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I was able to keep track of the show, by reading the fall preview issue of “TV Guide” which described in general terms what was coming for that season of the show. I also read the weekly blurbs, so I had a bit of an idea of how the show progressed.
Then, in the Spring of 1984, on an episode of “Entertainment Tonight”, they showed a clip of the last scene of the last regular episode of “One Day at a Time”.
I always wanted to know what happened over those last few seasons. Awhile back I saw all nine seasons, and 209 episodes, of “One Day at a Time” were available to stream for free on CTV Throwback.
So, on April 7, 2024, I began an odyssey of reliving old TV memories from the ‘80s, and watched all 209 episodes. I finished that odyssey today, and finally found out exactly what happened to Ann Romano, her daughters Julie and Barbara Cooper, and the building superintendent Dwayne Schneider.
In the beginning
The first time I ever heard about “One Day at a Time” was in Grade 1, so the Fall of 1975 or the Spring of 1976, when it was still in its first season. I was standing at the drinking fountain with Greg Ronne, and we had just come from a day off school. That meant we could stay up late because we had no school the next day. We started talking about what we watched on TV.
The first time I ever heard about “One Day at a Time” was in Grade 1, so the Fall of 1975 or the Spring of 1976, when it was still in its first season. I was standing at the drinking fountain with Greg Ronne, and we had just come from a day off school. That meant we could stay up late because we had no school the next day. We started talking about what we watched on TV.
Greg said he watched “One Day at a Time”. I had never heard of the show, and would not see an episode for another year or two.
I filled in those blanks when I binge watched the show.
Groundbreaking
What first reminded me of “One Day at a Time” a few months ago was the death of its creator Norman Lear. He had already established a reputation for groundbreaking comedy with “All in the Family”, and was not afraid to confront tough issues.
What first reminded me of “One Day at a Time” a few months ago was the death of its creator Norman Lear. He had already established a reputation for groundbreaking comedy with “All in the Family”, and was not afraid to confront tough issues.
He built on that reputation with “One Day at a Time”. Bonnie Franklin played Ann Romano, a recently divorced woman who moved from her hometown of Logansport, Indiana to Indianapolis. Accompanying her were her two daughters Julie Cooper, played by Mackenzie Phillips and Barbara Cooper, played by a very young Valerie Bertinelli.
The subject of divorce was groundbreaking enough, but Ann chose to go back to her family name and was fiercely independent. Joseph Campanella played her ex-husband Ed Cooper, who was a typical man of the era, a chauvinist who made it be known a woman’s place was in the home. Ann not only left that behind, but rebelled against it as she tried to balance finding out who she was with raising two teenage daughters.
Starting out
That first season, Dwayne Schneider, the building superintendent, came on to Ann, and was a chauvinist too. Relatively quickly, he became a friend, confidante, protector, and soon a part of the family. David Kane, played by Richard Masur, was a friend of Ann’s who wanted to be more, and proposed often, but was rebuffed by Ann continually. She eventually relented but, when he took a job in California, Ann had no intention of going with him and the relationship ended.
That first season, Dwayne Schneider, the building superintendent, came on to Ann, and was a chauvinist too. Relatively quickly, he became a friend, confidante, protector, and soon a part of the family. David Kane, played by Richard Masur, was a friend of Ann’s who wanted to be more, and proposed often, but was rebuffed by Ann continually. She eventually relented but, when he took a job in California, Ann had no intention of going with him and the relationship ended.
A lot of the plots revolved around the rebellious Julie doing something to get her in trouble, coming into conflict with Ann, and in the end sorting things out. There were stories about Barbara too, but she was still young and more wise-cracking comic relief than anything. That would soon change.
Ann was also unemployed pretty much all of the first season, and looking for a job was always part of the on-going narrative.
She would find a job with Connors and Davenport, an advertising agency. John Hillerman played Claude Connors, until he left to play Jonathan Higgins on “Magnum P.I.”, and Charles Siebert played Jerry Davenport until he moved on to play Dr. Stanley Riverside in “Trapper John, M.D.”
Issues
There were some really good episodes in the first few years. One that really sticks out is quite unsettling. Barbara makes friends with Melanie, who is insecure, annoying, and attention seeking. She even thinks Barbara’s boyfriend likes her only to have Barbara steal him away. Barbara has enough and tells off Melanie. At the end of the episode, Melanie phones Barbara, telling her no one likes her and we see she has an empty pill bottle in her hand.
There were some really good episodes in the first few years. One that really sticks out is quite unsettling. Barbara makes friends with Melanie, who is insecure, annoying, and attention seeking. She even thinks Barbara’s boyfriend likes her only to have Barbara steal him away. Barbara has enough and tells off Melanie. At the end of the episode, Melanie phones Barbara, telling her no one likes her and we see she has an empty pill bottle in her hand.
The episode is a two-parter. The second part is a struggle to keep Melanie awake on the other end of the phone line, convince her parents their daughter needs help, and the aftermath of her surviving the suicide attempt.
It was awesome.
There were also episodes where Julie runs away from home with her boyfriend; joins a cult; and gets engaged to a man old enough to be her dad. Incidentally, he was played by Jim Hutton, the father of actor Timothy Hutton.
Tough day at the office
It must have been around the third season or so that I started watching “One Day at a Time”, because I started seeing episodes I remembered.
It must have been around the third season or so that I started watching “One Day at a Time”, because I started seeing episodes I remembered.
One I vividly recalled had Ann, who by now was doing well as an ad executive at Connors and Davenport, falling ill and getting an assistant, Francine Webster, played by Shelley Fabares. Francine is very helpful, only to take all the credit for Ann’s work. However, Davenport who is an old newspaper reporter by trade, sniffs out who and what Francine really is – and transfers her elsewhere.
This would not be the last of Francine Webster.
A few seasons later she is back, masterfully manipulating the situation. She goads Ann into demanding a promotion – to Texas – knowing she won’t take it. So Ann quits.
This would lead to several interesting plot developments.
Man trouble
Ann decides to start her own ad agency. She ends up bidding for a job against an artist named Nick Handrus, played by Ron Rifkin. The client ends up liking Ann’s words and Nick’s art, and essentially forces them to work together. Initially, they are at each other’s throats, but an attraction develops and, by season’s end, they are a couple. Nick has a son, Alex, played by Glen Scarpelli, who becomes a recurring character as well.
Ann decides to start her own ad agency. She ends up bidding for a job against an artist named Nick Handrus, played by Ron Rifkin. The client ends up liking Ann’s words and Nick’s art, and essentially forces them to work together. Initially, they are at each other’s throats, but an attraction develops and, by season’s end, they are a couple. Nick has a son, Alex, played by Glen Scarpelli, who becomes a recurring character as well.
Frienemies
Sadly, in the first episode of the next season, we learn Nick was killed by a drunk driver. Alex has nowhere to go, so he moves in with Ann. He would leave again a couple seasons later.
Sadly, in the first episode of the next season, we learn Nick was killed by a drunk driver. Alex has nowhere to go, so he moves in with Ann. He would leave again a couple seasons later.
She is now faced with either finding a new partner, or maybe folding up the agency. In her search, who should appear at her office? Francine Webster.
By this point, Channel 13 was no longer airing “One Day at a Time”, so I just read the basic description of this plot line. I was excited to see how it unfolded.
Ann would take on Francine as a partner and they would stay together, through good and bad, for the remainder of the show. It was really interesting to see.
Sister act
Meanwhile, Julie and Barbara grew up. In real life,
Meanwhile, Julie and Barbara grew up. In real life,
Mackenzie Phillips struggled with addiction, and was on and off the show right through season nine.
The story of Julie’s marriage was one of the last I saw before the show stopped being aired in our area. She came back from a ski trip engaged to a blonde-haired, blue-eyed medical student named Fred, played by Morgan Stevens. Fred’s best friend Max Horvath, played by Michael Lembeck, was always around, and he continued to get under Julie’s skin. He confronts her with the fact he loves her, and he’s pretty sure she loves him too. At the wedding, this all comes to a head and, as Julie walks down the aisle, her betrothed is waiting at the altar – and it’s Max. It was really cool.
Max stayed with the show until the end, even when Julie was away. When Phillips was actually fired in real life, Julie left him. By then, they had a little girl named Annie, who Max raised with the help of his ex-wife’s family.
The story of Barbara’s marriage is a little less weird, but has a similar tone. Barbara agrees to date two men, knowing she will be back in plenty of time from the first date to go to the second date.
However her first date, a dental student named Mark Royer, played by Boyd Gaines, has no intention of rushing her home when he discovers Barbara’s plan. In fact, he does the opposite and takes her across the state for a cup of coffee. Barbara is furious. However, as I see it, she is in the wrong, but cannot stop thinking about Mark. He is in love with her too, and they do marry.
Things get interesting when they do get married.
Settling down and out on their own
Mark’s dad Sam Royer, played by Howard Hesseman fresh off his stint as Dr. Johnny Fever in “WKRP in Cincinnati”, comes to the wedding. There is an immediate spark between Sam and Ann. They get together and soon are married. In the last season and a half, Sam moves in with Ann and a lot of the stories revolve around how that goes between them.
Mark’s dad Sam Royer, played by Howard Hesseman fresh off his stint as Dr. Johnny Fever in “WKRP in Cincinnati”, comes to the wedding. There is an immediate spark between Sam and Ann. They get together and soon are married. In the last season and a half, Sam moves in with Ann and a lot of the stories revolve around how that goes between them.
This was another plot line I read about in “TV Guide” and was really curious to see.
Meanwhile, Julie, Max and Annie, and Barbara and Mark all rent a house together. Many of the stories are about their lives and living together. Max is a flight attendant, Barbara gets a job at a sporting goods store and eventually goes back to college, and Mark finishes school and starts his own dental practice. In the last season, Max and Barbara go to work at a travel agency.
The end
Like all things, “One Day at a Time” came to an end. Ann gets a job offer in France and accepts it. The final episode with Ann, Schneider and the rest is quite touching. Ann has packed up all her stuff and is ready to leave. Francine comes over to say goodbye, and you can see they have developed an affection for each other. Schneider shows up in a suit, says his patented line, “Always remember, and please never forget…Annie I love you.”
Like all things, “One Day at a Time” came to an end. Ann gets a job offer in France and accepts it. The final episode with Ann, Schneider and the rest is quite touching. Ann has packed up all her stuff and is ready to leave. Francine comes over to say goodbye, and you can see they have developed an affection for each other. Schneider shows up in a suit, says his patented line, “Always remember, and please never forget…Annie I love you.”
Ann is all alone in her now empty apartment. A flashback plays – the scene plays from the very first episode when she and the girls move in. Then she is standing at the door, with just a phone lying in the middle of the empty apartment – and Ann shuts off the light.
It was that last scene that I saw play on “Entertainment Tonight”, that I really wanted to see.
It took 40 years almost exactly, but I saw it.
Denouement
Unfortunately, that actually was not the final episode. There was one more, a backdoor pilot with Schneider leaving Indianapolis to move to Florida to take care of his brother’s son and daughter. It was never picked up as a series. Interestingly, a very young Corey Feldman played his nephew.
Unfortunately, that actually was not the final episode. There was one more, a backdoor pilot with Schneider leaving Indianapolis to move to Florida to take care of his brother’s son and daughter. It was never picked up as a series. Interestingly, a very young Corey Feldman played his nephew.
Parting thoughts
“One Day at a Time” holds up well. It is interesting to see clothes and style change, but a lot of the issues it addressed remain. We still deal with sexism, racism, inclusion, suicide, fraud, and so much more.
“One Day at a Time” holds up well. It is interesting to see clothes and style change, but a lot of the issues it addressed remain. We still deal with sexism, racism, inclusion, suicide, fraud, and so much more.
Norman Lear was never afraid to confront these issues head on, and many of the episodes still resonate.
One of the neat things about watching a show that is more than 40 years old, is seeing all the actors who went on to other roles.
The most striking was Mark Hamill who, shortly after his appearance, went on to a little movie called “Star Wars”. There were others too, such as Corey Feldman, Greg Evigan and many more.
It was a neat trip down memory lane, one I am glad I took. It also filled in a lot of blanks for me.
Now, after seeing all of “One Day at a Time’, this piece of unfinished business is finished.
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