Parents' Guide to

One Day at a Time

By Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Worthy update of classic sitcom has heart.

TV Netflix Comedy 2017
One Day at a Time Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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age 12+

Based on 34 parent reviews

dloconto
dloconto Parent of 11, 12 and 13-year-old
October 17, 2022
age 12+

Hearfelt and funny! I highly recommend even for kids 12 and up!

7th and 8th graders should have already had "the talk" at home and in school and should be able to handle and understand the topics. A lot of my students have already dealt with parents with addiction and this show openly discusses the subject and the struggles involved which makes them understand the issue even more. So there's a few swears; so what? That's how some people talk and worse. I personally don't and neither do my kids but they heard plenty of swears growing up. For young teens, this show will make them laugh, cry and perhaps become better; more understanding of others, more empathetic. They will learn about Cuba's culture and how festive, religious, and controlling a Hispanic abuela is! And everybody should know that Rita Moreno who portrays the abuela is an iconic legend from Puerto Rico. I highly suggest reading her bio online - a fascinating life! One of her biggest accomplishments is that she became the first (and only?) Hispanic to have won an Emmy, a Golden Globe, an Oscar and a Tony. Rita Moreno IS the show and she is hilarious. I highly recommend it!

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
Charis M.
Charis M. Parent
March 18, 2023
age 13+

Should be TV-14

With it being rated PG I had different expectations, luckily I was in the room as we began watching this show. My 10 year old was not ready to hear rape and mention of porn (with the actual noises of porn playing). Rape was mentioned so casually like it isn't serious. Hooking up was mentioned and a girl in underwear walks out of back bedroom, mention of sex was constant. Not just hinting, but more like, "you want to have sex with me when you have a girl in your bed". Just too brash of a show and I find the rating low. This should definitely be watched as a family so conversations can be had if need be and I think it would be better for upper middle and high school.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
See all 34 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Loosely based on the classic 1970s–'80s sitcom by revered producer Norman Lear, ONE DAY AT A TIME revolves around a multigenerational Cuban-American family. Penelope (Justine Machado) is a former soldier and currently a nurse who's recently separated from her husband. She lives in an apartment with her tough-minded traditionalist mom Lydia (Rita Moreno), her radically feminist teen daughter, Elena (Isabella Gomez), and smooth-character tween son, Alex (Marcel Ruiz). Her apartment building's louche handyman Schneider (Todd Grinnell) drops by to flirt with Penelope and fix things up, too. The updated sitcom was written by Gloria Calderon Kellett (How I Met Your Mother) and Mike Royce (Everybody Loves Raymond) and produced by Lear.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (34):
Kids say (105):

Sweet and fitfully amusing, this sitcom redo could have been a painfully awkward throwback, but appealing actors and good writing give it new life. Fans of the original sitcom may get a bit nervous during the show's theme song, same as the original but given Latin instrumentation and played while "Latin-y" images of salsa dancers and rosaries show on-screen. Uh-oh -- is this going to be stale old sitcom jokery with the occasional Spanish word thrown in?

Thankfully, no. Though many of the lines have old-sitcom beats (and are punctuated by the laugh-track-ish giggles of the live studio audience), they're imbued with enough heart to make them land. When Penelope has a tough couple of days arguing with her daughter over her upcoming quinceañera and with her son over school clothes, she rants to her mother about how miserable she is without her husband: "Sometimes you just need someone to give you a hug and say 'I got you.'" Her mother, a priceless Moreno, holds out her arms. "I'm very strong," she tells her daughter. "I've been doing my yoga." Even cynical viewers might find themselves misting up a little. The dilemmas and lines in One Day at a Time may be sitcom-y, but the family togetherness is sweet, making this update great whole-family fare with both laughs and feeling.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how One Day at a Time compares with other family-centered shows. Does the content seem more or less realistic than that in others? Do the central relationships seem nontraditional to you? How are they different from other sitcom families?

  • How do the characters in One Day at a Time demonstrate empathy, communication, and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?

  • Have you watched the original sitcom on which this is loosely based? Why would the update center on a Latino family? How does this make the show more modern? How does this show fit in with other popular shows about families about ethnic or racial minorities such as Black-ish, The Goldbergs, and Fresh Off the Boat?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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