Penelope giving a "The Reason You Suck" Speech to an extremely unhelpful and self-centered operator when she spends the whole episode trying (and failing) to get some help from VA.
Penelope: I've been trying to get in contact with you for a month. You can't take five minutes to help me out? Operator: Well, you don't understand. I have to leave. Penelope: Well, then, walk me through it, Jolene. Because I don't understand. What I do understand is I went to war, I got hurt. And when I came back, there was supposed be an organization set up to help me and other veterans get the help we need. So I don't get why it's so hard to make a simple appointment. And I'm one of the lucky ones. My husband has bad knees, a bad back and traumatic brain injury. He's not getting help. Partly because he's a stubborn ass, but mostly because of this insane process. And because he's not getting help, he almost did something stupid. I lost someone in my unit because she did do something stupid. So, please, enlighten me, Jolene, as to why helping soldiers is less important than you catching your goddamn bus.
The kicker? It goes through, and the operator helps her.
Lydia at first has a problem with Elena being gay, due to her religious beliefs. But she manages to use those same religious beliefs to overcome this sort of thinking, coming to the conclusion that if God made humans in His image, and if God makes no mistakes, Elena being born gay must be alright, and if the Pope is okay with homosexuality, then God must be, too. She manages to undergo this complete turnaround in ten seconds.
Lydia telling Victor to Get Out! when it comes out that he was lying about getting sober.
Not only is the moment itself pretty epic, we must elaborate on the fact that Lydia has been vying for the whole show about Penelope getting back together with Victor (she sees him as honourable, and more importantly Cuban, and already Penelope's husband in a culture that doesn't do divorce). For her to instantly do a 180 shows that really, she seriously cares about her daughter's mental wellbeing more than any of these things.
Season Two
Elena finally calling Victor out for his shitty treatment of her.
Elena: You know, I’ve thought a lot about what happened—and I’ll spare you the details about the anger and the crying and the weight loss and the empty space on my wall where your picture used to be. Because I’ve decided that there’s no point in focusing on the negatives. I’d rather think about the good things that came from this like... You taught me a really valuable lesson. Just because I’m gay, people will hate me without knowing anything else about me. I always knew that was part of the deal. I just—I never expected it from my own father. But now I know not to expect the best from anyone. So thanks, I guess. Oh, and one more thing. I’ve learned some really cool stuff about myself. Like I’m tough, I’m really tough. And when I do stumble, I have the most amazing mom who's always right there to pick me up. So, whatever, dude, I’m moving on with my life. I’m going to be fine. I’m just really bummed out for you. You’re going to miss a lot of stuff, and that sucks. Because I’m pretty great.
An offscreen one for Alex, who apparently got on Victor's case about his homophobia, too.
Elena: He said that you called him a typical cisgender male. I couldn't be more proud.
Schneider, of all people, getting through to Penelope when she's at her lowest point in "Hello, Penelope." He finally helps Penelope see that, yes, she does need her antidepressants, and yes, she probably will be on them forever — but no, there's no shame in that.
Schneider's epic dumping of Nikki, Finn's mom. In front of a nun. Ending with him ripping down her PTA campaign sign.
Padre José gently but effectively getting through to Lydia about the reality of Penelope's mental illness.
Padre José: So your daughter is depressed? Lydia: Oh, oh, yes, yes. She's even taking medication for it. You know, I don't understand these things. Depression, anxiety, OCD... I was just thinking about them the other night when I got up at 3 AM to do my makeup and clean the sponges. Padre José: Well, just because you don't feel those things, uh, doesn't mean they aren't real for her. Lydia: I wish I could take away her pain and feel it for myself. That is what mothers are for. Padre José: Señora, taking on someone else's suffering is not possible. Lydia: But is that not what Jesus did? Padre José: Okay. Good point. I mean, you can't know and fix everything, including your daughter. You can only be there for her while she fixes herself.
As of the season two finale, Lydia and Schneider are American citizens!
Season Three
Rita Moreno and Gloria Estefan singing together. Luckiest studio audience ever.
Lydia protests Elena saying she's old with a dance routine, including a high kick, to the audience's cheers. She ends up twisting her ankle, but the fact remains that we're seeing 87 year old Rita Moreno pulling off those moves.
Schneider standing up to his father when he almost convinces him to make the building go condo, (which would raise the rents and force out tenants who couldn't afford the increase, including the Alvarezes). When his father notes this move made him "officially stop trying" with Schneider, he assures him the feeling is mutual. Because family is the most important thing.
Penelope passes her exam and achieves her dream of becoming a nurse practitioner!
When Victor comes to visit, Elena gets a moment that qualifies for "awesome, in a petty sort of way." He mentions that his new fiancée, Nicole, has a younger sister who's queer, and he apparently gets on just fine with her. Although it appears Victor truly has turned over a new leaf, it's hard not to smirk when Elena snipes, "Oh, so you're cool with her. Did you go to her quinces?" Cue a supremely awkward pause, with Victor clearly thinking to himself, "Yeah, I deserved that."
Season Four
Lydia says that Donald Trump will be thrown out in November just like all the other pumpkins. The show's crew was taking a tremendous gamble with that line months before the election, but it ended up being perfectly accurate.
