Honestly, reboots usually suck. Most of the time, they’re just cynical cash grabs designed to exploit your nostalgia for a show that was probably better left in the 1980s. But then there’s the One Day at a Time show. When Netflix first announced they were reimagining Norman Lear’s classic 1975 sitcom, people were skeptical. How do you take a show about a white divorced mom in Indianapolis and turn it into something that feels urgent in the 21st century?
You make them Cuban. You move them to Echo Park. And you hire Rita Moreno.
It’s a formula that shouldn’t have worked as well as it did. The 2017 version of One Day at a Time—led by showrunners Gloria Calderón Kellett and Mike Royce—didn't just update the jokes; it fundamentally changed the DNA of the multi-cam sitcom. It took the "very special episode" trope and stretched it across four seasons of television that felt like a punch to the gut and a warm hug at the same time. While the original ran for nine seasons on CBS, the reboot faced a rocky road, moving from Netflix to Pop TV before finally being canceled for good. Yet, its legacy is arguably more profound than the show that inspired it.
The Alvarez Family vs. The Original Formula
The original 1975 series was groundbreaking because it centered on a divorced woman, Ann Romano, raising two daughters. That was a big deal back then. Divorce was still a bit of a taboo on primetime TV. But the One Day at a Time show of the modern era upped the ante by focusing on Penelope Alvarez, played with incredible grit by Justina Machado.
Penelope isn't just a single mom; she’s an Army veteran with PTSD. This wasn't some background detail used for a one-off episode about Memorial Day. It was the core of her character. She’s a nurse. She’s a daughter. She’s a woman trying to navigate a world that doesn't always value her labor or her service.
Then you have Lydia.
If you haven’t seen Rita Moreno as Lydia Riera, you’re missing out on a masterclass in comedic timing. Lydia is the grandmother every Latino family recognizes—dramatic, fiercely religious, and prone to making everything about her. But she’s also the emotional anchor. The show constantly played with the tension between her old-school Cuban values and the progressive views of her granddaughter, Elena.
Why the Multi-Cam Format Mattered
A lot of critics say the multi-cam sitcom is dead. They want single-camera shows like The Bear or Barry that look like movies. But One Day at a Time proved that the "laugh track" (or live audience) format still has teeth.
There’s something about the staginess of a sitcom living room that makes the heavy moments feel more intimate. When Penelope has an anxiety attack in the middle of the night, or when Elena comes out to her family, the lack of cinematic "fluff" forces you to look at the actors. You’re in that apartment with them. It feels like theater. It feels real.
The Battle with Netflix and the "Save ODAAT" Movement
We have to talk about the cancellation. It was a whole thing.
Netflix canceled the show after three seasons in 2019, claiming that not enough people were watching to justify the cost. But the fans? They went nuclear. The #SaveODAAT hashtag trended for weeks. It was one of the first major instances where a streaming show was "rescued" by a traditional cable network.
Pop TV, the same network that gave Schitt’s Creek its home, picked it up for a fourth season. It was a historic move. It proved that a show’s value isn't just in raw numbers, but in its cultural impact. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench into everything. Season four was cut short, and a planned animated special was the only way they could finish the arc before the show was ultimately silenced.
It’s frustrating. You look at the junk that stays on air for ten years, and then you see a show like this—one that tackled colorism within the Latino community, the intricacies of the U.S. immigration system, and non-binary identity—get the axe twice.
Dealing with the Heavy Stuff (Without Being Preachy)
What made the One Day at a Time show special was its refusal to "gloss over" the hard parts of life. Take Schneider, the building manager. In the original series, Pat Harrington Jr.’s Schneider was a bit of a comic foil, a "handyman" who was always barging in.
The reboot’s Schneider (Todd Grinnell) is different. He’s a wealthy guy, sure, but he’s also a recovering addict. When he relapses in Season 3, it isn't played for laughs. It’s devastating. The show explores the idea of "found family" through him—showing that sometimes the people you share a hallway with are more important than the people you share a bloodline with.
And then there’s the representation of LGBTQ+ youth. Elena’s journey wasn't a "coming out" arc that ended with a parade. It was a messy, ongoing conversation. Her father’s rejection of her at her Quinceañera is one of the most heartbreaking scenes in modern television. It didn't have a tidy resolution because, in real life, those things often don't.
Specific Episodes You Need to Revisit
- "Hello, Penelope" (Season 2, Episode 9): This is the one where Penelope stops taking her antidepressants. It’s a raw, unflinching look at clinical depression. No jokes, just the reality of how hard it is to get out of bed.
- "The Quinces" (Season 1, Episode 13): The finale of the first season is a rollercoaster. It moves from the joy of a cultural milestone to the crushing weight of familial abandonment in seconds.
- "Ancestors" (Season 3, Episode 6): A great look at how different generations of immigrants view their heritage. Lydia’s pride in her Cuban roots versus Elena’s critique of history.
The Norman Lear Influence
You can't talk about this show without mentioning Norman Lear. The man was a legend. He was involved in the reboot until his passing, and his fingerprints are all over it. Lear always believed that sitcoms should be a mirror to society.
The One Day at a Time show stayed true to that mission. It didn't shy away from politics. It talked about the 2016 election. It talked about the fear of deportation. It talked about the pay gap. Some people called it "woke," but honestly? It was just honest. It was talking about the things people actually talk about at their kitchen tables.
The dialogue was snappy, sure. It had the "set up, set up, punchline" rhythm of a classic 70s show. But the subject matter was purely 21st century. It was a bridge between two eras of television.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Cancellation
People think the show failed because it was too "niche." That’s a lazy argument. The truth is more about how streaming algorithms work. Netflix doesn't care about "slow burns." They want immediate, massive hits that drive new subscriptions. One Day at a Time was a show that grew on people. It was a show people watched and rewatched for comfort.
When it moved to Pop TV, it actually did okay, but the pandemic made filming a multi-cam show with a live audience impossible. The economics just stopped making sense for a smaller network. It wasn't a lack of quality; it was a series of unfortunate events.
Why You Should Still Watch It in 2026
Even though the show ended a few years ago, it hasn't aged a day. If anything, the themes of medical debt, veteran affairs, and identity are more relevant now than they were in 2017.
It’s a rare example of a show that respects its audience's intelligence. It assumes you can handle a conversation about systemic racism and then laugh at a joke about Rita Moreno’s character hiding a giant portrait of herself behind a curtain.
It’s about resilience. That’s the core of the title, right? "One day at a time." It’s a mantra for recovery, for parenting, and for just surviving as a marginalized person in America.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Creators
If you're a writer or a fan of the medium, there are a few things to take away from the One Day at a Time show success and eventual demise:
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- Character over Concept: The "Cuban reboot" was the hook, but Penelope’s PTSD and Lydia’s vanity were why we stayed. Focus on the internal flaws of characters rather than just their external labels.
- Don't Fear the Multi-Cam: If you have strong actors, you don't need fancy camera moves. The intimacy of a single set can be your greatest strength.
- Advocate for Your Favorites: The move to Pop TV happened because the fans refused to be quiet. It changed the industry's perspective on "dead" shows.
- Nuanced Representation: Representation isn't just about putting a face on screen; it’s about the specific cultural details—like the "smack" of a chinela or the specific way coffee is made.
The Alvarez family might not be on our screens anymore, but the blueprint they left behind is still being used by shows that want to be more than just background noise. They proved that you can be funny, political, and sentimental all at once without losing your soul.
To truly appreciate the impact, look at how many "family comedies" since 2017 have tried to replicate this blend of social commentary and heart. Very few have pulled it off. Most get the "social commentary" part but forget to make the characters likable. Or they make the characters sweet but avoid anything controversial. One Day at a Time refused to choose.
If you're looking to dive back in, the first three seasons are still sitting there on Netflix, waiting to be binged. The fourth season is a bit harder to track down depending on your region, but it’s worth the hunt. Just be prepared to cry. A lot.
Whether you're coming for the nostalgia of the original or the fire of the reboot, this show remains a high-water mark for what television can achieve when it actually cares about the people it's portraying. It’s more than a sitcom; it’s a document of a specific American experience that rarely gets the spotlight.
Take the time to watch the episode "The Goodbye Guy" in Season 3. It's a perfect distillation of everything the show did right—balancing the comedy of a funeral with the genuine grief of losing a pillar of the community. It's a reminder that even when things end, the impact remains.
Keep an eye out for Gloria Calderón Kellett’s other projects as well; she’s continued to carry the torch for Latino storytelling in Hollywood. Supporting creators who actually lived the experiences they're writing about is the only way we get more shows like this. And honestly? We need more of them. The landscape of TV is crowded, but there's always room for a story told with this much heart.
Check your local streaming listings or VOD platforms to catch up on the final season. It’s the best way to honor a show that fought so hard to stay on the air.