Justina Machado can't wait to dominate your Monday nights with DWTS and One Day at a Time
Around the Table with 'One Day at a Time' Cast and Creators
Watch the cast and creators of 'One Day at a Time' break down their hit show.
It wasn't enough that Justina Machado is slaying the dance floor on ABC's Dancing With the Stars on Monday nights, so her popular comedy One Day at a Time will begin airing on the same night on CBS starting Oct. 12.
Machado won't ask fans to pick which one they should watch first, she's extremely proud of her contributions to both. But a season 5 renewal for the family comedy hinges on viewership of the truncated fourth season, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Chicago native admits she never really watched Dancing With the Stars before, but she's having the time of her life alongside partner Sasha Farber. The pandemic has pushed Machado out of her comfort zone and further into the spotlight, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
Eric McCandless/ABC
"It feels like I'm already on the 30th episode, it's so much work!" Machado tells EW while laughing about how difficult training for DWTS is. "The payoffs are always the Monday shows, they're just so much fun. Even though we're there all day, just to see the hard work that comes together at the end of the week is the best. I can only describe my experience as a roller coaster!"
Even though she's having fun performing for the cameras with Farber, things can get nerve-wracking when it comes time to hear from judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli. Last week, for Disney night, Machado danced the Charleston to “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from Mary Poppins. Hough commented that Machado and Farber needed "more energy," and Machado agrees.
Kelsey McNeal/ABC
"He was right, I wasn't familiar with the Charleston," she explains. "It's not one of those dances we casually break into on a regular basis. So, I think in that particular dance I may have been giving a different kind of energy? They're the experts and it's their job to critique and I respect what they have to say."
Machado, who will be embracing her Latino heritage tonight dancing salsa, had nothing but nice things to say about fellow DWTS participant Carole Baskin of Tiger King fame. Baskin became the second competitor of the season to depart, following Charles Oakley and Emma Slater.
"Each Monday night is different than the last," Machado explains. "So for last Monday's competition, I think they made the right call. I do have to say though, she was really good. She has really good stage presence. I was shocked by how good it was. People want to hate because of Tiger King but things are so crazy right now, let's just take it easy on everyone. You know what? It's really hard to get on that stage and perform live. You don't get a second take and you have no idea what the judges will say. You just have to be gracious no matter what."
Nicole Wilder/POP TV
Now that Machado has spent so much time learning all these new dance moves, she expects One Day at a Time will afford her many more opportunities to show them off. The only way this will happen is if the comedy brings in viewers to CBS.
"I won't tell anyone whether to watch DWTS or One Day at a Time since they're airing at the same time," she says. "But what's really important to say is that if people love the show as much as we love the show, please watch One Day at a Time live so we have the hope of getting a fifth season. We start on Oct. 12, the episodes will play two each Monday for three weeks. We will be the only Latinx family on network television, which is crazy to say in 2020. Can you believe we are still saying that? This show deserves a fifth season and it deserves to be on network television."
And if fans needed one more reason for the Alvarez family to get more screentime, the often discussed reunion between Machado and her former Six Feet Under costar Freddy Rodriguez is closer than you think. Both Machado and series co-showrunner Gloria Calderon Kellett have told EW in the past that timing is the only thing preventing this from happening. Rodriguez currently stars on the CBS drama Bull.
"Will we ever be able to get Freddy? He's always so busy," Machado says of her former small screen hubby. "But maybe now that we're on the same network, this could finally happen! Yes! It would be so amazing to have him on the show. I totally forgot we are now on the same network, maybe that will help our cause?"
She adds, "I just hope everyone watches and supports the show. It really deserves a home!"
Related content:
