the 4^th season appeared on Pop TV and TV Land at 9:30 PM, it drew a humongous 607,000 total viewers in Live+Same Day on Pop TV, and 457,000 on the latter. According to “EW”, Normal Lear, executive producer and creator of the original 1975 series, said in a statement, “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”.

On the renewal of the show, Brad Schwartz, Pop TV President, said on “CNN”,

“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. If ‘Schitt’s Creek’ has taught us anything, it’s that love and kindness always wins. We couldn’t be more proud to continue telling heart-warming stories of love, inclusion, acceptance, and diversity that pull on your emotions while putting a smile on your face”.

The episode 11

Just when the series was settling in, the show was faced with the global pandemic crisis which caused an immediate shutdown. So, when ODAAT had to stop filming past its 6^th episode, one of its planned but unfilmed episode was decided to be turned into an inspired animated special episode.

“The Political Episode” was a standalone episode written in January, that was originally supposed to be the 11^th episode of the show. It explored the upcoming presidential elections of 2020 through the Alvarez family and was simulcast on Pop TV and TV Land. The showrunner said that the episode was based on her real-life experiences and drew major inspiration from them.

“It was based on a conversation I had with my cousin who’s a very conservative Miami Trump supporter, who’s Cuban”, Calderon Kellett said. “We grew up together; we love each other, but we see very differently on many issues.”

Whether animated or real, ODAAT never compromised on its real themes— the characters were Latino everywhere. “I was like, ‘We’re not whitening them up’”, she said. She did not forget to mention the dedication of the actors and said that while she was watching it, it did not sound like animation, but more like as if the actors were having a real-time conversation. While talking about supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and reducing white supremacy, she said that she personally wants to do her bit for the upliftment of everyone.

Will there be a season 5?

Considering that season 4 just premiered and only half of the show was released, expecting another season is a little too early. Besides, the ratings and viewership will play a very crucial role in deciding the comeback of the show.

Because the show hasn’t been renewed yet, we can only presume as to who will be the cast. We can expect our favourites like Elena, Alex, Penelope, Lydia, Schneider, and Dr Berkowitz to definitely be back. With Elena and Alex growing up, by the time it’s season 5, they will probably be heading off to college. Therefore, keep tuning in to Pop TV to see more of ODAAT.