The Netflix Sitcom Reboot You Need to Be Watching

Netflix’s reboot of the 1970’s classic sitcom One Day at a Time passes the test of the TV revival craze, and fans can’t get enough.

The TV line-up is absolutely full of reboots these days. Will and Grace has returned as one of the most popular shows on NBC, American Idol has returned to the dominate competition reality shows, and on Tuesday, Roseanne returns in a special 1-hour episode.

Netflix has done its best to get in on that market. They have a huge, improbable success with Fuller House, which is still going strong after three seasons on the streaming service. This year, they also brought fans a new and improved version of Queer Eye, addressing cultural perspectives on sexuality in a whole new way.

In January, they launched another new endeavor with a fresh season of One Day at a Time. The original sitcom aired on CBS from 1975 to 1984. It focused on a divorced mother raising her two teenage daughters in Indianapolis. It was created by Whitney Blake and Allan Mannings, and developed by Normal Lear, the mind behind some of the biggest TV hits in American history.

Lear pitched in on this new outing as well. This time, the show centers around a Cuban-American family living in Los Angeles. A veteran and single mother, Penelope Riera Alvarez (Justina Machado,) struggles with PTSD, anxiety and depression from her time in the United States Army Nurse Corps.

She fights to keep her household running as she raises her teenage daughter, Elena (Isabella Gomez,) and her son, Alejandro (Marcel Ruiz.) This time, the ensemble also includes Penelope’s mother, Lydia Riera (Rita Moreno,) who lives with the family.

The first season of the One Day at a Time reboot was released in January of 2017. It was renewed later that year, and at the end of Janury of 2018, season 2 premiered.

The response to the show has been huge, and on Monday, March 26, Netflix ordered a third season of the sitcom.

The show has been lauded for its grounded, realistic treatment of cultural clash and economic disparity. It has also weaved the highway cones of different ideas surrounding LGBTQ rights and gender equality, mental health, and aging gracefully. At the same time, the show features relatable, accessible characters who are working class and connected to the military.

The show’s return is highly anticipated already, and many fans applauded Netflix for seeing what they have and ordering a new season so quickly.