<P> Filming took place in Los Angeles, California at Sony Pictures Studios in Stage 25 . It was shot with a multiple - camera setup in front of a studio audience . The first season consisted of thirteen episodes and it was released on January 6, 2017 . On March 4, 2017, Netflix renewed the series for a second season . Filming of the second season began on May 2017 and ended on September 2017 . On January 26, 2018, the second season premiered on the streaming service with thirteen episodes . On March 26, 2018, a third season was ordered . </P> <P> Upon its release, the show received critical acclaim, with critics and journalists praising the writing and the performances of Justina Machado and Rita Moreno . One Day at a Time was listed as one of the best television shows of 2017, with over eighteen critics ranking it as one of the top ten shows of the year . The series received multiple awards and nominations, including a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series (Pat Barnett). At the Imagen Foundation Awards won Best Primetime Television Program--Comedy, Best Actress--Television (Justina Machado), Best Supporting Actress--Television (Isabella Gomez) and Best Young Actor--Television (Marcel Ruiz). Rita Moreno was nominated for a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series . The series was also nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comedy Series . </P> <P> The show depicts the everyday life of a Cuban - American family with each character finding their own journey . Following the story of Penelope Alvarez (Justina Machado) a United States Army Nurse Corps veteran, facing her return to civilian life with a lot of unresolved issues from her time in the Army . She works as a nurse in the office of Dr. Leslie Berkowitz (Stephen Tobolowsky). After her husband's alcoholism due to post-traumatic stress disorder from his time in the Army make it, in Penelope's words,' unsafe to be in the house', she separates from Victor (James Martínez), taking the children with her . With the help of her Mother, Lydia (Rita Moreno), a refugee who left Cuba as a teen following Fidel Castro's rise to power, she is raising her two children: Elena (Isabella Gómez) and Alex (Marcel Ruiz). Apart from planning her daughter's quinceañera, Penelope starts dating and finds a love interest . Elena, resistant to have a quinces, starts dating a teenager from her class; to later realize that she is a lesbian . After struggling in ways to tell her family about her sexuality she finds the right time to come out . Alex starts working in a school project about Cuba with the help of Schneider (Todd Grinnell) and Lydia . Lydia talks about leaving Cuba escaping from Castro's dictatorship and how she fell in love with her late husband Berto (Tony Plana). </P> <P> Each episode of the series focuses on important issues that face the Hispanic community and families in general . It has dealt with topics such as veterans' struggles with PTSD, depression, and anxiety, as well as sexuality, gender identity, sexism, and religion, amongst others . </P>

Who plays elena in one day at a time