Cancellation of “One Day at a Time” Is a Blow to Diversity on TV

While a threeseason run isamp160certainly respectable this show isnamp8217t just another family friendly sitcomamp160 It means something at least to me and I am certain many others amp160One Day at a Time is beloved by its audience and critics alike not only because of its humor and charm but also its perpetual messaging of love and family inclusion and acceptance compassion and loyaltyIn my own household three generations crowded around the TV to binge each season as soon as it became available not only because itamp8217s a great series that all ages can enjoy but because itamp8217s one of a handful of shows with Latinx characters at the center along with Netflixamp8217s On My Block and The CWamp8217s Jane the Virginamp160which has also been cancelledamp160 My entire household is reflected in the Alvarez family amp160My nephew sees himself and his love of video games and sneakers in Alex Marcel Ruiz amp160My parents cackle at all of the oneliners by abuela Lydia amp160played to the hilt by the iconic Rita Moreno because she is so much like their own mothers amp160My sister and cousin also single moms in the medical field seeamp160so much of themselves in Penelope Justina Machado its as if the character were created just for themNot only are Latinx and Hispanics seeing themselves represented in a positive and relatable way but the issues and topics that the series takes on are relatable to people from all walks of life amp160Some episodes have lower stakes than others ranging from Elena Isabella Gomez getting her driveramp8217s license and abuela Lydia checking things off her bucket list to Penelope dealing with her anxiety and handyman Schneideramp8217s Todd Grinnell relapse into alcoholism amp160The latter two are stories in the Season 3amp160episodes titled amp8220Anxietyamp8221 and amp8220Drinking and Drivingamp8221 respectively and they are perhaps the darkest episodes of the entire seriesamp160 But they are also the most important because they exploreamp160issues that other series have glossed over or handled lightheartedly and unrealisticallyLooking back over the run of this remarkable show an important topic tackled in the Season 2 premiere colorism has me thinking about the Summer 2018 Television Critics Association tour where the One Day cast and creative team spoke at length on the issue amp160The TCA audience is comprised mostly as my editor puts it of amp8220middleaged white suburbanitesamp8221 and they had little to no idea what colorism was or that it is a major issue in Latinx and Black communities amp160A quick explanationamp160 Colorism is discrimination and prejudice against people of a certain skin color and it is most common within the personamp8217s same community amp160As someone who is of mixed Hispanic and Latinx descent part native part European I dealt with the issue growing up in an innercity school being told that I was amp8220too whiteamp8221 to be considered Latinx despite being perfectly fluent in Spanish and living in the same culture and lifestyle as my classmatesamp160 Iamp8217m not sure if my family understood what I was going through during those years but after watching that episode they got itThe episode focuses on Alex the youngest member of the Alvarez family who while on a school field trip is suspended for punching a student from another school amp160We later find out that the other student was wearing a red MAGA hat and told Alex to amp8220go back to Mexicoamp8221 though the Alvarez family is Cubanamp160 Elena realizes that she has never dealt with racial discrimination of any kind because she is amp8220white passingamp8221 and sheamp8217ll never have to face certain obstaclesamp160that Alex does because of his darker skinamp160 The show is certainly unafraid to get political which one would expect with a Cuban family at the center of the show especially with an immigrant grandmother and neighborIn Season 3 Justina Machado continues her hilariousamp160heartfelt and awardworthy portrayal of Penelope the war veteran single mom taking care of the generations above and below her while balancing work her love life and going back to school to advance in her career amp160Sheamp8217s the boisterous tough loving mom we all need in our lives only to be either supported or put in her place by her mother Lydia amp160While Lydiaamp8217s defining qualities are her theatricality and sensuality she frequently shares beautiful tender moments with her daughter grandchildren and Schneider as the matriarch of her familyMeanwhile the Alvarez kids have really come into their roles amp160A gay teen social justice warrior could trip over endless cliches and be cringeworthy but Isabella Gomez has continued to keep her portrayal of Elena as fresh as ever amp160The character and the actress have matured together going from budding teen in Season 1 to the confident and headstrong young woman at what will now be the series end amp160Elena has found herself in some much more mature situations expertly handled by the writers to remain family appropriateamp160 Indeed showrunners Gloria CalderonKellett and Mike Royce and their team often give Elena a platform to educate her family and the audience alike on topics ranging from the preferred pronouns for her nonbinary partner to use of the genderneutral term amp8220Latinxamp8221While the Alvarez family is predominantly female Alex really comes into his own this season after he is caught smoking weed and is indefinitely grounded amp160He takes on a more central role in several episodesamp160 For example in amp8220Outsideamp8221 he is taught a valuable lesson on the treatment of women not just in his family but all those around him amp160In that teachable moment we see how different the treatment of women can be from one generation to the next amp160Lydia says she prefers a man who takes the initiative while Elena wants to make sure Alex grows up treating women as equals amp160It was a beautiful take on the MeToo movement and the innocent confusion it can cause simply because we are not all the sameGrinnellamp8217s portrayal of the loveable hipster landlord Schneider excels this season as his character faces some of his biggest struggles amp160Usually played for laughs or a shoulder to cry on Schneider finds himself relapsing into alcoholism when heamp8217s practically being disowned by his dad after choosing his newfound familia over his manipulative father amp160He and Alex share a dark moment in a rather hard to watch scene but it becomes the wakeup call that Schneider needs to recapture his sobrietyAt a time where we hear constantly about how much representation matters how can a poignant relevant and acclaimed series like this one get the axe especially on a streaming service so hopelessly overcrowded with content that most of us will never see much of it and so much of it fails to break out on its own as One Day has doneamp160 Believe it or not there still arenamp8217t many such shows that revolve around Hispanics in this manneramp160 Iamp8217m holding out hope that another streaming platform or one of the broadcast or cable networks will give the series another chance amp160It is glaringly obvious that the writers and cast have so many moreamp160stories to tellamp160 Netflix is doing them all a disservice along with the Latinx community and the loyal One Day at a Time audience that has stayed with it since episode oneamp160 In fact we will all lose out if One Day at a Time39s time has truly comeClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writersamp160

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Cancellation of “One Day at a Time” Is a Blow to Diversity on TV

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Juan Ayala

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Cancellation of “One Day at a Time” Is a Blow to Diversity on TV

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