‘It Proves God Plays Favorites’: Stephen Tobolowsky Reflected On One Day At A Time, And I Could Listen To Him Hype Rita Moreno All Day

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As a seasoned gamer of life and pop culture, I can confidently say that the cancellation of shows like “One Day at a Time” is always a bitter pill to swallow, especially when they leave us yearning for more. But let’s focus on the silver lining – the special moments we get to cherish long after the final episode airs.

For several years, “One Day at a Time” brought warmth and humor to audiences as a Netflix original, only to be prematurely added to the list of cancelled shows, but managed to return for an additional season on Pop TV. This popular sitcom featured stars such as Justina Machado, Isabella Gomez, Rita Moreno, Stephen Tobolowsky, and others, and concluded in mid-2020. The cast recently reunited during the 2024 television schedule for a special treat for fans, and following this reunion, Tobolowsky expressed heartfelt admiration for EGOT winner Rita Moreno, praises that I found myself eager to hear more of.

Stephen Tobolowsky recently chatted with TopMob during the autumn season regarding his upcoming appearance on NBC’s “Lopez vs. Lopez,” and he pointed out several resemblances between this sitcom, led by George Lopez, and “One Day at a Time.” (You can catch his performances on “Lopez vs. Lopez” with a Peacock subscription.) To begin with, he was thrilled about the chance to work alongside Rita Moreno again during the special “ODAAT” table read, expressing:

Wow, that was absolutely thrilling! I had such a blast, not to mention getting to catch up with my cherished girlfriend, Rita. Oh, Rita Moreno! We’ve always shared a special bond, and I’ve often said, “It seems God has favorites.” We’re not on the same level. There simply isn’t anyone else quite like Rita Moreno, with that extraordinary talent. After all these years in showbusiness, it still amazes me how multitalented she is. She’s a great actress, an exceptional dancer, an exceptional singer, and a remarkable entertainer. It comes so effortlessly to her – it’s as if she was born for it. I just adore her deeply. I must admit, I’m head over heels for her. [laughs] During the table read, I was simply elated to see her again and hear about all her latest happenings. What a truly remarkable woman.

As a gaming enthusiast, I’d say it’s no secret that Rita Moreno is simply unmatched as a performer. After all, it takes a unique talent to amass an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony over a span of ninety years. Yet, hearing Stephen Tobolowsky’s heartfelt praise about working with her on One Day at a Time, backed by his personal insights that only a select few have, really stirs something within me. It’s got me itching to log into my Netflix account and revisit the sitcom all over again.

In an interesting turn of events, Tobolowsky, Moreno, and Justina Machado have all made appearances on Lopez vs. Lopez since their time on One Day at a Time, and there’s a reason for these surprising connections. He revealed the backstage links between the two shows that some viewers may not have been aware of, stating:

To me, it helped that some of those great people from One Day at a Time migrated over to Lopez vs. Lopez. Deb Wolfe, who was one of the head writers on One Day at a Time, is now the showrunner on Lopez vs. Lopez. It’s hard to have a show better than One Day at a Time, from my point of view. It was a show that was amazing. It was the best of Norman Lear, and you have Justina, and you have Rita just kicking ass, and all of us kind of in support. It was just terrific. But those people now who understand that kind of good feeling are on Lopez vs. Lopez, and that was the good feeling on that set, which is important.

Reflecting on Stephen Tobolowsky’s obvious affection for One Day at a Time, it’s quite an honor for Debby Wolfe and the entire team behind Lopez vs. Lopez that he finds their NBC sitcom carries a similar “warm vibe.” It’s no secret that great attention is paid to Lopez vs. Lopez, given George Lopez and Mayan Lopez’s real-life father-daughter bond, along with their roles as co-stars and executive producers.

Tobolowsky continued to express his admiration for the atmosphere during filming alongside the Lopez pair and the entire crew, likening it once more to the camaraderie seen in ODAAT.

On “Lopez vs. Lopez,” as soon as an episode concludes, they’ve already got the fresh scripts at the ready, eagerly preparing for the following installment. It was a wonderful sensation to work alongside such an energized cast. This is reminiscent of “One Day at a Time.” Each time we wrapped up a show, our enthusiasm never waned and we were always excited about moving forward to the next one. We never experienced that dread of, ‘Thank goodness that’s finally over.’

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but feel disheartened. It seems like the days of new episodes for One Day at a Time are over, aside from enjoying the first three seasons on Netflix. Occasionally, you might catch some cast members making appearances on Lopez vs. Lopez. Even Stephen Tobolowsky, my favorite character, expressed his eagerness to reprise his role if given the chance, stating it’s one of those exceptional shows he feels fortunate to have been a part of and would jump at the opportunity to return whenever they ask.

It would certainly be a fun twist if we got to see a ODAAT reunion on Lopez vs. Lopez in the future, and I could even see it happening if the stars aligned. Mayan and Quinten’s wedding could be in the works, and Tobolowsky plays Quinten’s dad Sam while Rita Moreno played George’s grandma Dolores. For now, you can look forward to the upcoming Christmas episode of Lopez vs. Lopez, set to air on Friday, December 6 in a special time slot at 9:45 p.m. ET on NBC.

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2024-12-01 07:44