Quinces

**Quinces** is the thirteenth episode of season one of *One Day at a Time*.

## Plot

Everyone pitches in to prepare for Elena's quinceañera. While rehearsing their father-daughter dance, Elena reveals a truth about herself to her dad.

## Recap

Penelope and Elena are admiring Elena's quinces tiara. Elena states that she looks awesome wearing it and no longer cares that a tiara is a symbol of how women are only valued for their beauty. Her mother states she is glad Elena loves it and that Elena's only job is to be happy since the next day is her quinces.

Penelope is yelling at the troops, Schneider, Lydia, and Alex, and telling them their jobs for the next few days. Penelope needs them all to work together to make sure the quince is perfect.

Penelope shows Lydia the seating chart she made and Lydia tells her that one of their invitees is bringing his girlfriend. Penelope moves around some people to make room. Lydia asks Penelope how she's feeling about Victor and Penelope says that she's fine.

That he knows she doesn't want to see him until the quinces. Elena walks out in her quince dress and everyone makes a big deal about how pretty she looks.

Lydia asks her what's wrong because she isn't crying with joy. Elena says nothing is wrong and that she's happy. Lydia thinks that she failed Elena as a grandmother because she feels Elena's quinces gown should bring out a more emotional response.

Lydia, Penelope, and Elena go to visit the hall before the quinces. Doctor Berkowitz runs up and tells Penelope that the hall is an acoustical nightmare for his speech.

Penelope says that the speech is her thing so he doesn't have to say anything. Lydia asks the party planner where the dance floor is. She tells Lydia that she's standing on out which leads to Lydia telling her off in Spanish.

Penelope tells the party planner that they want a bigger dance floor.

Victor arrives because Elena invited him so they could practice their father-daughter dance. Elena tells Victor that she wants to tell him something. She tells him that she's gay and he laughs it off not believing her. Elena tells him that she's serious and that she was waiting for the right time to tell him.

Victor reacts badly and Penelope asks to speak with him. He tells her that Elena's confused and that he's only been gone a year and this has happened. Penelope tells him that he needs to support his daughter. Victor angrily says that he isn't okay with this and leaves.

Elena tells Penelope that it's her fault, as she feels she has ambushed her father with her coming out, and perhaps caught him off guard. Penelope then hugs and comforts her. She tells her that Victor isn't good with change. Later, Penelope is in the apartment bossing everyone around. Alex asks her when was the last time she slept and she says two days ago. Alex tells her to go lay down but she says she can't because there is a lot to do to prepare for the quinces.

Penelope goes into Elena's room where she's having her final dress fitting. Lydia is upset because Elena isn't overcome with emotion over her dress. Elena says that she isn't comfortable wearing a dress. Elena suggests she wears Doc Martins under her dress so that she has something that's a little more her style. Penelope likes the idea but Lydia says that Elena is killing her.

Schneider arrives with more family members. Unfortunately, Penelope tells him that the people he's brought aren't related to her and that he needs to take them back to the airport. Before he does, Schneider tells her that Victor is in his apartment packing up to leave. Penelope goes to talk to him and finds him folding his shirts. She asks him if he's going to do something stupid like not go to the quinces. He argues that Elena's going through a phase. Penelope tells him that she isn't. He asks if the whole family knows and she says that Elena's only told a handful of people. She tells him that it's Elena's choice who she tells and when. She also states that he needs to decide if he's going to be there for his daughter.

Penelope returns to the apartment and Alex tells her that more unexpected people are coming. Penelope says that she can make it work and goes to her seating chart but Doctor Berkowitz knocks it over. Penelope screams in frustration. She takes the chart to her room to fix but ends up falling asleep.

She wakes up the next day and finds that everyone is gone. Schneider arrives to pick her up. Penelope asks how this happened and who's in charge. It is shown that Alex was the one who pulled everything together. Penelope starts to greet guests when Victor arrives. She goes to check on Elena who's getting ready.

Lydia shows her the dress that she's made final tweaks to. Elena starts to cry and Lydia says that that's the reaction she's been looking for. Penelope gives a speech about Elena before the quince court is called out. Then Elena walks out in a suit that upsets Victor.

Carmen shows up and surprises Elena. Schneider had flown her out. Penelope learns that Doctor Berkowitz helped make Elena's suit. Elena steps out to the dance floor to have a father-daughter dance but Victor has left. Instead, Penelope goes up there and dances with her, reassuring her daughter she's got her back. Suddenly, Alex, Lydia, Schneider, and Doctor Berkowitz join them on the dance floor. Elena thanks them for making her have a quinces. Penelope tells Elena to enjoy it because it's not going to happen again until she gets married. Elena tells her that she isn't going to get married. Penelope pretends not to hear her because the music is too loud.

## Transcript

This is the transcript for Quinces/Transcript

## Cast

### Main

* Justina Machado as Penelope Alvarez
* Todd Grinnell as Schneider
* Isabella Gomez as Elena Alvarez
* Marcel Ruiz as Alex Alvarez
* Stephen Tobolowsky as Leslie Berkowitz
* Rita Moreno as Lydia Riera

### Guests

* James Martinez as Victor Alvarez

* Ariela Barer as Carmen
* Froy Gutierrez as Josh Flores
* Eden Riegel as Lucy
* Connie Schiro as Tina
* Rebeka Montoya as Rebecca
* George Grant as DJ
* Cristina Frias as Olgita

## Trivia

* Elena's full name is *Elena María Alvarez Riera Calderón Leyte-Vidal Inclán.*
* Lydia’s actress, Rita Moreno, starred in The Electric Company, which she won the Grammy for. When she gets everyone’s attention at the quinceañera, she screams her famous “HEY, YOU GUYS!” catchphrase she used to open the show in Seasons 2, 5, and 6, and first screamed the phrase in Episode 19 of the first season.
* When Penelope enters the decorated venue for the first time and talks to Alex he quotes Lafayette in the song ‘Battle Of Yorktown (the world turned upside down)‘ from Hamilton saying "Immigrants. We get the job done."
* Elena comes out to Victor in this episode.

## Episode Guide

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