One Day at a Time Season 1 Episode 7 Hold, Please

The description for the show One Day at a Time season 1 episode 7, titled Hold, Please, follows the story of the Alvarez family. The family consists of Penelope, a single mother and veteran who is struggling with her mental health and identity, her two children Elena and Alex, and her live-in mother Lydia.

In this episode, Penelope is trying to multi-task her responsibilities as a mother, veteran and nurse practitioner. She is also faced with an increasing workload at work and feels like she is at boiling point. Meanwhile, her daughter Elena is also dealing with some issues of her own as she prepares for the SAT's. This adds another layer of stress on Penelope who finds herself getting easily irritated with her daughter's lack of attention.

As if this isn't enough, Penelope's old flame, Max, happens to walk into her office at just the wrong time. The pair share a slightly awkward but friendly exchange, but Penelope can't help but let her mind wander. To make matters worse, she later receives a call from Max asking her out for a drink, which leaves Penelope feeling torn.

Away from work, Lydia has invited over two of her friends for a visit, but things quickly go wrong as the three ladies reminisce on old memories, which leads to the topic of medical checks. This prompts Lydia to convince Penelope and Elena to visit the gynecologist together. This is a delicate topic for both mother and daughter.

Despite Penelope's best efforts to maintain her multiple roles, everything reaches a breaking point and she gets into an argument with a colleague at work. This forces her to take a moment to herself and reflect on what she really wants in her life. She has to figure out if she wants to rekindle things with Max or pursue her career.

Hold, Please is an episode that expertly captures some of the daily struggles faced by single mothers, particularly those who are veterans and working professionals. The episode explores the difficulties Penelope faces as she tries to balance her work, family, and love life, while also dealing with her mental health. It also highlights how families grapple with sensitive reproductive health issues and how they can navigate through them.

This episode is not only relatable to single mothers, but it’s also a love letter to all the working parents out there who try to juggle their professional and family lives. It shows the inevitable conflicts between the two and how people deal with them.

The main characters have excellent chemistry, and their interactions feel naturalistic. The writers of the show use humor to explore deep issues such as mental health, veterans' struggles, reproductive health, and parenting.

In summary, Hold, Please in One Day at a Time season 1 episode 7, is a captivating episode that encapsulates the daily challenges of single mothers, balancing work, and family. It explores important issues with humor and compassion. This episode is a must-watch for anyone who wants to witness an expertly crafted, warm, and witty family sitcom.