There’s nothing quite like taking an ambitious gamble with a Netflix TV series in the middle of the week. With hit shows like Stranger Things, Sense 8 and Black Mirror, there’s little reason to doubt the quality of the growing Netflix Originals scene. Netflix have been taking a stab at reviving the old TV shows which is exactly what they’ve done with the sit-com One Day at a Time. Rebooting Norman Lear’s 1975-84 CBS old school version, One Day at a Time offers fresh relevancy, easy humour and accessible entertainment.
With a raw and artful style, One Day at a Time engages viewers with its multi-cam format and unique style. If the comedy, relaxed production feel and an enthusiastic cast isn’t enough to sell it to you then get ready to become overly invested a quirky, semi-dysfunctional Cuban-American family –point one for diversity.
Simply put, the Alvarez family is bad ass and I’ll tell you why. The series focuses on single mother Penelope Alvarez’s (Justina Machado) daily task of raising children Elena (Isabella Gomez) and Alex (Marcel Ruiz) with help from the eccentric Lydia/abuela (Rita Moreno).
The new version of One Day at a Time replaces Lear’s middle white class family trope for a Cuban-American family. Sure, this is a great selling point for a contemporary audience but it gets even better. Not only does executive producer Gloria Calderon Kellett give a stage to a bi-cultural Latino family but produces a relatable TV show that explores a diverse range of family difficulties and successes.
Balancing hard hitting themes with comforting comedy, One Day at a Time strikes a wonderful balance between broaching tough topics and achieving a comfortable TV environment. The series’ pilot “This Is It” sadly isn’t about Michael Jackson, but does crams the sit-com’s best traits into one episode (which is enough to trigger an unexpected binge watching event – I speak from experience).
The episode shows Penelope, an ex-military veteran and nurse, and daughter, Elena, (the intersectional feminist who we didn’t know we needed) debate the sexual and misogynist politics revolving the Cuban tradition of a coming-of-age quinceañera. Yes, these themes might sound heavy but it’s nothing the Alvarez family can’t handle.
In follow up episodes, the plot explores themes of mental health e.g. PTSD/suicide, micro-aggressive forms of sexism and daily misogyny. However, for myself, the most important themes drawn on were the focus on Lydia’s character as a Cuban immigrant and her heritage and Elena’s progressive sexuality conflict in a Cuban cultural context (spoiler alert, Elena is gay).
But, rest assured, the series fun, easy, and female fronted with generational battles between comically self-assured abuela, badass mother and feisty feminist daughter that provide plenty of entertainment.
Verdict: Honestly, this show has to be on your 2017 watch list! It has everything you could possibly want from a diverse cast to diversely bad jokes. One Day at a Time continues the 70’s tradition of coupling drama with comedy to provide fine entertainment. While character’s backstories and theme can weigh you down a little there’s plenty comic relief in all shapes and sizes from bad abuela jokes to late 30-year-old hipster landlord.
The series is a melting pot of contemporary references from indirect presidential anxieties to general every day issues like running out of Cheetos, but importantly, One Day at a Time does what television should do best and leaves us feeling warm and optimistic.
Zoya Raza-Sheikh
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Media sourced from Hollywood Reporter and LA Times.
