This What to Watch Wednesday, in the face of an incredibly polar and political world, I present to you a sitcom reboot that may just be the key to finding our better selves—“One Day at a Time.”
I hesitate to call it a reboot because of the stigma, but seeing as Norman Lear, who developed the original show, was just as involved with this reimagination, it’s hard to judge it too harshly on that front. Also, it’s pure joy, so it has that going for it too…
This “One Day at a Time” tells the story of a Cuban-American family in L.A. and is relevant in many super-heavy, super-political ways. It takes those issues and tackles them head-on with a smile on its face. From immigration to green cards (Cuban and Canadian) to “non-traditional” families (have you met a traditional one?) to civic responsibility, this show has tackled it all (and it’s only two seasons in).
What’s truly miraculous is that it’s never heavy-handed with those messages, but it is clear. It drives them home not with fear but with hope and optimism…and Rita Moreno (who just makes everything more amazing, simply by being there).
And as a bonus, “One Day at a Time” is proof that the traditional sitcom format can still work and can still be relevant.
…bi-daily smile…
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