One Day at a Time – Checking Boxes

By: Gladys Luna

We open with a spicy comment in regards Netflix when Penelope (Justina Machado) asks Alex (Marcel Ruiz) if he has found something to watch for the family movie night and he denies it by saying that “it seems there’s nothing good on Netflix anymore.” A census man named Brian (Ray Romano) knocks at the family apartment to make the official counting of the members only to be found with a door slammed in his face by Penelope. Elena (Isabella Gomez) is quick to explain to her why is important to be part of the census, making her mother to open the door again and apologize to him. Brian explains that normally nobody likes the census guy, so he is used to it. He starts with his questionnaire and then points to Dr. Leslie (Stephen Tobolowsky) who is also there and asks Penelope if he is her husband, but she enthusiastically denies it. Brian continues asking about the family and then enlists something that Penelope refers to as “different ways to say she is single.” When she is asked if she is the head of the family, Lydia (Rita Moreno) makes her usual dramatic entrance by opening her curtain and claiming herself to be the actual head of the family. Penelope introduces her to Brian as well. When asked about her age and nationality she replies that she is ageless and also identifies herself as Spanish, Latino and of Spanish origin – all three. Brian,believes that Dr. Leslie is her husband. When he asks her about it she denies it the same way her daughter did making Dr. Leslie feel sad. He introduces himself as Penelope’s boss and Lydia’s “exclusive, non-sexual platonic companion.” When Brian asks for the meaning of it, he says he doesn’t understand himself. The next to be introduced is Elena who presents herself as gay and then points to Syd (Sheridan Pierce) as her non-binary “sydnificant other.” They explain that since they will be soon attending to different schools they have decided to break up. The next to be introduced is Alex. Lydia rushes to say that he is still single simply because they haven’t found a woman who is good enough for him that is not her. Alex is quick to explain that he and his grandmother are only friends. Brian asks if there is another member of the family that is not there and when they deny it Schneider (Todd Grinnell) opens the door announcing his presence. He greets everyone then notices the “new guy” and believes that he has been replaced by an older version of himself for movie night. Brian explains that he is only the census guy and says goodbye to them all. Before he leaves he complains about people not liking the census guy and the rough day he had. Lydia tells him that he should not be discouraged since he has done a great job.

Later that day Alex congratulates Syd and Elena since he believed they couldn’t be able to stay one day apart from each other and now they have decided to break up before parting ways. They say they have made a mature decision. When he asks them about their plan to continue like that they both freak out saying they have no idea how to carry on with it.

That night Penelope is enjoying a Lifetime movie when Lydia comes in and asks for a minute to talk. She confesses that Brian’s visit made her realize that she was wrong when she thought that after her divorce from Elena and Alex’s father she would not be alright but now she is proud of everything she has become and accomplished. Then, she tells her that her story somehow reminds her of sister Chuchi, a woman who, after being abandoned by her fiancée, ended up brokenhearted but who found joy in books, painting and walking along the malecon on her own. She remembers her as someone who was known as the favorite aunt making everybody laugh, someone who stopped wearing make-up and taking care of her hair just because she didn’t find a purpose for it. She remembers that she used to go into bars until she drank herself to death, having a beautiful funeral that was not really crowded. She wishes her daughter sweet dreams and walks out of the room, leaving a very scared Penelope behind.

The next day at her therapy group session Penelope says that she believes she will die alone. But Pam (Mackenzie Phillips), the group therapist, assures her that it won’t be like that. Penelope recalls the story of Chuchi that her mother told her the night before and Jill (Haneefah Wood) thinks that she is just making names. She expresses that she wants to have a relationship but skipping the dating part and also assures them that she doesn’t need a man to be complete and happy. Ramona (Judy Reyes) tells her that what she need is to start liking women and then turn to her right (referring to herself). Penelope says that after she broke up with her ex-boyfriend she hasn’t gone into a serious relationship and everybody in the room goes silent. She reads it as though they want her to go back together with him, but they just say that she talks a lot about him and she needs to do something about it. Penelope says that he wants kids and she doesn’t so,she is convinced their relationship won’t work.

The next day Alex is about to congratulate his sister for having spent twenty-four hours without seeing Syd when she freaks out and says she misses them so much and she feels like a disaster. Right that moment Penelope walks in saying that even though she loves being alone, she has decided to go on a date with Ramona’s co-worker and see what happens. Penelope’s date (David Clayton Rogers) starts to talk about his family as a way to introduce himself to her but then tells her that he just would like to have a way to download their information and go straight into the date and the woman agrees. When he starts to speak again, Penelope imagines her ex-boyfriend Max (Ed Quinn) as though he was the one talking. She calls his name out loud and when her date asks about it, she pretends to be singing in an attempt to cover the truth. When her salad is served, she pictures Max in it as well.

Elena is still confused and scared about what would happen to her and Syd when they have to take different paths and she believes that they will dump her. So, she starts ranting about possible different scenarios in front of a very tired Alex. Right that moment Syd arrives to the apartment and Elena is surprised to see them there. Syd tells her that she was the one who called them. Lydia reveals that it was her who called them since she was concerned about Elena.

Penelope pays a visit to Schneider as a way to clear her thoughts about Max. She tells him how much she misses Max and how confused she feels. Schneider tells her that he understands the feeling perfectly fine since he also misses Max and his advice. The woman blames Brian for making her question about how she felt by being single. Schneider confesses that he was left in confusion too when Brian left so he asked Avery (India de Beaufort) to move in with him and she said yes. They both jump for joy. Then, he mentions that he has found the perfect one for him and he just didn’t want to blow it. So, Penelope understands that was exactly what she did with her relationship with Max. Schneider encourages her to go find Max and tell him what she feels. She agrees. Later that day Penelope arrives to Max’s work and when the arrival of an ambulance is announced. She gets ready to see Max but there is no sign of him. She asks the nurse (Sally Pressman) who is at the front desk about him and the woman informs her that he left two months ago to Indonesia as a part of a Doctors Without Borders program. The nurse confesses that they miss them too and that is why she created a “Max of the Month” calendar in case she wants to buy one, but Penelope sadly declines.

In the meantime, Syd and Elena are still trying to figure out in which address their relationship should point and they end up agreeing that they will continue with it since they cannot live without the other. Alex gets enough of hearing the cheesy conversation and decides to leave the room.

Penelope returns home and tells Elena and Alex about what happened with Max. She says that she has realized that she can be a feminist badass and still want a boyfriend and there’s nothing wrong with that. Alex confesses that everything that happened recently made him realize how messy and annoying relationships can be and that expects he can do well with Nora (Raquel Justice), his girlfriend. Penelope and Elena congratulate him while Lydia opens the curtains in a haste yelling: “What?”