One Day at a Time

The narrative revolves heavily around identity and representation. Major storylines focus on a teenager's coming-out journey, navigating queer relationships, and dealing with undocumented immigration. The show also explores the struggles of being a queer Latina and highlights activist themes in almost every episode, making these elements central to the plot.

The series regularly critiques traditional Western and Catholic cultural norms, particularly regarding gender roles and sexuality. It attacks the U.S. immigration system, features debates about the census and Latino representation, and portrays traditional masculinity as flawed. The landlord is explicitly referred to as a rich, white, cisgender male ally.

The show is a direct reboot of the classic 1970s sitcom. The creators replaced the original white family with a Cuban-American family to push for Latino representation. Additionally, they altered the daughter character to be a lesbian feminist activist, inserting modern identity politics into the established concept.

The show faced noticeable criticism from conservative viewers and anti-woke commentators. Audiences complained that the sitcom was too preachy and relied heavily on identity politics. Many viewers disliked the focus on non-binary characters and pronoun usage, arguing that the show felt more like a political lecture than a comedy.

The key creative team has a strong, documented history of progressive activism. Co-creator Gloria Calderón Kellett and producers Norman Lear and Brent Miller have consistently prioritized progressive, Latino, and queer storytelling. Several writers on the staff also have extensive backgrounds in LGBTQ+ and diversity advocacy.