One Day At A Time Season 4 Episode 4 Review: One Halloween at a Time

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There is nothing more precious than family.

Family is one of the main themes of the show, but it is more apparent than ever on One Day At A Time Season 4 Episode 4.

It was a whirlwind of an episode, but "One Halloween at a Time" is the show at its best -- funny, lighthearted, and meaningful. 

Danny and Sandy - One Day At A Time
There were several storylines on this Halloween-centric episode, but every single one of them brought something to the table that made "One Halloween at a Time" spectacular.

Max and Penelope are back and more in love than ever. Their playful banter reminded us how cute they were together. More importantly, it was terrific to see Penelope happy again.

They were clearly in their honeymoon phase, but despite how sweet they were, the audience could not help but wonder about their future.

They broke up in the first place because Max wanted kids, and Penelope did not want to have any more.

Now that Penelope and Max are back together, they will have to have the conversation again. Will Max be okay with not having children of his own? Will Penelope change her mind? Or will they break up again?

All Smiles - One Day At A Time Season 4 Episode 4

It certainly did not help when Lydia stumbled upon a positive pregnancy test, thinking it was Penelope's.

Throughout this miscommunication, Max's feelings on the subject were still clear -- he wants children.

When Lydia mentioned the positive pregnancy test, his entire face lit up. When he asked Penelope if she was pregnant, there was so much hope in his voice. It was almost heartbreaking.

If Penelope is still not interested in having more kids, not only will Max's heart shatter, but so will ours.

Shocking News - One Day At A Time Season 4 Episode 4

Penelope was right about one thing -- no matter how much they may love each other, Max will eventually resent her if they stay together because of his desperation for children. 

Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure -- Max and Penelope are far from letting each other go again.

The positive pregnancy test brought excitement and humor to "One Halloween at a Time." Lydia's initial reaction was simply Lydia at her best, and when she told Leslie, you could not help but laugh hysterically at his assumption that Lydia was pregnant.

But you also could not help but smile at his sweet gesture of proposing to Lydia and offering to raise the child as his own, even if it was an utterly ridiculous thought.

Beauty and the Beast  - One Day At A Time

Overall, the storyline was unexpected, but it had you at the edge of your seat the entire time, as you wondered who took the pregnancy test. 

You did not want it to be Alex and Nora, that would have been way too much. And how on earth could it have been Elena's? She is in a happy relationship with her "syd-nificant other."

As usual, Elena and Syd were adorable. Ultimately, they did not get their climate change message across, but they ended up having a good time trick-or-treating.

We would not expect anything less from these adorable dorks. It was not as exciting as the other plots, but it was just as necessary. Elena and Syd's dynamic was lighthearted, sweet, and expected -- the perfect addition to round out the episode.

Climate Change Activism on Halloween - One Day At A Time Season 4 Episode 4

We did not forget about the positive pregnancy test, though. And while everyone tried to figure out who it belonged to, the prospect brought everyone closer together.

Especially once we discovered that the pregnancy test belonged to Avery, Schneider's girlfriend.

This was not entirely out of left field. Schneider had a hilarious storyline as usual. He kept trying on different couples' costumes with Avery to win the annual Halloween costume contest at his country club.

Although he is super-rich, he was desperate to claim the prize -- an iPad mini.

Schneider: The prize is an iPad mini, and I never win anything!
Elena: You're a rich, straight, cisgender white dude, you won at life!
Schneider: But I want an iPad mini!

But as it turned out, he won something even better than that.

Avery as Yoga - One Day At A Time Season 4 Episode 4

By the time it was confirmed that the test could not have belonged to Nora, it had to belong to Avery. Unless Penelope or Nora was lying, there was no other plausible explanation.

Schneider and Avery's last entrance at the end of One Day at a Time Season 4 Episode 4 confirmed this theory. They walked through the door just as Penelope said that the test could not have appeared like magic.

Well, it did, and so did Avery and Schneider.

It was the perfect reveal. Even if Schneider initially thought they were clapping because they won second place, once he figured it out, he realized he won something after all. 

Appear Like Magic - One Day At A Time Season 4 Episode 4

Congratulations to Avery and Schneider!

The other events of "One Halloween at a Time" kept up with the humor and the surprises on the episode.

Like, when Alex unexpectedly dyed his hair silver.

Alex: This isn't my costume. I dyed my hair.
Penelope: Like, permanently?! How could you do that without asking me?!
Alex: I did ask you. I said, "Mom, on Halloween, can I dye my hair silver?"
Penelope: Why would you use Halloween in that sentence, that is so misleading!

There was no point to this scene other than pure Halloween humor, but sometimes, moments like these are necessary. They were especially considering the episode focused on the mystery of the pregnancy test.

The Silver Fox - One Day At A Time Season 4 Episode 4

The other Halloween jokes were on point. Unless a show is inherently about politics, shows with political jokes can get boring pretty fast, but One Day at a Time knows just when to add them in.

They could have not picked a better opportunity to indulge in one. 

Lydia: Put this outside.
Elena: With that bobo in the White House I can't stand to look at an orange face right now!
Lydia: He's like a pumpkin, he'll get thrown out in November.

And considering Lydia delivered the punchline, well, that was about as good as it gets.

"One Halloween at a Time" was a memorable episode, and impossible to forget. One Day at a Time Season 4 has been consistently excellent with their humor and riveting plots, so we can only hope they keep it up.

The Pumpkin Joke - One Day At A Time Season 4 Episode 4

Syd: Who knew Halloween was fun?!
Lydia: Literally, everybody.

Now it is your turn, Fanatics! What did you think of One Day at a Time Season 4 Episode 4?

Did you find it hilarious? Were you surprised about the pregnancy test fiasco? What do you think Penelope and Max are going to do about their impending dilemma?

As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

And you can watch One Day At A Time online right here, at TV Fanatic!

One Halloween at a Time Review

Editor Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
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Rating: 5.0 / 5.0 (7 Votes)

Sarah Novack is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.

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One Day At A Time Season 4 Episode 4 Quotes

Lydia: Put this outside.
Elena: With that bobo in the White House I can't stand to look at an orange face right now!
Lydia: He's like a pumpkin, he'll get thrown out in November.

Schneider: The prize is an iPad mini, and I never win anything!
Elena: You're a rich, straight, cisgender white dude, you won at life!
Schneider: But I want an iPad mini!