15 Reasons to Watch ‘One Day at a Time’

One of my favorite things in the world is introducing friends and family to One Day at a Time and getting to relive the pleasure of discovering this gem of a show through them.

One Day at a Time is special. It works its way into your heart, and without fail, every person who takes me up on my recommendation falls in love with it just like I did.

After three seasons on Netflix, the series inspired by Norman Lear’s 1975 sitcom of the same name moved to PopTV, which aired its fourth season earlier this year. Now the series is making its network debut Monday, October 12th on CBS with Season 4 re-airing as part of CBS’ fall line up. 

It’s the perfect time to become the next person to fall in love with the Alverez family, and I’ve got 15 reasons why you should.

1. It’s Funny, Like Really Funny

Let’s start with the basics. One Day at a Time is funny.

Being a sitcom that perhaps seems like a prerequisite for any show recommendation. But, One Day at a Time isn’t just funny; it one of the funniest shows on TV distinguished by its wit and outstanding repartee.

The comedy can be pointed, but it’s never mean. It can be insightful or silly, subtle, or broad, but whatever it is, it is always delightful. Every script is packed with quips that cause snickers and gags to build to full-on belly laughs.

With perfectly placed pop-culture references, laser-sharp sarcasm, and brilliant physical humor, this show knows how to tell a joke. The moments that cause the biggest laughs are the relatable character-driven ones that make us feel like we are part of the family and laughing at some inside joke.

Few things will lift your spirit more than sitting down for a half-hour and laughing off some of the tension and stress of your day, and that is always something you can count on One Day at a Time to help you do.

2. The Cast

Any good show starts with a good script, but it doesn’t end there. The best scripts still need talented actors to breathe life into the lines and add the character beats that flesh out what’s in between those lines. One Day at a Time has some of the best. 

The main cast of the show is flawless. Every one of them brings impeccable comic timing and nuanced emotional depth to their characters. They have an effortless rapport with each other and chemistry that gives the show that extra bit of magic.

In big vulnerable moments or small, subtle gestures, the cast finds that thing that can make the best-written scenes even better.

It’s not just the main cast that’s fantastic, though. Whether it’s recurring actors like Sheridan Pierce and India de Beaufort or special guest stars like Stephanie Beatriz and Melissa Fumero, One Day at a Time finds people that bring their A-game and elevate the episodes they’re in. 

There are many things to love about One Day at a Time, but a huge part of what makes it great is the heart and the energy the cast brings to each line and every scene.

3. A Living Legend

If a great cast alone isn’t enough to convince you to watch One Day at a Time, how about something it can offer that no other show can? The chance to see a living legend at her best from the comfort of your living room every episode.

There’s no doubt that part of the excitement about One Day at a Time even before it premiered was that EGOT winner, Rita Moreno, would be playing the family’s Abuelita, Lydia.

From West Side Story to The Electric Company, Moreno’s status as an icon was already well established. Just the idea that someone of her caliber was attached to the project was exciting. Before we even knew what a treasure One Day at a Time would be, it was special because Rita Moreno was involved. 

But Rita Moreno is a legend for a reason, and from Lydia’s first dramatic entrance from behind her curtain, Moreno reminds us why. Her performance is sublime, imbued with charismatic vitality and enthusiasm that make Lydia the beloved fan-favorite she is.

The intelligence behind every joke and the empathy she brings to Lydia’s most vulnerable moments are why Lydia is one of the all-time great TV characters and another signature role in an already long and celebrated career.

4. Representations Matters

The chance to see our stories told makes us feel seen and can spark the imagination to think about what’s possible in our own lives. It’s a powerful thing to see yourself reflected in culture and feel that sense of connection with a fictional character.

Stories are also vehicles that build empathy and expand our understanding of the world around us. They allow us not only to see ourselves but to see others. In short, representation matters.

Over the years, as the push for more diversity on and off-screen has increased, we’ve certainly seen improvement in the breadth of representation in TV and Film. Yet it’s felt, particularly for Latinx characters, frustratingly slow.

Because of that, One Day at a Time is a breath of fresh air. It not only centers on a Cuban family but also has multiple queer characters, including Syd, Elena’s non-binary partner, which is exceedingly rare.

Syd is also an excellent example of how representation can be important in subtle ways. Having Syd as a recurring character means that the dialogue reflects their preferred pronouns.

Using gender-neutral pronouns in casual conversations normalizes it. It makes it feel more familiar for people who are maybe unaccustomed to using they/them in place of he/him or she/her and might make it easier for them to do the same.

One Day at a Time tells stories about characters with intersecting identities that shape their perspectives and complicates their experiences. They lean into all the facets of who these characters are to give viewers compelling narratives that don’t often get seen from voices that don’t often get heard.

5. Penny’s Support Group

Introduced in Season 1, Penny’s veteran’s support group quickly became a significant part of Penny’s life and a popular part of the show. The conversations during these sessions are always full of quick banter and wickedly funny one-liners that make them a highlight of any episode. 

The support group gives us a chance to see a different side of Penny. We get to Penny with her friends letting loose a little more, which is a lot of fun.

Being a veteran’s support group, they understand parts of Penny’s life in a way that no one, not even her family, can. The group offers her space to focus on herself that she doesn’t always have at home.

Penny has time to reflect, and as a result, her time with the group has been the catalyst of several a-ha moments that led to significant character growth. 

The support group is also another example of where One Day at a Time gets representation right.

The group is made up primarily of women of color with different sexual orientations, body types, and as we’ve gotten to know them over the season, distinct personalities. There are more diverse, well-written characters in Penny’s support group than some shows have on their entire series.

Oh, and bonus, Mackenzie Phillips, who played Julie on the original series, is the group therapist.

6. It’s a Love Letter to Moms

One Day at a Time is a show about family. It’s about siblings, grandparents, and grandkids, and friends who become family. It’s about all those things, but above all, One Day at a Time is a love letter to mothers. 

The series has two amazing mothers that it writes its love letter through in Penny and Lydia. It is a celebration of their resilience, tenacity, and of their fierce dedication to the people they love.

They aren’t perfect, and the show celebrates that too.

They make mistakes, and they struggle because that’s part of being a mom as well. They don’t always have the answers, but they love with their whole heart, and they are their kids’ biggest champions. The admiration and tenderness the series expresses all of that with is beautiful and heartwarming. 

What’s also great about the way One Day at a Time celebrates mothers is that it celebrates them as whole people. It never reduces them to just their roles as caretakers.

The trope of the self-sacrificing mom is a tired and dehumanizing one that One Day at a Time never indulges in. That’s not to say Lydia and Penny haven’t made sacrifices, but the show gives equal weight to their needs, dreams, and desires.

The love letter One Day at a Time writes is to the phenomenal human beings many of us are lucky enough to call mom and all the ways they persevere for us and for themselves.

7. Three Generations of Strong Women

One of the best dynamics on One Day at a Time is the three generations of strong women at the center of the show. All three of the women, Lydia, Penny, and Elena, have specific and interesting relationships with each other.

Still, it’s when the three of them are together discussing the main topic of a given episode that this dynamic shines the brightest, especially when those topics are about feminism and feminity.

Each woman brings a distinct perspective rooted not just in their particular personalities but of a specific time and place. As terrible as Lydia’s takes are sometimes, for example, it’s easy to see how much of what she believes is shaped by the time she grew up in, and the ways she worked to use the expectations of that time to her advantage.

It’s not unlike things our grandmothers might have said to us. The generational tensions they explore feel familiar to anyone who’s ever had a conversation with an older relative or felt overwhelmed after a conversation with a younger one.

For all their differences, though, the best part of their dynamic is how those differences are rooted in shared traits.

Lydia’s romanticism and confidence, Penny’s drive and determination, Elena’s idealism and activism are different manifestations of a spirit and passion passed down and fostered from one generation to the next.

Whatever their personal opinions are, this is a family that nurtures strong-willed, resilient women who forge their own paths even when it causes them to butt heads once in a while.

8. Young Love

As already discussed, One Day at a Time has excellent LGBTQIA+ representation. The primary example of the show’s queer storytelling is Elena’s story and her relationship with her partner Syd.  

It can’t be understated how meaningful their relationship is when this kind of positive, uplifting representation is still so rare. It’s a beautiful and validating love story that so many queer fans desperately need. 

But Elena and Syd’s relationship isn’t just one of the best queer relationships on TV. It’s one of the best relationships on television. Syd and Elena are sweet, nerdy, and completely adorable together. They are almost always responsible for the best pop culture reference, and their quirks are fertile ground cutely awkward and funny moments. 

But more than that, their relationship is built on a foundation of mutual respect and understanding. Somehow this relationship between two teens became one of the healthiest on TV.

Perhaps the example that best illustrates this the Season 3 episode about Syd and Elena’s first time having sex. The episode focuses on explicit consent with Syd reassuring Elena that they don’t have to do anything until she’s ready, even if that’s never. It’s something I’d never seen on TV and something we desperately need more of.

Watching these two navigate their relationship is refreshing, charming, and everything you want young love to be.

9. Schneider and Penny

One of the most surprisingly satisfying relationships on the One Day at a Time is the friendship between Penny and Schneider. When we first meet Schneider, it seems like he is mostly a lovable comedic foil for Penny but not necessarily more than that. As the series goes on, we start to see Schneider’s heart more fully. 

We see his steadfast loyalty and unwavering support for Penny and that there is more to this relationship than playful ribbing.

Penny is the person that her family turns to when they need comfort, but Schneider is the one Penny turns to. There’s no doubt that Lydia can and is often a source of comfort for Penny too, but when Penny is really conflicted and struggling, it’s Schneider who helps her figure things out.

The reverse is true too. Penny is Schneider’s rock and the person that tells him hard truths. Until he met his girlfriend, Avery, she was the most consistent and healthiest relationship in his life. He might never have even become a person ready for a relationship with Avery without her.

Schneider never stops putting his foot in it or overstepping, and Penny’s good-natured teasing is still a big, hilarious, part of their friendship, but he is her best friend, and she couldn’t ask for a better one.

10. Elena and Alex

There are a lot of sibling relationships showcased on television, and Elena and Alex are one of the best. On the surface, they seem like a classic sibling trope where one is popular and charismatic, and the other is a smart nerd. They seem like they have nothing in common, and they are indeed very different people.

But as with so much on One Day at a Time, their relationship is more than meets the eye.

Elena and Alex bicker and irritate each other, just like any other siblings. They disagree a lot and often see the world differently. But the foundation of their relationship is built on loyalty and kindness.

Whether they would admit it or not, they genuinely like and value each other. When push comes to shove, they both know that they can count on the other. 

This is especially true of Alex, who time and again steps up when his big sister needs him. He was there at her Quinceanera, he stood up for her with their dad, and he was the one that comforted her at their father’s wedding. He is a good brother who always has Elena’s back.

It’s fun to watch them argue, and it’s fun to watch them give each other a hard time, but its always the best when the bond and love that belies all of that comes through and takes center stage.

11. Alex and Lydia

Lydia and Alex are a bit of a dynamic duo. They’re always on the same page because they just get each other.

Lydia is maybe too devoted to her grandson, and the way she indulges him is definitely excessive, but it is always funny. Even if Lydia comes on too strong sometimes, and even if Alex has been known to take advantage of Lydia’s indulgence, there is so much genuine affection between the two of them it’s impossible not to be charmed. 

A lot of what makes Lydia and Alex so great comes down to Alex.

He doesn’t just love his grandmother; he truly enjoys her company. They’re friends, and that’s such a unique relationship to see on TV. Lydia may get most of the punch lines, but it’s Alex that makes their relationship so endearing.

12. Exploring Relevant Issues

There are few shows, and even fewer sitcoms, that take on messy, complicated issues, as often or as deftly as One Day at a Time.

In the tradition of so many of the Norman Lear shows that came before it, One Day at a Time is never afraid to talk about things that might be controversial or uncomfortable, and they do it in ways that are thoughtful and incisive.

Sometimes the issues they explore are political. Immigration, in particular, has been a source of some of the show’s most poignant episodes. But where One Day at a Time truly makes its mark is when it tackles topics that aren’t inherently political but that we still tend to talk around more than about. 

One Day at a Time takes on things like mental health, consent, and microaggressions with unflinching directness. These are the moments that stay with you long after you watch them.

It’s been three years, and I still find myself thinking about One Day at a Time Season 2 Episode 9, “Hello, Penelope,” and the powerful performance from Justina Machado as Penny struggles with her mental health. I still remember how I felt when Syd and Elena talked about being sexually harassed on their way home.

You won’t find many shows that can navigate conversations like these as well as One Day at a Time, and you won’t find any that do it better. 

13. Relatable Characters

There’s something about the Alverez family that feels familiar. It’s a story you intuitively relate to. No matter who you are or how different your experiences are from theirs, there are things about this family that you recognize in yourself and the people you love.

It’s partly because it’s a show about love and family, and whatever that may look like for people, it’s a theme that crosses cultures and identities.

But more than that, it’s because the series has created characters that feel real, have flaws, and are doing their best for themselves and the people they love, just like everyone else. Whether the episode is about the immigrant experience, being a veteran, coming out, or relapsing, One Day at a Time has a knack for bringing out the shared human experience of these characters’ struggles, dreams, and triumphs. 

We care about these characters and always root for them, but we also empathize with them.

Whether it’s something we’ve been through ourselves or not, because these characters are so well written, we connect to the feelings at the heart of their stories. We celebrate with them and commiserate with them, we laugh with them, and we cry with them. We feel with them, and that is the best kind of storytelling.

14. I Got You

“I got you” is the unofficial motto of the Alverez family and theme of the series itself.

One Day at a Time often delves into serious subjects and takes their characters to painful places. Still, no matter how difficult the places the show is willing to go are, it is at its heart an optimistic series because of the unbreakable bond this family shares and the strength they draw from it.

They will always fight for each other and be there to pick each other up when they fall.

When the Alverez family says, “I got you” to each other, it’s a message of unconditional acceptance and support. It’s shorthand for the show’s broader theme of uncynical, unwavering love, and that’s an incredibly hopeful perspective to offer viewers, one that is infectious and affirming.

Stripped down to its foundation, “I got you,” and what it represents is what One Day at a Time is really about.

It’s the essence of the show, and it drives everything else. In its most devastating moments, those three words are like a balm for the soul. It’s what makes you feel better and lighter after watching an episode. If I could only offer one reason to watch this show, it would be “I got you.”

15. The Cuban-American Experience

It’s rare to find a show that can portray a specific culture and their quirks so well without falling into parody or stereotype. My fellow Tell-Tale TV writer, Brianna Martinez, shares her thoughts on how One Day at a Time portrays the Cuban-American experience:

One Day at a Time does it with care and consideration that adds sincerity to the story they are trying to tell.

The show does it with big moments like diving into the Peter Pan flights through Lydia’s story about what she left behind on the island.

One Day at a Time also does it with quick moments like confronting Schneider about his Che shirt or the way the Alvarez family interacts with their more conservative family members, even the natural shifts from Spanish to English in conversation give the show unique credibility.

There’s an authenticity to the way they play these moments that resonate and allows Cuban Americans to see themselves and their families on the silver screen.

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Did we convince you to watch One Day at a Time? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

One Day at a Time makes its broadcast debut Monday, October 12th at 9/8c with back-to-back episodes on CBS.

*Additional contribution by Brianna Martinez. 

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