Are you watching "One Day at a Time"?
Thursday, January 12, 2017 at 12:46PM By Nathaniel R
Have you taken a break from all the awards season madness, to watch Netflix's remake of One Day at a Time? I didn't think I'd like it due to a laugh track (which, I am not excusing) but it's a good enough show that I survived the canned giggles and often enough covered them audibly with my own. It's a straightforward remake of the 70s sitcom but for the following changes...
The family is now second generation Cuban-Americans and instead of two daughters one of the teenagers is now a son. Also the single mom (Justina Machado of Six Feet Under fame) now has live-in assistance from her own widowed mother (the incomparable Rita Moreno). Despite being based on a 70s sitcom the show it most calls to mind is actually the 80s era Roseanne due to its willingness to confront everyday real issues (like financial difficulties, healthcare, homophobia, immigration debates) in the lives of its characters -- and not just as sidebar one-off episodes like a Golden Girls -- and its use of sometimes abrasive wit to avoid excess sentimentality.
In addition to the instantly endearing central family, the show gets fairly good milage out of its recurring characters, especially the daughter's best friend Carmen, not-so-affectionately nicknamed "Latina Twilight". If you're watching the show you must read Joe Reid's awesome tribute to her character.
For what it's worth I seem to be alone in thinking that the laugh track is a huge problem. People rallied on Twitter when I ARGH'ed about it and Vulture published a well thought-out piece on the show's sly use of the entirely old school sitcom format (laugh track, furniture, and beyond). I love the show but I'm so hard core on this one issue that I'd honestly I'd rather have it fail completely than for it to help make the critical waters safe for laugh tracks again. I thought HBO sitcoms had saved us from this aural blight.
P.S. The actress who plays Carmen, Ariela Barer, posted this on twitter and you must see it since it delights our actressexual Oscar fixation.
We definitely won/earned this Oscar and didn't just pose with Rita Moreno's pic.twitter.com/18C8rXKHg0
— Ariela Barer (@Ariela_Barer) September 2, 2016
Reader Comments (10)
Just finished the show last night, and loved it. Towards the end I almost wanted less serialization - it really narrowed the focus to one main topic - but it was so well executed that I wasn't complaining much.
I'm in favor of laugh tracks - not for every show, of course, but they don't usually bother me. And to be absolutely unable to tolerate laugh tracks discounts such a massive chunk of TV history. Imperfect analogy, but to me it's a little like when people refuse to watch black and white movies. Still, I get that it's all subjective, taste is what it is, etc.
I haven't seen it yet, but am a huge fan of Justina Machado from Six Feet Under. I'm down for this one. Also, I love Gloria's version of that fantastic theme song--Conga, indeed.
I'm so happy for Justina Machado.
Watched the first episode but did not love it, maybe it's a grower. Will give it a second chance.
V. i had trouble getting through the first 2 episodes (because of the laughtrack) but i was hooked by the 3rd which is just a really well structured classic sitcom episode.
Gave up within about 30 seconds when I realized there was a laugh track. Sorry!
Love Machado from SFU. Will definitely be giving it a chance despite its laugh track.
Another remake? I would've preferred to see Mackenzie Phillips as a single mom with visits from sister Valerie B.
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