One Day At A Time returns for a new season later this week and it’s a very welcome return.
For those who haven’t seen the show, One Day At A Time focuses on the Alverez family, led by single mum Penelope (Justina Macado, Jane The Virgin) is an army veteran. Her mother, Lydia (Rita Moreno, Happily Divorced), has also come to live with her to help raise her children, Elena (Isabella Gomez) and Alex (Marcel Ruiz). They also have an annoying but caring landlord Schneider (Todd Grinnell).
When we left them at the end of season two, Lydia had suffered a stroke but managed to make it to her American Citizenship ceremony, along with Schneider.
Season three, which one again consists of 13 half hour instalments, sees Lydia continue to recover from her stroke. Not wanting to lose her sparkle, Penelope decides to face the dating scene once again whilst continuing to parent. The children also get their own stories, which I won’t spoil here.
Now in it’s third season, One Day At A Time has never shone away from tackling tough issues like sexuality, racism and PTSD, just to name a few, and season three is no exception, with the second episode ‘Outside’ tackling the #MeToo movement in an episode that is hard to forget.
The season premiere, which deals with a death in the family, allows us to expand the family onscreen and introduces us to Mirtha (Gloria Estefan), Lydia’s youngest sister who she’s still feuding with over a lost family mantilla, a lace shawl that is traditionally handed down through generations and used in weddings. Danny Pinto also joins the cast as Tito, Penelope’s brother.
The creators, Gloria Calderon Kellett and Mike Royce, have once again delivered a season full of laughs and emotional moments in equal measure.
If you haven’t been introduced to the Alverez, do yourself a favour and set aside a weekend. If you have, get ready for more adventure and a near perfect season with your favourite Netflix family.
4/5 Stars
One Day At A Time season 3 premieres this Friday on Netflix.
