One Day at a Time Wiki

"Hello Elena. Still just the one eyebrow?"
—Monica, The Funeral

Monica (also known as Tía Bitchy) is a minor character on the Netflix Original Series One Day at a Time. She is portrayed by Liz Torres.

Bio[]

Monica is one of Lydia's sisters, the aunt of Penelope, and the great-aunt of Elena and Alex. She always finds new ways to insult people, which earned her the nickname among the family "Tia Bitchy."

When she greets Penelope and Elena, she comments that Penelope "must be enjoying her mother's tostones," a dig at her weight. She also comments that Elena still has "one eyebrow."

Later, when Elena yells that Schneider is not fluent in Spanish, Monica retorts to Elena with the response "neither are you!"

When Alex shows all of the tías the photo of the "Cuban girl he took to prom and will probably marry," she comments on how the girl looks Puerto Rican.

When Schneider says that Estrellita is the new "Tía Bitchy" after she says she is taking Penelope instead of Monica, she yells "Who calls me Tía Bitchy?"

Storyline[]

Season 3[]

In "The Funeral," the episode starts off with Elena and Alex sitting solemnly with Lydia on the couch. Penelope comes in with pizza, celebrating the fact that she bought one and got two free. Lydia then says that Tía Ophelia is dead.

Penelope says that that is terrible and asks who she is again. Elena then asks if she's the tía who always wears yellow. Penelope says no, that's Tía Big Bird. Alex then asks if she's the one who always finds new ways to insult you. Penelope makes a face and rolls her eyes saying that's Tía Bitchy.

Later, the family is entering the funeral. Lydia and Alex are hug Tía Bitchy and another woman, while Penelope and Elena are greeted by Tía Bitchy. Tía Bitchy asks if Elena still has the one eyebrow and says Penelope must be enjoying her mother's tostones, taking a jab at her weight. They walk away and Elena asks if that was Tía Bitchy. Penelope says yes.

When Elena says Schneider is not fluent in Spanish, Monica retorts by saying "Neither are you!" Later, when Alex diverts the tías away from Ophelia's casket by offering to show pictures of him and his Cuban homecoming date, Monica says she looks Puerto Rican.

Later, at the reception after the funeral, when Estrellita and Penelope are fighting over the mantilla, Schneider says Estrellita's comments about removing Victor and Penelope's names from the mantilla were nasty. He then continues, saying Monica is no longer Tía Bitchy, Estrellita is. Monica then demands to know who calls her Tía Bitchy.

Pilar finally comes up and says she and Susan used the mantilla at their wedding and she has it. She then pointedly tells the family they were all at the wedding which confuses them because they had not realized the event was a wedding. Tia Bitchy mumbles "That was a wedding?" Lydia even goes so far as to say she thought it was an affectionate barbeque.

Penelope then says just because they have their differences doesn't mean they will stop being family. Estrellita then proposes a toast to Ophelia and says at least she was alive to see the president make America great again. Everyone else looks uncomfortable and the episode ends with Penelope saying "I'm, sorry. What?"