I'll admit, I didn't like this show right away. My initial impression of it was that it had a bland, melba toast cast, like The Brady Bunch. However, after doing research, I found out it was the first sitcom to portray a divorced, single mom, and that's when I became interested. I don't fit the typical demographic of a person who watches classic stuff - I'm young and liberal (well, not as liberal as some people. I'm a Christian, and I'm not big on profanity or sex scenes in films) - so I enjoy older TV shows that are relevant to the current time.
Following her divorce, Ann Romano (Bonnie Franklin) moves her two daughters Julie (MacKenzie Phillips) and Barbara (Valerie Bertinelli) from Logansport, Indiana to Indianapolis. The show addressed various issues, such as problems in school and the workplace, substance abuse, sexual harassment, as well as happy, life-changing events, namely marriage and the births of children. Once I started watching more closely, I began to see how exceptional and believable the acting was. It's a realistic depiction of the struggles that comprises single parenting, which most often falls on women after a divorce. I started out thinking Mackenzie Phillips and Valerie Bertinelli as sisters was ridiculous. They're the fakest looking siblings in television history. There's absolutely no resemblance between them. In fact, the first time I watched an episode, I thought they were supposed to be friends. But once I saw this show for what it was (groundbreaking for its challenge of societal expectations at the time), I was able to look past that. And besides, I know two pairs of sisters who look nothing alike. In both cases, one looks exactly like their father, and the other looks exactly like their mother. Genetics can be weird sometimes, so actors or actresses who are playing brothers/sisters but look like night and day isn't far-fetched.
My only complaint is Dwayne Schneider (Pat Harrington Jr.), the apartment building superintendent, is a blabbermouth. Most of the stuff he says is dumb. Well, then again, maybe it's not that he talks too much. His talking would be less annoying if his comments weren't so lame. However, he's not bad enough to turn you off from watching the show, but that's just my opinion. Nonetheless, One Day at a Time is funny but also poignant. Despite all of the attention that's being placed on DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), I still don't see it reflected on TV. Yeah, there's more BIPOC and gay people on television, but characterizations are still relatively outdated. Females in sitcoms are just as helpless and ridiculous as they were in the 1950s (one who comes to mind is Howard's girlfriend on The Big Bang Theory, Bernadette. Her voice even sounds like a chipmunk. Just an incredibly childish and silly character for a 21st century show). Oh well, not like I should've expected much. The US is slow with things. For now, I have access to vintage TV shows that help me take a break from this zombie time. Highly recommend to anyone who's a Norman Lear fan, or just loves the dramedy genre in general.
Following her divorce, Ann Romano (Bonnie Franklin) moves her two daughters Julie (MacKenzie Phillips) and Barbara (Valerie Bertinelli) from Logansport, Indiana to Indianapolis. The show addressed various issues, such as problems in school and the workplace, substance abuse, sexual harassment, as well as happy, life-changing events, namely marriage and the births of children. Once I started watching more closely, I began to see how exceptional and believable the acting was. It's a realistic depiction of the struggles that comprises single parenting, which most often falls on women after a divorce. I started out thinking Mackenzie Phillips and Valerie Bertinelli as sisters was ridiculous. They're the fakest looking siblings in television history. There's absolutely no resemblance between them. In fact, the first time I watched an episode, I thought they were supposed to be friends. But once I saw this show for what it was (groundbreaking for its challenge of societal expectations at the time), I was able to look past that. And besides, I know two pairs of sisters who look nothing alike. In both cases, one looks exactly like their father, and the other looks exactly like their mother. Genetics can be weird sometimes, so actors or actresses who are playing brothers/sisters but look like night and day isn't far-fetched.
My only complaint is Dwayne Schneider (Pat Harrington Jr.), the apartment building superintendent, is a blabbermouth. Most of the stuff he says is dumb. Well, then again, maybe it's not that he talks too much. His talking would be less annoying if his comments weren't so lame. However, he's not bad enough to turn you off from watching the show, but that's just my opinion. Nonetheless, One Day at a Time is funny but also poignant. Despite all of the attention that's being placed on DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), I still don't see it reflected on TV. Yeah, there's more BIPOC and gay people on television, but characterizations are still relatively outdated. Females in sitcoms are just as helpless and ridiculous as they were in the 1950s (one who comes to mind is Howard's girlfriend on The Big Bang Theory, Bernadette. Her voice even sounds like a chipmunk. Just an incredibly childish and silly character for a 21st century show). Oh well, not like I should've expected much. The US is slow with things. For now, I have access to vintage TV shows that help me take a break from this zombie time. Highly recommend to anyone who's a Norman Lear fan, or just loves the dramedy genre in general.