Past Seasons Discussion

[bybrandy]

I was very much, "It is way too soon for Avery to be back" but I think they wanted everything in a place in case this was the series finale and so for that I thought it was fine.  It isn't like they walk it back and have the relationship with an addict just in recovery being an issue in future episodes.  They have a nice moment but that doesn't mean everything is fixed.  Like Penelope and Max's dance didn't mean anything was fixed.  The had a nice moment but nothing had changed and they went off in their own directions.

[geekgirl921]

I just binged watched all three seasons over the weekend. I really loved it and Rita Moreno is a treasure. I really hope it gets a fourth season!

[tennisgurl]

This would be a decent way to end the show, but I am really hoping for a season four! There is so much more story to be told, and I like these characters so much, I want to keep seeing where their stories go. 

Glad that Syd was back, and while Elena is a lot, she is growing a lot and she and Syd are really cute together. They had a lot of good moments, like their awkward but sweet not first time, and when Syd called Elena out on always wanting to be doing social justice stuff and never just doing romantic teenager stuff. Elena is so well meaning, but being around her must be absolutely exhausting. She is ALWAYS on!

Generally I think that Alex is the main character who gets the short straw the most, but he had a lot of good moments this season, and while I would like to see him have more of his own arc in the next season, he did get a lot more to do, and got some good development, especially with his relationship with Elena. 

Lydia and Leslie in Cuba will be a hoot! Dr. B teaching Elena how to drive was fun, and Lydia is just the best, as always. I say it every single season, but Rita Moreno really is a god dang treasure. She has so much energy and range, and she looks amazing! Does she have a fountain of youth in her backyard, or what? 

Love that Penelope ended up being alright with being alone, and even got to see her ghost dad like Lydia got to last season! And she got her name on the door. Kind of a tough year for her, but she came out looking good. Also glad that they brought Victor back, and gave him some redemption, without ignoring what he did and how hurtful that was. 

I spent a lot of the season worried that Schneider would relapse, especially when his awful father came to visit, but it was so heartbreaking when it happened. I thought it was handled really well, without feeling like a Very Special Episode, but actually feeling like something that would happen naturally, as sad and hard to watch as it was. Penelope was really good with him though, being tough but also very supportive and empathetic, especially as Schneider has been there for her so many times. 

Also, what kind of asshole gives you kid, who you know is a recovering alcoholic, a bottle of whisky? 

"I wondered why Whizz Kalifa and Willie Nelson were on the same line up." 

""THE CASTROS HAVE FOUND ME!"

[Domestic Assassin]

This is an interesting interview with Todd Grinnell about his arc this season.

[ruby24]

It was sad that Schneider fell off the wagon, but I thought he was pretty lucky that Penelope forgave him. Him shoving and yelling at Alex like that would have been enough for me to cut him loose and not let him anywhere near my kids, to be honest. Also the fact that he becomes this really convincing and manipulative liar when he's drinking. That's a whole different side of him, but I guess she does have experience with Victor.

I don't know. It's probably me. I cannot be around people who 1) their personalities change that much with the use of alcohol/drugs, or 2) needs that much attention and care to deal with a problem like that. I mean, I guess it's one thing if the person really is family, or maybe even if you don't have other responsibilities (kids especially) that you need to look out for and can put all your energy into helping this person cope and recover. 

[ruby24]

On 2/9/2019 at 8:21 AM, Chaos Theory said:

Binged through season three and I loved how the show "went there" with both Schneider relapse and Elena's first time.  Alot of these "family" shows might have had her back out of first time sex because she wasn't ready but I really liked the way the show handled it and handled Penelope's reaction to her daughter having sex for the first time.

I liked that episode about Elena's first time, because I was fully expecting that she would eventually tell her mom that she reconsidered and didn't end up going through with it. SO many shows and sitcoms pull that with teenage sex that I was pleasantly surprised that she did do it and it was shown as a positive experience.

I also was glad that they brought up Pen's confusion about exactly how she should react, given there's no real physical risk for Elena in doing it. I was thinking the same thing! That if my daughter was going to fool around with another girl, would I even be mad about it, since she can't get pregnant or contract any diseases? She'll be totally fine. If anything, it might be kind of a relief not to have to worry, lol. 

Edited February 15, 2019 by ruby24

[Dee]

1 hour ago, ruby24 said:

Also the fact that he becomes this really convincing and manipulative liar when he's drinking. That's a whole different side of him, but I guess she does have experience with Victor.

And herself, given her own behavior when she went off her meds in Hello Penelope.

[QQQQ]

On 2/14/2019 at 6:02 PM, ruby24 said:

That if my daughter was going to fool around with another girl, would I even be mad about it, since she can't get pregnant or contract any diseases? She'll be totally fine. If anything, it might be kind of a relief not to have to worry, lol. 

True for pregnancy,  but just because it's two females doesn't guarantee protection from STDs. In fact, didn't Syd say she'd gotten tested before or after her previous girlfriend? Did Penny ask Elena if they'd been safe, tested, etc?

[Chaos Theory]

On 2/14/2019 at 6:52 PM, ruby24 said:

It was sad that Schneider fell off the wagon, but I thought he was pretty lucky that Penelope forgave him. Him shoving and yelling at Alex like that would have been enough for me to cut him loose and not let him anywhere near my kids, to be honest. Also the fact that he becomes this really convincing and manipulative liar when he's drinking. That's a whole different side of him, but I guess she does have experience with Victor.

I don't know. It's probably me. I cannot be around people who 1) their personalities change that much with the use of alcohol/drugs, or 2) needs that much attention and care to deal with a problem like that. I mean, I guess it's one thing if the person really is family, or maybe even if you don't have other responsibilities (kids especially) that you need to look out for and can put all your energy into helping this person cope and recover. 

But season 3 has been in large part showing that on a way he is family as much as Penelope hates to admire it.  Like she said at her supporter group...he gets her.  And she gets her.

Not saying I ship them but they have always been their for each other.  

[Blakeston]

15 hours ago, QQQQ said:

True for pregnancy,  but just because it's two females doesn't guarantee protection from STDs. In fact, didn't Syd say she'd gotten tested before or after her previous girlfriend? Did Penny ask Elena if they'd been safe, tested, etc?

Once Penelope's lesbian friend said that there's hardly any risk from lesbian sex, STDs were no longer treated as a concern. I thought it was a bit weird that they didn't mention dental dams. (They probably wouldn't be necessary for Elena and Syd, but if you're going to talk about safe lesbian sex, they should at least be mentioned.)

I really enjoyed the season overall. I was especially glad they didn't have Max announce that he'd decided he no longer wanted children, and so they could be together forever now.

And the non-binary heart was adorable. (I like Syd's presence, because Elena's affection for Syd is when she's at her best.)

And I really hope we get to see Lydia and Leslie in Cuba. Come on, Netflix, this show gets you lots of great press!

But there were a few things that either didn't seem plausible to me, or left me wondering.

- In the toxic masculinity episode, I didn't really buy Alex's quick turnaround. I think virtually any 15-year-old boy would have bristled at being compared to the assholes who harassed and chased his sister. I think he would have continued defending himself, and pointed out that nothing he did was remotely comparable to that.

I think it would have worked better if his turnaround happened because Elena pointed out that his girlfriend might very well have hated the boob-touching, and felt pressured to go along with it. And that Alex (presumably) didn't ask for consent before he did it.

- I felt like we should have seen what went down between Schneider and Avery that led to the breakup. Did she just break up with him the second she heard he relapsed, or was there some ugly altercation? 

- Schneider said that drinking gave him the courage to stand up to his father. But didn't he fall off the wagon after he stood up to his father? And what does it mean that Schneider and his father are done with each other? Does that mean his trust fund is gone? Does Schneider actually own the building himself? It seemed like there should have been more consequences for a trust-fund baby removing his father from his life altogether.

- Also, honestly, I'm sick of virtually every show about a working class family featuring at least one super-rich character. (Schneider on this show, Lexie on The Middle, Jill on Mom, Sabrina on Raising Hope, etc.) And frankly, the Alvarezes should be pretty well off. RNs in Los Angeles make good money, and Victor must have been paying child support.

[Dee]

2 hours ago, Blakeston said:

But didn't he fall off the wagon after he stood up to his father?

According to Todd Grinnell, Schneider began drinking before he stood up to his Dad. The alcohol was what gave him the courage to confront his father.

[Domestic Assassin]

6 hours ago, Blakeston said:

Schneider said that drinking gave him the courage to stand up to his father. But didn't he fall off the wagon after he stood up to his father?

That's what I thought at first, but when I re-watched the episode I saw that after everyone left and Schneider took the bottle out and started at it, it looks like the bottle was half empty.

[ShortyMac]

Seeing Max with Penelope again...damn it, they're so great together. I'm still not over them breaking up. Forget having kids and be together!!!!!!!! Mateo was a complete snooze. Zero chemistry. 

I'm glad that just because Victor was changing his ways, it didn't erase how he treated Elena when she came out and at her quinces. He has to work hard to earn back her respect and trust. 

I'm glad they turned Elena back down a few notches this season. 

I knew as soon as they kept mentioning Schneider's sobriety that he would relapse. That was well done by everyone. The fine detail of a using Schneider who knocks first was great. It was sad for Alex to have to find Schneider in the laundry room like that, but, he did the right thing and told his mom and abuelita. 

I'm sure we'll get a Season 4 and get to see Penelope as an NP. So awesome.

Why are Lydia and Leslie in Cuba instead of Miami???? Will they get stuck there when trying to come back to the US? I can't believe we have to wait another year to get answers.

[mcgkgm]

On 2/16/2019 at 10:41 AM, Blakeston said:

- In the toxic masculinity episode, I didn't really buy Alex's quick turnaround. I think virtually any 15-year-old boy would have bristled at being compared to the assholes who harassed and chased his sister. I think he would have continued defending himself, and pointed out that nothing he did was remotely comparable to that.

I think it would have worked better if his turnaround happened because Elena pointed out that his girlfriend might very well have hated the boob-touching, and felt pressured to go along with it. And that Alex (presumably) didn't ask for consent before he did it.

It's a pretty common tactic when discussing how not to be a jerk, to tell guys to just imagine that it's their sister/mother/etc. As though being related to a woman is the only possible way to view her as an actual human being.  So having his actual sister saying hey, this crap has happened to me, so maybe I know what I'm talking about.. followed by his actual mother relating a story from her past, and that being the moment that it clicks for Alex worked for me.

Also, iirc, they did point out that the girlfriend might have felt pressured to laugh along to keep the peace, and he did push back about that possibility until Elena and Penelope disclosed the harassment they'd experienced.

Edited February 18, 2019 by mcgkgm
clarity

[ruby24]

I actually thought they could have made Penelope's sexual harassment story even worse, considering it was the military. I have heard some serious horror stories about women in the military (and men!) suffering serial rape and assault. There's a really big problem with predators in the military. I guess they think that's too dark for the show, but it would have been realistic.

[ShortyMac]

This is in danger of being canceled. 😞 Everyone watch!

https://ew.com/tv/2019/02/21/one-day-at-a-time-renew-plea-appreciation/

[Dee]

How does this show keep ending up on the verge of cancellation?

[Racj82]

They could be pivoting away from these sitcom revivals. Fuller House is a wrap after their next season.

[Eeksquire]

This show is one of the refuges from tv's obsession with antiheroes - which, while I Get It, it's enough already.  I keep trying to get people to watch it to no avail.

[AllAboutMBTV]

I can't get anyone to watch this show either, even after singing Rita Moreno's praises to the sky. And while I hope there are at least two or three more seasons (Penelope+Max 4evah!), if there aren't I won't have the insanely catchy earworm of the theme song stuck in my head for days anymore. (Well done, Gloria Estefan!)

[bybrandy]

I have told so many people about this show and they all roll their eyes.  I cannot get any purchase getting people to watch.  

[MsNewsradio]

I just started watching last week. Binged the entire thing (repeatedly...I can’t believe I wasn’t watching before now), and now I’ve gotten my sister started doing the same. Hoping to get a few more converts amongst my friends this weekend - they’re always looking for show suggestions.

[auntiemel]

I started watching the show when it first came out and gave up on it. When I say started, I mean maybe ten minutes and then I turned it off. I just couldn't get past the multi-cam sitcom laugh-tracky vibe. But then when I saw articles and social media posts about the big push for people to watch because of the cancellation danger, I decided to give it another try. I'm in the middle of Season 2 now and loving it!

[ShortyMac]

33 minutes ago, auntiemel said:

I started watching the show when it first came out and gave up on it. When I say started, I mean maybe ten minutes and then I turned it off. I just couldn't get past the multi-cam sitcom laugh-tracky vibe. But then when I saw articles and social media posts about the big push for people to watch because of the cancellation danger, I decided to give it another try. I'm in the middle of Season 2 now and loving it!

There's no laugh track, they shoot it with a live audience. :) Glad you gave it another chance and are loving it.

[auntiemel]

5 hours ago, ShortyMac said:

There's no laugh track, they shoot it with a live audience. 🙂

I know that, that's why I said a "laugh-tracky vibe" instead of a laugh track.

[tennisgurl]

It’s such a great show, such a unique mix of old school sitcom with modern issues and comedic timing. I feel like there’s so much for so many people, I want as many seasons as we can get!

[LisaM]

Just finished Season 3. In love with this show. 

Teared up when Victor apologized to Elena for skipping out on her dance at the Quinces and asked her to dance at the wedding. 

Loved seeing Penelope's woman in white be her graduation and loved how the family was cheering her just as they cheered for Alex at the baseball game. 

We need a Season 4!!

[ShortyMac]

3 hours ago, LisaM said:

Loved seeing Penelope's woman in white be her graduation and loved how the family was cheering her just as they cheered for Alex at the baseball game. 

Tito was there, too, being around more, like he promised. :)

EDIT: I agree with this article.

Netflix's 'One Day at a Time' Needs to Rethink How They Portray Elena ASAP

http://www.femestella.com/one-day-at-time-review-season-3/

Edited March 5, 2019 by ShortyMac

[Eeksquire]

I think the crux of that article is this:

Quote

I’ll be completely honest, this is exactly how I used to be back in the day when I became more politically aware of what was going on around me.

Elena strikes me as very real because she's sixteen.  If her interest were music, and she was overly pedantic about the differences between albums or bands or whatever, she would be just as annoying, but less of a target for this kind of article.  Teenagers who are REALLY INTO SOMETHING tend to be REALLY INTO IT no matter the subject. 

That said, if they get another season (fingers crossed), I think they'll need to allow her to grow up and relax a little.  It would be interesting if they started to morph Alex into a little bit more of that, though he hasn't demonstrated any specific passionate interest in anything but sneakers.

[Aliconehead]

3 hours ago, Eeksquire said:

I think the crux of that article is this:

Elena strikes me as very real because she's sixteen.  If her interest were music, and she was overly pedantic about the differences between albums or bands or whatever, she would be just as annoying, but less of a target for this kind of article.  Teenagers who are REALLY INTO SOMETHING tend to be REALLY INTO IT no matter the subject. 

That said, if they get another season (fingers crossed), I think they'll need to allow her to grow up and relax a little.  It would be interesting if they started to morph Alex into a little bit more of that, though he hasn't demonstrated any specific passionate interest in anything but sneakers.

My niece is 17 y/o and a pain the ass about certain things she is totally into.  She is Elena but with a focus on Socialism

[tennisgurl]

Elena is annoying because Elena is super real honesty 🙂 

A lot of teenagers I know are very much like her (I probably was too) who have just found about about social justice and are super excited about changing the world and calling out every bad thing ever, and while I admire that energy, it can also be SUPER annoying, as they have no interest in nuance and context, and love to lecture everyone about how they are right and everyone else is wring forever and ever, and they are always on. Most people grow out of it when they get older, and they find ways to use their passion for activism in more helpful ways, so I assume Elena will to.

[bybrandy]

I like Elena because she is a lot.  I was that person (different issues but same obnoxious passion) and when I see characters like her they make me smile and make me want to appologize to everybody who knew me when I was her age.   

[Pete Martell]

On 3/4/2019 at 10:13 PM, ShortyMac said:

Tito was there, too, being around more, like he promised. 🙂

EDIT: I agree with this article.

Netflix's 'One Day at a Time' Needs to Rethink How They Portray Elena ASAP

http://www.femestella.com/one-day-at-time-review-season-3/

I was in the middle of writing up a lengthy season 3 review (it got lost) and one of the positive moments was how they've portrayed Elena this season. I feel like they addressed what this person was talking about, as there was an entire episode devoted to Sid being fed up of Elena only caring about causes and not just having a mindless fun time. 

The toxic masculinity episode was clunky (although not as clunky as last season's gun episode) and her conflict with Alex in the episode with Penelope's magically appearing long-lost brother (my least favorite episode of the season and one of my least favorite of the series) was also irritating, but for the most part I thought they got back on track with Elena and rounded her out.

The episode where she and Sid made love was very tastefully done, and avoided the safe route of "we decided to wait...(and then we will never mention this ever again)." I also thought the last episodes of the season, which deftly balanced her accepting her father's love and resenting that she had to suppress how much he'd hurt her, were beautifully done. We also got to see Elena in other positive contexts, like when she encouraged Leslie to reconcile with his daughter. And the season premiere also called out her militancy, in a very smart, natural way, during the scenes with her cousin. 

Of everything with Elena with season 3, they didn't pay any mind to any of this...? 

Edited March 7, 2019 by Pete Martell

[ShortyMac]

Can Busy Tonight and a Plane Save One Day at a Time from Cancellation?

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/03/busy-philipps-one-day-at-a-time-season-4

On Thursday night, Busy Philipps welcomed Moreno, her One Day at a Time co-star Justina Machado, and their executive producer Gloria Calderón Kellett to her E! late-night show, Busy Tonight. The mission was simple: get One Day at a Time renewed for a fourth season. In addition to discussing the many charms of the series, Philipps also took things one step further, hiring a plane to fly around Netflix’s headquarters with a large banner that read, “Renew One Day at a Time!”

Busy going hard to help with renewal! Love it.

Edited March 9, 2019 by ShortyMac

[crashdown]

Dammit.

[Door County Cherry]

I dreaded seeing a new post in here. Not happy but expected give Netflix's aversion to outside studios. This show is so good.   It's probably unlikely but I hope it lands elsewhere.

[bybrandy]

This saddens me but I'm not surprised.  It is such a good show.

[atomic]

Man. This is one of the best shows out there. I don't get this way about many cancellations, but I'm so genuinely bummed about this.

[ShortyMac]

I'm pissed.

[LadyNebula]

Son of a bitch. What a waste!

[bybrandy]

#saveodaat is trending on twitter world wide.   But, you know, nobody watched it.

[ShortyMac]

1 minute ago, bybrandy said:

#saveodaat is trending on twitter world wide.   But, you know, nobody watched it.

And trending #1. I saw that TPTB are going to see if another network will pick it up. Here's hoping.

[atomic]

Shouts to Lin-Manuel Miranda for leading the push to save it:

[Chaos Theory]

There is maybe a dozen comedies that I really like so when one of them gets cancelled get bummed.   That being said this one did at least end in a fairly decent place.  That also being said Netflix has a habit of cancelling shows with LGBTQ characters on it after only a couple seasons.   You don’t get points for putting the shows on if you cancel them after a season.  

[tennisgurl]

This is so typical of Netflix. They make a big deal about the shows they put out, especially if they feature LGBTQ and/or POC representation, but if they dont turn into mega hits, they stop promoting them, and cancel them quietly after a few seasons. I am still super salty about Sense8, even if we did get a movie after much campaigning.

I am really sad about this, such a great show, one of the best comedy's on television on right now. But yeah, its trending around the world, but nobody watched. And maybe it would have helped if you ever promoted your show after the first season? Just an idea...

But its not over until the fans say its over! Come on, save us Lin-Manuel! 

Edited March 14, 2019 by tennisgurl

[Pete Martell]

I'm not surprised, but I'm still disappointed. I have very, very few reasons why I keep Netflix at this point, and I just lost one of the biggest. I am more and more wary of Netflix and the dangerous messages of the shows they are prioritizing. 

I think in their heart they probably knew this was the end - the last episode felt like a finale and the woman who brought the show back even had the large guest appearance as Victor's new wife - but it still feels like we never got the goodbye we deserved. 

I'm most disappointed because the last season wasted so much time with Penelope. I don't understand why there was so much focus on her dating a boring guy, an uninteresting and repetitive storyline that just sort of petered out. The finale had her finally moving on from her past relationships, but it still felt like something we'd already seen, and it left her on a frustratingly incomplete note. 

Anyway, Rita Moreno is breaking my heart:

[ShortyMac]

Almost 550K tweets of #SaveODAAT and counting...

[Was-MArsenault]

https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/the-wrap/article/One-Day-at-a-Time-Canceled-by-Netflix-After-13688755.php

It's being shopped around to other places.

Edited March 15, 2019 by MikaelaArsenault

[Lois Sandborne]

Fuck Netflix.

I let out an involuntary wail yesterday morning when I saw the news, and Rita's post has just made me sad all over again.

Lots of people are putting all the hope eggs in the NBC basket, and for sure, fingers crossed for any network that swoops in and saves this gem, but I haven't seen anyone mention ABC/Freeform.  It seems like ODAAT would be a natural fit for one of their family show blocks. I would totally watch it after Fresh Off the Boat or The Goldbergs, etc.

[ShortyMac]

Sign the petition! 

https://www.change.org/p/netflix-renew-one-day-at-a-time-for-season-4-1c7b4518-12ab-47a0-bd85-3cb415077473