I'm not exactly sure what year I started watching One Day at a Time but I am sure that in terms of quality,it's right up there with the other Norman Lear classics that ran between 1971 to 1985. It may not have gotten the Emmy nods like those other shows but that doesn't mean that it lacked in quality.
Much like my own mother back in 1977,in 1975 Ann Ramano was divorced and moved her children to a new city to start over. I know some here say Bonnie Franklin is not that great an actress but what I feel is that she was chosen because she wasn't a household name and that makes her character more convincing. A well known actress might have overshadowed what the writers were going for.
She truly does act like a real mother in this show,imperfections and all. She right as a parent can be but she makes errors too. She's as one of many mothers of that time dealing with a rebellious teen and younger teen getting mixed messages.
MacKenzie Phillips as Julie was perfect to play the rebellious daughter,not because of her real life problems but because she had already seen these things first hand as the daughter of John and Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & The Papas 60s vocal group. It's only an unfortunate situation that her real drug use disrupted the series,leading finally to the writers having Julie run away for good from her husband and family.
Valrie Bertenelli did a good job as the "good girl" Barbra who has to put up with big sis's attitude about her being "mom's favorite". Then,like now it's difficult being a good kid when others around you seem to do as they please. Valrie brought this out in her character really well.
Then there's the great comic relief from the serious situations at hand,the building's super Dwayne Schneider played by Pat Harrigton Jr. (look for him as the head of "The Phone Comany" in the classic comedy "The President's Analyst". ) Well remembered for his line "please always remember and don't ever forget ..etc." He originally was always trying to hit on Ann but later became a friend and ally for the family of 3 women and one of best characters.
In fact,he was the subject of the final show of the series. In May 1984,after Ann re-married and moved to England for a new career and all had moved on in the 2nd to last show....his character moves to Florida to help take care of relatives living there. (Meant possibly as a pilot for a spin-off that never happened.)
Overall,the show dealt with real issues,teen rebellion sex,drinking,drugs,emotional problems of both teens and adults and many other serious subjects. A reviewer long ago called this show a "fluke" hit. There's nothing accidental about the show's long run and popularity. Women needed a voice on TV at that time and along with The Bunker ladies,Maude Findlay,Alice Hyatt and Mary Tyler Moore...Ann Ramano and daughters were right up there in importance.
This and shows like these will never exist again,only because back then there was that need to show women as more than a housewife.
In today's TV landscape,women are strong without having it needed to be proved to the masses.
For all of these reasons I've written about,I give "One Day At A Time" 10 stars. It's one of the greatest of a great era of television...oh,and a snappy theme song to boot! (END)
04/23/2015 > Now currently airing on Antenna TV!!
Much like my own mother back in 1977,in 1975 Ann Ramano was divorced and moved her children to a new city to start over. I know some here say Bonnie Franklin is not that great an actress but what I feel is that she was chosen because she wasn't a household name and that makes her character more convincing. A well known actress might have overshadowed what the writers were going for.
She truly does act like a real mother in this show,imperfections and all. She right as a parent can be but she makes errors too. She's as one of many mothers of that time dealing with a rebellious teen and younger teen getting mixed messages.
MacKenzie Phillips as Julie was perfect to play the rebellious daughter,not because of her real life problems but because she had already seen these things first hand as the daughter of John and Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & The Papas 60s vocal group. It's only an unfortunate situation that her real drug use disrupted the series,leading finally to the writers having Julie run away for good from her husband and family.
Valrie Bertenelli did a good job as the "good girl" Barbra who has to put up with big sis's attitude about her being "mom's favorite". Then,like now it's difficult being a good kid when others around you seem to do as they please. Valrie brought this out in her character really well.
Then there's the great comic relief from the serious situations at hand,the building's super Dwayne Schneider played by Pat Harrigton Jr. (look for him as the head of "The Phone Comany" in the classic comedy "The President's Analyst". ) Well remembered for his line "please always remember and don't ever forget ..etc." He originally was always trying to hit on Ann but later became a friend and ally for the family of 3 women and one of best characters.
In fact,he was the subject of the final show of the series. In May 1984,after Ann re-married and moved to England for a new career and all had moved on in the 2nd to last show....his character moves to Florida to help take care of relatives living there. (Meant possibly as a pilot for a spin-off that never happened.)
Overall,the show dealt with real issues,teen rebellion sex,drinking,drugs,emotional problems of both teens and adults and many other serious subjects. A reviewer long ago called this show a "fluke" hit. There's nothing accidental about the show's long run and popularity. Women needed a voice on TV at that time and along with The Bunker ladies,Maude Findlay,Alice Hyatt and Mary Tyler Moore...Ann Ramano and daughters were right up there in importance.
This and shows like these will never exist again,only because back then there was that need to show women as more than a housewife.
In today's TV landscape,women are strong without having it needed to be proved to the masses.
For all of these reasons I've written about,I give "One Day At A Time" 10 stars. It's one of the greatest of a great era of television...oh,and a snappy theme song to boot! (END)
04/23/2015 > Now currently airing on Antenna TV!!