One Day At A Time has been saved! It happens to be one of my Top Ten Shows That Actually Portray Mental Illness Accurately. PS, there are not actually ten shows in the top ten, because there are not many works of fiction of this type. At all.
Also, I hope Netflix feels a sting from this, because cancelling a critically acclaimed, utterly beloved show for what appears to be no reason whatsoever is a dick move, and the kind of one they’re doing more and more these days.
I’ve thought a lot about what happened and I’ll spare you the details about the anger, and the crying, and the weight loss, and the empty space on my wall where your picture used to be, because
I decided that there’s no point in focusing on the negatives. I’d
rather think about the good things that came from this.
One of my favorite things about season 2 of One Day at a Time is how it approaches “unreasonable behavior” sympathetically. Alex is being a dumb teenager and thinks he’s too cool for his family to be at his games? Actually, he’s been dealing with racism and is misdirecting his frustrations towards his family. Elena is upset that her Caothlic school is supportive of her forming a GSA like someone who wants to be oppressed? She just wants someone to be more hateful of her sexuality than her own father, who abandoned her without a word for being a lesbian. Lydia refuses to take the test to become a US citizen and has lied about it for years? She and her late husband couldn’t bring themselves to denounce their Cuban citizenship when they love their home country so much.
There’s just something refreshing about taking what’s usually portrayed as “irrational and emotional” and showing how some open communication can help people heal the root hurt and move forward. It’s so easy to just brush such things off, but it’s really worth it to take the time for it
Watch One Day at a Time on Netflix. 4 episodes in the next few days. 2 hours total.
For real though. We have been blessed with a glorious show that has:
- fleshed-out, not-baiting representation of various types
- sharp, specific writing that addresses Current Issues in effective and entertaining ways
- comedy that for the most part does not “punch down” / perpetuate oppression
- truly stunning acting
- KEGOT-winner and all-around deity Rita Moreno (KEGOT = Kennedy Center Honor, Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards)
- the unbelievable Justina Machado who should, and hopefully will, win all the awards for her performances in this show
- and more ~
Help us keep this show alive and get a season 3 renewal! One Day at a Time on Netflix is perfect for Gal/Pal/Valentine’s day and for every other day of every week forever. It’s one of the easiest, most enjoyable forms of activism you can do, imo. And please also spread the word!!
