This Is It: Thoughts on One Day at a Time

 

Courtesy of The Streamable

Back in December, I decided to give One Day at a Time a try. I had heard some good things about it and that when it got cancelled, there was such an outcry that it ended up coming back for a bit longer. The first episode just seemed like an episode of any other sitcom and I inquired about whether I should keep watching or not. A few friends convinced me to stick with it and I'm SO glad I did! I have been recommending it ever since and I hope this post will convince you to give it a try too. 

Originally I was hesitant to watch because Justina Machado was on Jane the Virgin and I wasn't all that fond of her character. So I was worried she'd be annoying on this show too. I'm glad I was wrong about that! Fun fact: Tony Plana plays Penelope's deceased father. Aside from being the dad on Ugly Betty, he was also Gaby's stepfather on Desperate Housewives and Justina played his new wife. (Originally I thought she played another daughter of his, but I checked online and I was wrong once again.) The only thing I wish for this show is that they let her play her actual age. She's a few years older than me, but started the show playing someone younger than I was in 2017. This isn't 90210 where 30 year-olds need to play teenagers. And Justina looks good for whatever age she is. 

Before I give my reasons for why you should watch this wonderful show, I need to point out that I don't remember watching the original series from the seventies and eighties. I knew Valerie Bertinelli was on it, but that was about it. I ended up reading more about it on Wikipedia and noticed a few things that made their way onto this reboot series. It was also a show about a single mom with two teenagers and they had a landlord named Schneider. What I didn't realize was that Mackenzie Phillips played one of the teenagers and now she's the group therapy leader on this series. (That explains why there was cheering from the laugh track when she first appeared.) The theme song has similar words, but different stylings: 1970s vs. 2017. I also just recently found out that Gloria Estefan sang the new version. In any case, there are a lot of updates to the show, given when it takes place, and I love that about the reboot. 

Reasons you should watch One Day at a Time:

*It's so funny. Sitcoms obviously should be funny, but there are some moments that had me laughing for several minutes after they were over and then thinking about them made me laugh again. There also are a lot of great one-liners. They honestly didn't need a laugh track because none of my laughing needed a prompt. I got used to the laugh track after a while and forgot it was there because I was laughing too loud to hear it anyway. 

*Great ensemble cast. There are very few shows I say this about. I've said it about Schitt's Creek and Speechless in the past, and am now bestowing this honor upon One Day at a Time. I love how the cast fits together so well and everyone plays off of each other. I almost felt like part of the Alvarez family while watching this show.

*They deal with real life issues. Even though this is a sitcom, there are times when heavier subjects come up, especially around the topic of mental health. It's handled so honestly and sensitively and is worth watching just for those episodes. They also cover immigration, grief, LGBTQ, alcoholism, divorce, etc. I've actually cried a bunch of times from this show. Not as much as Penelope, but still...

*The show focuses on current events since 2017 and I agree with a lot of what they have to say. 

*Rita Moreno. There's a reason she has an EGOT and I would love to see this documentary about her. She is just perfect as Penelope's mother Lydia. She has a lot of funny moments and lines, as well as some heartwarming ones. 

*Schneider. He comes off as clueless at times, but then he says something really profound to show he just gets what's going on. I love how he's there for comic relief, but also how he's there in some heavier moments, including some of his own. His friendship with Penelope is one of my favorite platonic friendships between a man and woman and I'm so glad they never got involved romantically. I especially love that he got his own romantic subplot and the woman he loves is perfect for him. 

*Dr. Berkowitz. He is the character placed there solely for comedic value, but Stephen Tobolowsky (Ned Ryerson from Groundhog Day and Principal Ball on The Goldbergs) does an excellent job with this role. His non-sexual relationship with Lydia is the best. I love how he dotes on her anyway. He's just as much a part of the family as Schneider is. 

*The kids. I like that they are teenagers instead of cute little kids with one-liners. Alex and Elena are both interesting to watch, but I wish Alex was utilized as much as Elena throughout the series. They are both really funny too. Alex reminds me of a cross between my two sons. 

*Gloria Estefan is on one of the episodes. You have to wait until season three to see it, but it's worth the wait to see her duke it out with Rita Moreno. 

*Penelope is shown as a working, single mom trying to find balance in her life while dealing with PTSD and going back to school. Topping that off is pressure from all her mom's expectations. She's definitely relatable in a variety of ways. 

*The curtain...which just has a personality of its own somehow. I love how it is used for emphasis during an entry or argument. 

*There's just so much love on the show, which is very much needed in this day and age. Even though people fight and get mad at each other, they hug and make up eventually. 

Still not convinced? Check out the trailer (then keep reading afterward):

While the first three seasons on Netflix have thirteen episodes each, the fourth season on CBS (which was previously on Pop TV) only has seven episodes. I really wish it had been able to go a full season, but I think the pandemic cut things short. And "this is it" for the show now. 

I hope that it will eventually go the route of sitcoms that got a new life 20-plus years later, like Fuller House, Saved by the Bell, and Punky Brewster (coming soon). In 20 years from now, perhaps Penelope will live with Alex or Elena when they are adults with their own kids. Since Fuller House was a gender switch for the adults and kids (from three men and three young girls to three women and three young boys), maybe it would make sense for Alex to be the main focus. Elena could be the landlord since she learned all those skills from Schneider. They'd need someone to fill Dr. B's shoes, but I'm sure there are some good comedic actors who could do so. 

If you're also a fan of One Day at a Time, please share your reasons in the comments.