A Snowman's Tale

**A Snowman's Tale** is the fourth episode of season one of *One Day at a Time*.

## Plot

Penelope suddenly finds herself back in the dating game after Schneider shows her how to use an online app for meeting people.

## Recap

Penelope has a date for the first time in forever. She tells the Uber driver Jerry about it. She even calls her mom and has her recite aloud the story of how she and her husband met. Jerry says that he doesn't speak Spanish but he knows that her first date isn't going to be that good.

Penelope continues to talk Jerry's ear off despite having arrived at the restaurant. She tells him about work on Friday and how while at lunch they talked about what they were going to do that night. Penelope told them that she had a bunch of bills to go through.

Lori tells Penelope how brave she is for raising a family without a man. Scott brings up that the best thing about being single is dating apps. Lori tells her that she needs to start dating again while there's still time.

A package arrives for Penelope and its dropped off by a hot UPS guy. She flirts with him and after he leaves dances around saying that she still got it.

Penelope finally got off of the car and now is sitting at the bar. She's talking to the bartender about how she went to see Schneider in order to learn about dating apps. He helps her set up a profile. He sets her up on a first date with a guy named Adam. Penelope panics because it'd be a disaster if her family found out.

Schneider says that she doesn't have to tell them. She agrees with this and decides to go on the date. Now she's in the bathroom talking to the girl in the next stall about how dating back when she was young was different. The girl, Abby, starts crying because she thought her boyfriend was going to propose that night but he didn't. They hug it out and Penelope tells her that she's going to end up marrying a rich man and becoming a desperate housewife. She tells the girl what she wanted Lydia to tell her before she went out on her date: Good luck.

Instead, Lydia Riera told her that red lipstick is for putas. Lydia says that she knew she had a date because Penelope had shaved her mustache. Lydia calls her a hoochi because she's married and going out on a date. Penelope reminds her that she is separated from her husband. Elena walks out and finds out about Penelope's date. She is excited for her mom but Penelope makes them promise not to tell Alex. Just then, Alex walks out and everyone becomes quiet. He asks if he's in trouble. Penelope says no. Lydia decides to support Penelope's date because she's just having dinner with a friend that's a man.

Penelope finally gets seated at her table. She's the first to arrive and the waiter asks what she wants. Penelope comes home and tells Elena and Lydia that the date went well. She talks to Alex about the date and reveals that she didn't stay for it. Instead, she went and saw a chick flick and had ice cream. She tells him not to say anything because there will be future dates and she doesn't want to hear it from them.

Alex says he understands and tells her about how his friends are trying to set him up with a girl. He likes her but he doesn't want a girlfriend. He also reveals that the cut on his face is because he tried to shave but doesn't know how. Penelope takes Alex to the bathroom and shows him how to shave. He asks if his hair is going to grow back thick. She says no that's a myth.

Lydia has a talk with her dead husband Berto and tells him about how Penelope didn't go on the date. They both wonder what they are going to do with her. Penelope and Alex walk out and hear Lydia as she talks to herself. Penelope and Alex lip-sync to the song that's playing.

## 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

* Tony Plana as Berto Riera
* Fiona Gubelmann as Lori
* Eric Nenninger as Scott
* Cedric Yarbrough as Jerry
* Lisseth Chavez as Young Lydia
* Paul Karmiryan as Young Berto
* Peter Banifaz as Tyler
* Polina Frantsena as Abby
* Jermaine Jacox as Hot UPS Guy
* Krys Marshall as Kristen
* Lily Rains as Michelle
* Ryan Wilcox as Bar Patron

## Notes

* Lydia met Berto on a Saturday night at a club in Havana, Cuba, in 1958.
* Schneider's apartment number is 503.
* Penelope says when she met Victor, she was wearing "*sneaks, jeans, a tit tank, and a flannel*."

## Transcript Link

To read the transcript for "**A Snowman's Tale]], click here.**

## Episode Guide

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