Despite a lot of fan outcry and numerous petitions to keep it on the air, Netflix has decided to cancel One Day at a Time after three seasons.
Here are what Netflix had to say about the cancellation:
“It’s been a great honor to work with the legendary Norman Lear on One Day at a Time. I’ve personally spoken with Norman, and co-creators Gloria Calderón Kellett and Mike Royce, to express my gratitude to them, all the writers, the dedicated crew and the cast including the brilliant Justina Machado and dazzling Rita Moreno for creating a series with such humor, heart and humanity. This was a very difficult decision and we’re thankful to all the fans who’ve supported the series, our partners at Sony, and all the critics who embraced it. While it’s disappointing that more viewers didn’t discover One Day at a Time, I believe the series will stand the test of time.”
The news follows the February 8 season three debut on the streamer. Netflix, like fellow streamers Amazon and Hulu, does not release viewership information. The series has an impressive 98% rating among critics and 91% audience score on RottenTomatoes.com. Justina Machado, Todd Grinnell, Isabella Gomez, Marcel Ruiz, Stephen Tobolowsky and Rita Moreno starred.
Likely factoring into Netflix’s decision to cancel the Latino-themed take on Lear’s classic 1970s comedy was the fact that the show was owned by Sony Pictures Television, meaning the streamer had to pay a licensing fee to run the show. Despite the critical reception, it’s clear Netflix wasn’t pleased with the number of people streaming the series. With lackluster ratings and a lack of ownership, Netflix likely was left little choice but to cancel the series. The lack of ownership is also one of the major reasons Netflix and Marvel’s relationship imploded and all five of those series were canceled.
There are plans to shop the series but that could be problematic as Netflix will continue to own and house the first three seasons and a library deal would help make finding a new home an easier task.
