“One Day At A Time” to return – with a Hispanic cast

Get ready for another reboot…with a big change.

Former CBS sitcom One Day At A Time is being revived for Netflix, but with a major overhaul: the series is being recasted with Hispanic leads.

Here’s the pitch: instead of an divorced mother from Indianapolis raising her two daughters, this would be a Cuban-American female servicewoman raising her two kids – a boy and a girl. Added to the cast is a Cuban-born grandmother, played by Rita Moreno whose credits include The Electric Company and the TV version of 9 to 5. One thing not changing is the role of Schneider, who’ll be the building superintendent/fix-it guy – just like in the original series.

Men of a Certain Age writer Mike Royce is partnering with How I Met Your Mother and iZombie writer/producer Gloria Caulderon Kellett to executive produce the show, along with Norman Lear, who developed the original.

One Day At A Time originally starred Bonnie Franklin (Ann), Valerie Bertnelli (Barbara), MacKenzie Phillips (Julie), and Pat Harrington, Jr. (Schneider.) Harrington passed away recently at 86.

Glenn Scrapelli and former WKRP star Howard Hesseman were added to the cast in later seasons.

This is the latest revival Netflix has ordered as it expands its original programming initiatives. Earlier, Netflix ordered thirteen episodes of Fuller House, a sequel to the original 1987-95 sitcom. House premieres on Feb. 26. Like the original, the new version of One Day is being shot in a multi-camera setup.

Originally created by Whitney Blake (who starred in 1960’s sitcom Hazel) and Allan Mannings, Day ran from December 16, 1975 to May 28, 1984 and finished in the top twenty in eight of its nine years on the air. Reruns of the series also had success in CBS daytime and entered off-network syndication in 1982. Currently, One Day At A Time reruns air on Antenna TV.

During its run, One Day was known for its off-screen problems, notably with MacKenzie Phillips and her substance abuse, which led to her firing in 1980. MacKenzie did return two years later billed as a “special guest star”, but was fired again after collapsing on the set and refusing to take a urine test. She was written out of the show – similar in fashion to what happened with Charlie Sheen and Two And A Half Men in 2011 when he clashed with creator and executive producer Chuck Lorre. Like Phillips, Sheen also has had bouts with substance abuse, but wasn’t the reason for his firing.

Original syndication rights holder Sony Pictures Television is producing the revival effort.