No Laughing Matter

From mental health issues to prejudice and even sexuality in the Latinx community, season 2 of comedy One Day At A Time doesn’t shy away from serious topics.

- Ipeleng Rakgantsho

One Day At A Time

Season 2 Thursdays (from 24 June)

SABC3 (*193) 20:30

Revived family comedy series One Day At A Time (2017-2020) goes beyond drawing punchlines from the Alvarez family’s many blunders and misfortunes. The storylines provide comedic relief through their everyday struggles to both humanise them and allow viewers an escape into their world, which makes season 2 of this sharp sitcom so entertaining.

Besides war veteran nurse and matriarch Penelope’s (Justina Machado, Brenda in crime drama show Queen Of The South, 2016-now) battle with anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and more, she is trying to raise her obstinate teenagers Elena (Isabella Gomez, Christina in action series Matador, 2014) and Alex (Marcel Ruiz, John in religious drama film Breakthrough, 2019), while also caring for her elderly mom Lydia (Rita Moreno, Dori in comedy show Happily Divorced, 2011-2013). “And when you think that’s it, there’s more!” warns Justina.