One Day at A Time – A Breath of Fresh Air for Latin American Viewers

There are not many shows that address the multi-fold nuances of ethnicity, gender, and financial brackets. Such shows are relatively new. There have been some shows here and there that carry representation for the African-American communities while other ethnicities remain largely ignored in the televised content. 

In this landscape, the show we are going to talk about is a breath of fresh air. One Day at a Time combats the pre-existing stereotypes about Latin women. The characters have been derived from real people and it shows. There is a certain authenticity to colored representation in the show that does not look fabricated. 

If you have seen the show, be wary of the spoilers in this post. And if this is the case, you should go right ahead and start watching it. You can stream One Day at a Time on Netflix. This is one of those sitcoms you can binge on. 

All you need is a Netflix subscription, a device to watch on, a steady internet connection, and a comfy seat, consider your weekend made. Cox Cable facilitates a Netflix subscription and ensures a strong and reliable internet connection that lets you stream 4K videos without interruption. 

If you are watching this fantástico espectáculo and your internet starts dying on you, you don’t have to stop. Just go ahead and call Cox servicio al cliente 24 horas. Alright amigos, let’s go ahead and find out why this show was ground-breaking for the Latin community. 

1. Premise

This show revolves around a female-dominated multi-generational Cuban family. It is a twist on a television classic of the same name. Penelope, (Justina Machado) is a retired Afghan war veteran with PTSD and a single mother of two teenagers. 

Penelope’s mother, Lydia, (Rita Moreno) also lives with them and helps her around the house and the kids. She has a colorful personality. The teenagers Elena (Isabella Gomez) and Alex (Marcel Ruiz) have a set of problems with Elena’s developing sexuality and Alex’s antics.

Each character, including the landlord, Schneider, brings their genre of comic relief. However, that’s not all they bring. This show explores a lot of sensitive themes like female veterans, aging and dating, sexuality, the wage gap, mental health issues, misogyny, racism, and colorism. 

2. Why We Like It?

The reason we like this series is because it portrays Latin women in a completely different and much more realistic light. It defies Latin stereotypes. What is more is that aside from the humor, there is a lot more to be gained from this show. 

They tackle a lot of real-world issues specifically about middle-class Latin families. There is also an interesting exploration of first, second, and third-generation immigrants. There is that age-old existential dread of living with your values while evolving. 

The lack of financial liberty is one of the most deeply explored topics. The most interesting turn was a Cuban family embracing a teenager that is queer. Penelope’s divorce is also a long-standing debate in a predominantly catholic household. This also gives way to a very interesting discourse on religion itself. 

The whole angle where Penelope struggles with acknowledging her mental health concerns is very relatable to war veterans all over the globe. Add a kid that was caught abusing drugs and you have the whole nine yards. 

3. How Were They Able to Create This Authenticity?

With Norman Lear already in the picture, there was no reason why this show wouldn’t be a hit. When that is all said and done, there is also the consideration that Gloria Calderon was a co-creator. She has a Cuban-American upbringing that she draws from while developing the show. 

Another reason for this stark success is that she hires women and people of color on her show. This adds a flare of variety. This diverse writer’s room was bound to produce some awe-inspiring entertainment that is a hit with critics and viewers alike.

Summing Up

Viewers are always looking for fresh content. Especially one they can see themselves in. For very long, Latin representation in sitcoms was largely stereotypical, offensive, or generic. One Day at A Time not only broke barriers for how Latin people can be represented but also took the lid off many issues that most families have difficulty maneuvering around.

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