Alvarez Family Fans Have A Lot To Look Forward To In 'One Day At A Time' Season 3

One Day At A Time is one of Netflix's most critically-acclaimed family sitcoms, taking the original Norman Lear concept from the 1970s and updating it for the 21st century. The series is currently entering the third season since it premiered in 2017, with a significant cast expansion. This year, the Alvarez clan will introduce several extended family members, with guest stars galore. The new trailer, which arrived this week, promises more fun for the enlarged family. So when does One Day At A Time Season 3 premiere? The debut is only a few weeks away, on Friday, Feb. 8.

For those who haven't checked out the show yet, here's the synopsis:

One Day at a Time, produced by Sony Pictures TV, follows three generations of a Cuban-American family sometimes-reluctantly cohabitating and navigating the ups and downs of life. A newly-single mom and military veteran journeys through the triumphs and tribulations that come with raising two strong-willed, mega-millennial children, all the while enlisting the “help” of her old-school mother and her building manager-turned-invaluable confidante.

Season 2 of the series ended on one of the show's most emotional moments to date, as grandmother Lydia (Rita Moreno) is found collapsed after a fight with daughter Penelope (Justina Machado). The episode really had audiences believing it was Lydia's time, especially when Lydia’s late husband Berto (played by Tony Plana) turned up, and the two of them shared a dance in a heaven-like setting.

But the series wasn't ready to kill off Moreno, one of the show's secret weapons. Season 3 picks up with Lydia alive and well and ready to throw a party, the excuse to bring in all the Alvarez family, both near and far.

The new family members include Melissa Fumero and Stephanie Beatriz, both shipped in from NBC's Brooklyn Nine-Nine, who play Penelope’s cousins Estellita and Pilar. There's also Danny Pino, as Penelope’s brother Tito. But the most prominent name entering the family pantheon is none other than Grammy winner Gloria Estefan, who guest-stars as Lydia’s estranged sister Mirtha. Estefan is also the one who performs the show's theme song.

This season, Penelope finally manages to move on from her relationship with Max and will hook up with Mateo (Alex Quijano from Fresh Off the Boat), who is an overprotective dad, the same way she's an overprotective mom. Dwayne Schneider (Todd Grinnell) will also get a love interest this season, Avery, played by India de Beaufort (Kevin (Probably) Saves the World). Fans of the actors will enjoy this since de Beaufort and Grinnell are actually married in real life.

The new season also sees a first for the show, and a rarity for most, as co-showrunner Gloria Calderón Kellett will also play a new role. According to Deadline:

This season co-creator, executive producer and co-showrunner Gloria Calderon Kellett will step in front of the camera for a two-episode arc as Nicole, the new woman in Victor’s (James Martinez) life. She’ll also direct the final two episodes of the season.

One Day at a Time Season 3 returns to Netflix with 13 new episodes on Feb. 8, 2019.