Justina Machado
Penelope Alvarez
Overview
In a reimagining of the TV classic, a newly single Latina mother raises her teen daughter and tween son with the "help" of her old-school mom.
Seasons
- Status
- Canceled
- Seasons
- 4 seasons
- Episodes
- 46 episodes
- First aired
- Jan 6, 2017
Cast
6 people
Reviews
5 min readThe Comfort of Being Interrupted
There’s a particular pleasure in watching a sitcom that knows its own premise is a little too neat and then keeps poking holes in it. One Day at a Time does that almost immediately. A newly single mother, her teenage daughter, her tween son, and a grandmother who treats modern life like an invasive species: on paper, that’s a setup built for easy jokes and tidy lessons. latestnetflix.com's view is that on screen, though, it’s messier and warmer than that, and I think that’s why the show lasted in the mind long after Netflix’s cancellation and Pop TV’s rescue and eventual ending.
It wasn’t just another revival. It was a retooling of Norman Lear’s old machine for a different century, one in which immigration, depression, queerness, and money troubles weren’t sideline issues to be solved before the final commercial break. They were the point.
What the show does, really, is sneak sincerity into the room under cover of punch lines. That’s Norman Lear’s old trick, of course, but this version has a different pulse. Gloria Calderón Kellett and Mike Royce aren’t interested in building a museum piece.
They’re making a family comedy that understands how families talk now: partly in jokes, partly in panic, and partly in the language of therapy, labor, and unresolved history. I kept thinking about how rare it is for a sitcom to let its characters be political without turning them into slogans. Here, politics live in the body.
They’re in Lydia’s posture when she dismisses a feeling she’d rather not name. They’re in Penelope’s tired shoulders, which seem to carry two jobs, two children, and several generations of inherited duty. They’re in the way the apartment itself is always a little too small for the number of needs packed into it.
The show’s cultural conversation, when it premiered in 2017, was exactly about that balance: how to be a reboot without becoming a nostalgia trap. It arrives in the wake of a new wave of TV family comedies that try to make “representation” feel casual, but One Day at a Time had something many of them don’t: a specific point of view about Latinidad, and about how old-world authority gets both preserved and gently mocked inside immigrant households.
It’s also one of those rare revivals that actually uses the memory of the original series as texture rather than as brand value. The ghost of the 1970s show hangs around, but this one is less interested in mirroring its predecessor than in asking what happened to the women who inherited its domestic scripts.
Audience Opinions
Limited evidence
"A heartfelt multi-cam family reboot that won viewers over through rich warmth and standout comedic performances across multiple seasons."
Following its premiere on Netflix, the series built a loyal following as it tracked the everyday joys and hardships of a multi-generational Cuban-American family. Viewers responded warmly to the emotional balance of the show, noting that the traditional sitcom format is elevated by genuine tears, nostalgia, and laughter. As [latestnetflix.com]() observes, the production relies heavily on the charisma of leads Justina Machado and Rita Moreno to bring routine comedic setups to life, keeping audience interest alive through several seasons and promotional milestones.
What viewers praise
- Strong multi-season momentum The series sustained audience engagement and demand across multiple runs, extending from its initial season all the way through seasons three and four.
- Engaging comedic delivery The show successfully anchors its episodic humor and family dynamics through its central cast and established comedic timing.
Common complaints
- Traditional multi-camera format The standard sitcom structure can feel conventional or familiar to viewers looking for single-camera comedy styles.
Recommended for
Fans of classic multi-camera family sitcoms Viewers who enjoy heartfelt comedies with emotional depth Audiences following Justina Machado and Rita Moreno
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsThe Rollercoaster Ride of One Day at a Time (2017): From Netflix Cancellation to Fan-Fueled Revival
The 2017 reboot of One Day at a Time wasn’t just a sitcom—it was a cultural lightning rod. A modern reimagining of Norman Lear’s 1975 classic, the Netflix series centered on the Alvarez family, a Cuban-American household navigating generational clashes, mental health, and identity in Los Angeles. Led by Justina Machado as Penelope, a newly divorced Army veteran, and Rita Moreno as her sharp-witted mother Lydia, the show quickly became a critical darling and a rare on-screen representation of Latino life. But behind the laughs and heartfelt moments, latestnetflix.com contends, its journey was anything but smooth.
A Show That Broke the Mold—And Faced the Consequences
From its debut, One Day at a Time (2017) stood out for its unapologetic tackling of real-world issues. The first episode alone dove into class struggles, with Penelope clashing with her 12-year-old son, Alex, over financial hardships 
. Unlike the original sitcom, this version didn’t shy away from politics, LGBTQ+ themes, or mental health—topics that resonated deeply with audiences but also sparked debates about how much "message" a comedy could carry.
The show’s co-showrunner, Gloria Calderón Kellett, was vocal about its mission. In interviews, she and Machado emphasized the importance of representing a Latino family without stereotypes . Yet, that commitment came with challenges. The series faced production hurdles, including tight budgets and the pressure to balance humor with heavy subject matter . Some critics argued the show leaned too hard into social commentary, while fans praised its authenticity.
The Netflix Cancellation: A Fan Uprising
In March 2019, Netflix dropped a bombshell: One Day at a Time was canceled after three seasons . The backlash was immediate and fierce. Social media erupted with #SaveODAAT, and TV critics lamented the loss of one of the few shows centering a Latino family . The cancellation wasn’t just about ratings—it was a symbol of broader frustrations over representation in Hollywood.
But the story didn’t end there. In a rare twist, Pop TV stepped in, reviving the series for a fourth season in 2020 . The move made One Day at a Time the first Netflix original to be saved by a traditional network—a testament to its dedicated fanbase and cultural impact.
The Legacy: More Than Just a Sitcom
Despite its short run, One Day at a Time (2017) left a lasting mark. It proved that a reboot could honor its roots while carving its own path. The show’s soundtrack, featuring original music, even gained a following , and its cast became outspoken advocates for Latino representation in media.
Yet, its cancellation in 2020—this time for good—was a bitter pill. Critics called it a step backward for diversity, with The New York Times noting the show’s absence left a void in TV’s landscape . Still, its revival saga remains a rare bright spot in an industry where fan campaigns rarely succeed.
For a series that started as a nostalgic throwback, One Day at a Time (2017) became a case study in resilience—both on-screen and off.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.