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One Day at a Time's Cast Tells Us Which Scenes Made Them Cry

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Tim Surette

Feeling nostalgic? TV Guide's All the Feels is where we look back on the best (and worst!) moments from all your favorite shows.

The correct answer to the question "What is the most emotional episode of One Day at a Time?" is "All of them, every beautiful, heartwarming, wonderful episode." But when we chatted up the cast of the Netflix reboot at the ATX Television Festival, we didn't let them off that easy and made them pick the moments that left them breathless and, more often than not, welling up with tears.

Surprisingly, the TV Guide office pick for most emotional episode -- the Season 2 finale in which Lydia was in the hospital -- didn't make their cut. But they did highlight a few other episodes that were definitely a close second.

"I think it's the [episode] about depression," living legend Rita Moreno, who plays Lydia, said, referencing Season 2's episode "Hello, Penelope." "[I] was astonished."

Justina Machado, Todd Grinnell; One Day at a Time

Justina Machado, Todd Grinnell; One Day at a Time

Mike Yarish/Netflix


The episode takes a clear, unfiltered look at depression as war vet Penelope (Justina Machado) goes off her medication and spirals downward. It's raw, touching, educational and sensitive, and is widely looked at as one of the show's best half hours.

"When we did the depression episode, people reached out to us. They were like, 'Thank you, you hit it on the head, now I don't feel alone,'" Machado said. As One Day at a Time has tackled issues such as depression, sexuality and immigration, it's become a leader in socially conscious television.

"I also loved the last episode of the first season, the quinceañera," Machado added. "When you look at the chair and Victor is not there..."

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"I cannot tell you how we were absolutely wrecked," Morena said.

Actually, Rita, we know. We felt the exact same way.

One Day at a Time is now streaming on Netflix, and you should check it out because it's one of the best out there.