Prior to 2017, if anyone had asked me to name my favorite American TV mom, I would have had a lot of moms to pick from and it would have taken me some time to narrow down my choices. Top contenders would have been Carol Brady from The Brady Bunch, Florida Evans from Good Times, Lorelai Gilmore from Gilmore Girls, Tami Taylor from Friday Night Lights, and Rainbow Johnson from Black-ish – not necessarily in that order. But post-2017, in 2020 to be exact, when I was actually asked to name my favorite American mom on TV for an episode of the podcast America’s Moms and What They Taught Us, the choice was a no-brainer for me. There were only two moms at the very tippity top of my list, both of them from One Day at a Time: Lydia Riera and Penelope Alvarez.
To be clear, I’m talking about the 2017 reboot or more like reimagining of One Day at a Time. I am familiar with the original version of ODAAT that aired between 1975–1984. It’s about a single mom raising two daughters. I remember watching the show when I was growing up and liking it, but the character of Ann Romano as played by Bonnie Franklin would have never made it onto my list of favorite TV moms, even though I appreciated and related to her being a single mom because I was raised by a single mom.
'One Day at a Time' got a cultural makeover
So, what changed between the original version and the reimagining of ODAAT that turned the show into the source of not one, but two of my favorite TV moms? It got a cultural makeover! The new incarnation of ODAAT centers on a Cuban-American family led by a single divorced mom. Now, I’m not Cuban-American, I’m Mexican-American, and I could go on and on about how all Latinx are not the same, but I can also go on and on about our shared cultural experiences and our continued under-representation and misrepresentation on “American” TV.
I put “American” in quotes because the U.S. doesn’t have a monopoly on the term American. Think about it, the “Americas” include North America, South America, and Central America, which means that all the people in those places get to claim the term American, not just the Americans in the U.S. But I digress.
When I eagerly tuned in to watch ODAAT when it first premiered on Netflix, I was excited because I knew that the legendary Rita Moreno was on the show as well as the brilliant Justina Machado. I expect quality performances from these two talented actresses, and let me tell you, they did NOT disappoint — and neither did the show. If anything, everything about the show exceeded my expectations.
But what really blew me away was the relationship between the characters of Lydia Riera (Rita Moreno) and Penelope Alvarez (Justina Machado). Lydia is Penelope’s mother, and Penelope is a mother to two children of her own. Both of these mothers live under one roof, and as you can imagine, things can get tense at times.
I have a lot more to say about why Lydia and Penelope are my favorite American moms on TV, and I invite you to listen to the full episode of the podcast that I recorded. I had the pleasure of interviewing Gloria Calderón Kellett, the show’s co-creator. She shares how she was invited by Norman Lear – yes, THE Norman Lear! – to join the project, as well as who inspired the characters of Lydia and Penelope. I also got to talk to family therapist Susana Marquez about the dynamic these two moms have and what we can learn from them.
Just in case you need a little more motivation to listen, I present you with:
5 reasons Lydia Riera and Penelope Alvarez are my favorite American moms on TV
- Lydia is a grandmother who is still VERY much in touch with her sensuality. Hello, let’s stop pretending that abuelas aren’t sensual people just because they’re older.
- Penelope is a literal badass, who served in the military and is dealing with anxiety disorder and PTSD. Kudos for keeping it real on a sitcom.
- Lydia and Penelope don’t always see eye to eye, but they love each other profoundly and always have each other’s back. Relatable much?
- Lydia and Penelope are proud Latinas, and it is a pleasure to see Latinas represented as something other than stereotypes. I've been waiting my whole life to see these characters on English-speaking TV.
- Lydia Riera is played by Rita Moreno. The woman is a national treasure. She is one of only three people to have ever won a Peabody, Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award. That makes her a PEGOT winner — and GOAT in my eyes.
Go on, listen to the episode! I’m really proud of it, and I have a feeling you will find it entertaining.
