Netflix Review: One Day At A Time

Reboots of old tv shows have been rather dull or unnecessary. However, One Day At A Time, originally a 1975 TV series, got a well-needed update on Netflix and is a pleasant exception to this phenomenon.

One Day At A Time is a sitcom following Penelope Alvarez, a newly single Army Latino veteran, and her Cuban family, which includes her two kids, Elena (Isabella Gomez) and Alex, and her mother, Lydia (Rita Moreno). Their landlord, Schneider, a rich Canadian man, also makes appearances and is technically part of the family. The series deals with racism, sexism, homophobia, mental illness and many more difficult topics — I understand that this may not sound like a comedy, but it definitely is, trust me. 

This series is one of my favourites as it does a great job of combining humour with serious topics. Life isn’t all drama and horror; there are light and happy moments as well, so why shouldn’t TV-series reflect that? 

You may remember Rita Moreno as Anita in West Side Story, and it should come as no surprise that she is just as good of an actress in this series as she was back then. Moreno’s Lydia is electrifying, humorous, and lovable. Moreno seamlessly transitions from being an overly-dramatic grandmother who is constantly doting on her grandson to an ageing immigrant missing a home she can never see again. 

Gomez’s Elena is the young queer feminist character that I, as a young girl, always wished to see on the big screen. Seeing Elena becoming more and more comfortable with her sexuality and herself as the show progresses is wonderful. Also, her relationship with Syd, her non-binary partner, gives viewers some much-needed representation, as I personally haven’t seen non-binary characters on TV shows until now! This show proves that LGBTQ topics aren’t just for “mature” audiences, but for everyone. 

For some people, this show may come off as a bit weird and can take some time to get used to the format. Personally, I loved the series right from the start. Unlike other sitcoms, serious issues and discussions are recurring and aren’t just there for one episode and never talked about again. For instance, Penelope’s struggle with depression and PTSD is a recurring problem, as you see her in group therapy with other veterans and even see her break down at times, Penelope’s mental health struggles are not a one-episode arc, but an integrated aspect of a character, like they should be! 

Nothing is perfect though, including this show. There are moments where Elena’s feminism is annoying for other characters or comes across as a caricature for social justice warriors, which leads me to question why a socially and politically aware show would make feminism and social justice annoying.

Regardless, One Day At A Time still remains a show that everyone should see! It’s funny, politically savvy and has excellent Latino representation. Binge-watch all three seasons on Netflix right now before the fourth season is released this year.