Pop TV has set a date for its animated One Day at a Time special, and it's bringing a few friends of the show along for the occasion.
The special — the solution to keep production of the show going in some form after the coronavirus pandemic shut down live-action filming in mid-March — will air June 16 on Pop following a marathon of the six finished episodes of season four. The former Netflix comedy was midway through filming its 13-episode season when production stopped.
The episode will feature Hamilton and In the Heights creator (and ODAAT superfan) Lin-Manuel Miranda in a guest role, while Gloria Estefan and Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Melissa Fumero will reprise roles they played in the third-season premiere.
ViacomCBS-owned Pop TV announced the special in late April. Production on the episode, which is being animated by Smiley Guy Studios, is being done remotely. Animated production has largely continued during the shutdown as producers have adapted to working remotely.
"As we all know, it’s hard to keep One Day at a Time off the air. During this unprecedented time, we wanted to find a way to keep our family — on camera and behind the scenes — together and create more entertaining content for our fans who are self-distancing at home,” co-showrunner Gloria Calderon Kellett said in announcing the special. “This animated special gives us an exciting opportunity to imagine the Alvarez family in a colorful new way while continuing to tell important and relevant stories."
The special is called "The Politics Episode" and will center on a visit from Penelope's (Justina Machado) conservative cousin Estrellita (Fumero), Tia Mirtha (Estefan) and Tio Juanito (Miranda). With the presidential election looming, they won't be able to avoid fighting over politics.
Kellett and fellow showrunner Mike Royce executive produce One Day at a Time with Norman Lear and Brent Miller. The special is also produced by Jonas Diamond, executive producer and co-owner of Smiley Guy Studios.
