Top 10 Funniest One Day at a Time Moments

“Roots”
When Alex asks for 20 bucks to go to the movies, Penelope decides to teach him how to stretch a dollar. She repurposes an outfit that hasn’t been stylish in almost 30 years to sneak in every movie snack you could possibly name. Whether she’s revealing yet another snack from an unexpected location, or teaching Alex how to avoid getting caught, you can’t help but be amused by her thriftiness. And nothing is funnier than her dramatic exit from the theater with Alex one humiliated step behind her.

“Work Hard, Play Hard”
Since both the kids need to learn the value of the dollar, they’re set to work. Alex makes $80 working with his mom and proceeds to ‘make it rain’ out of excitement, although we have to agree with Penelope, it’s more of a drizzle. Elena is disappointed that she didn’t make any money and, when Alex condescendingly offers her a 20, if looks could kill, he would have turned to dust. You can’t help but laugh as a fuming Elena chases Alex out the room while Penelope admits defeat.

“Bobos and Mamitas”
We love Schneider but boy can he be clueless at times. He tries so hard to relate to the Alvarez’s but really just reminds us how privileged he is. In a discussion about gender politics, Schneider interrupts Elena to mansplain . . . mansplaining. The irony is totally lost on him at first, but watching him cotton on is hilarious - and yet he can’t bring himself to stop. He continuously tries to get himself out of the hole he’s dug but just manages to keep digging himself in deeper and deeper.

“The Turn”
This show celebrates Cuban culture and no one does it more patriotically or enthusiastically than Lydia. When Elena realizes why she’s never personally experienced racism, she defiantly claims that she is a proud Latinx. Fans of the show know that Lydia and Elena are rarely on the same page and this moment proves that as Lydia comes up with her own hysterical definition for the word. Not an episode goes by without a sassy comment from their abuelita but this one had sides splitting from laughter for sure.

“One Valentine’s Day at a Time”
If you think your parents are overprotective, get a load of these guys. When everyone’s Valentine’s Day plans get rained out, things get rather cosy in the apartment. Penelope tells Mateo to invite his son over but soon learns that he’s concerned Alex will be a bad influence. This leads to a fight between the pair for the coveted title of most overprotective parent and it’s hilarious. What makes it funnier is watching how things get steamier as they compare how far they’ll go to keep their kids safe.

“To Zir, With Love”
Elena is initially afraid to come out to her grandmother, but it’s not long before Lydia becomes her trusty wing-woman when she gets her first crush. Lydia pulls out all the stops trying to teach Elena how to flirt, with some help from Alex. But when even a pep talk from abuelita can’t convince Elena to take the plunge, Lydia decides to take matters into her own hands. Elena isn’t even sure if Dani is gay and can’t muster up the courage to find out . . . luckily it’s abuelita to the rescue!

“One Lie at a Time”
In “One Lie at a Time”, Lydia tells the family she’s going to church, and Penelope lets them believe she has a date. But when they leave the apartment, both women go elsewhere, while Elena uses the opportunity to deal with her own secret. When Lydia comes home early, followed shortly by Penelope, everyone’s secrets start to unravel within moments. It’s really funny to watch everyone try to cling on to their excuses to no avail, but what makes us laugh the most is Lydia piping up to justify why SHE is allowed to lie.

“The First Time”
There’s no tighter bond than between Alex and his abuelita, so when the latest pair of Yeezys drop, he turns to her to get him a pair. There is not one moment where Lydia doesn’t make us laugh from the misunderstanding over the ‘Jesus shoes,’ her hilarious encounter with the shop assistant, or how she celebrates her victory by accidentally punching Dr Berkowitz in the face. Alex knows he can count on her to get the job done and we know we can count on her to have us in stitches.

“The Turn”
Most people would love to live a life without oppression, but for Elena, learning that she could ‘pass’ comes as a big blow. She worries that she will never be oppressed for being Latinx and is genuinely disappointed, much to everyone’s confusion. Trusty Schneider reminds her that she’s still gay and she piles on that she’s a woman too. Elena’s joy at belonging to two oppressed groups might raise the eyebrows of her family members but we can’t help but laugh at her enthusiasm and delight.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions:

Seating Plan For The Quinces
“Quinces”

Storage Wars
“Storage Wars”

‘Sheet Mask’
“The Death of Mrs. Resnick”

Penelope and Estrellita Dance
“The Funeral”

“Nip It in the Bud”
Things get kind of wild at the opera when Lydia unknowingly takes one of Dr B’s pot lozenges to stifle a cough. Meanwhile, Schneider is educating Penelope on the effects of weed after they discover Alex’s stash. What follows is an entertaining sequence in which for every effect Schneider describes, we cut back to Lydia who just happens to be demonstrating all of them, one by one. The show is great at bringing drama and comedy together, and nothing showcases that better than this laugh-out-loud scene.