10 Most Important Modern LGBT+ TV Characters
5. Elena Alvarez - One Day At A Time
One Day At A Time is a bit of a throwback show in many ways. It has some cheesy comedy, fairly stock storylines and characters who occasionally get development but largely just meander onwards.
With its bright lights and laugh track, it’s reminiscent of things like Mary-Kate & Ashley’s various sitcoms, or Hannah Montana.
The thing is though, LGBT+ people never got shows like this. Those titles were all candy floss sweet squeaky clean, and gay was a dirty word. Lesbian even more so. That’s why Elena Alvarez is so important.
She’s not the best character on TV, and One Day At A Time is far from the best show. But gay characters don’t need to be all groundbreaking, critical darlings. They’re allowed to be fluff characters in cheesy binge TV shows, and that’s precisely what Elena Alvarez offers.
Her age, too, is a significant factor. She’s still only a young teenager yet is very clear and confident in exactly who she is. Considering the lingering myth that young gay people are confused or going through a phase, that’s another important point Elena makes... even if she makes it with a dated laugh track.