Cancellation of ‘One Day at a Time’ Cuts Scarce Airtime for Taboo Topics
By Teresa Fanzo
Netflix announced the cancellation of “One Day at a Time” on March 12th. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
“One Day at a Time,” a Netflix original series that began its run in Jan. 2017, highlights the struggles of an underrepresented community. In advocating for equality by addressing serious concerns in today’s political climate, it broaches controversial topics like mental health, LGBTQ+ rights, Veterans’ rights, environmental concerns, racism, sexism, addiction and more. After airing for three seasons, these subjects combined with the show’s low ratings have resulted in its cancellation.
The show’s namesake, Norman Lear’s 1975 “One Day at a Time,” served as the inspiration for its plot. It follows the lives of Penelope Alvarez, portrayed by Justina Machado; her two children Alex (Marcel Ruiz) and Elena (Isabella Gomez); and their grandmother Lydia, played by Rita Moreno. The landlord of their apartment complex is a supporting character and often provides comedic relief. Further humorous charm comes from many jokes and the goofy character, Schneider.
By documenting the hardships that the Cuban-American family faces and how they overcome them together, “One Day at a Time” caters to an underrepresented audience. There are few other shows that convey concerns about these serious issues, which means it will be especially missed by its fans.
“I like that the show brings up taboo topics, but makes them relatable and sometimes funny because it makes it easier to talk about them,” said freshman and Macaulay Honors biology major, Samantha DiDonato.
In one episode, Alex goes on a date with a girl and posts inappropriate photos to his fake Instagram, also known as Finsta. Penelope, who is constantly working to provide her children with good life lessons, is outraged by the content of the photos. Subsequently, the family confronts Alex when he returns home. At first, he does not see that what he has done is wrong. Lydia, whom they refer to as Abuelita, plays devil’s advocate by maintaining that Alex has done no wrong and that “boys will be boys.”
“I like that the show brings up taboo topics, but makes them relatable and sometimes funny.”
- Samantha DiDonato, a Macaulay Honors freshman
In an emotionally charged scene, his older sister Elena shares the story of when she had to run home with her significant or “sydnificant” other because they were being stalked. The mother then admits that she too had been in an uncomfortable situation in a work environment. It is then that Alex understands his wrongdoings and apologizes.
Netflix tweeted on Mar. 12, 2019, “We’ve made the very difficult decision not to renew ‘One Day at a Time’ for a fourth season … In the end simply not enough people watched to justify another season.”