Imagine holding onto a dream for over 18,000 days—half a century—only to have it remain just out of reach. That’s the reality for Valerie Bertinelli, whose unfulfilled wish from her time on One Day at a Time still lingers. But here’s where it gets emotional: despite the show’s enduring legacy, her own son, Wolfgang Van Halen, has never watched it. And this is the part most people miss—how even a lifelong achievement can feel incomplete without personal connection.
It’s been more than 18,000 days since One Day at a Time premiered, but Bertinelli’s dream from the very first day of production remains unrealized. The actress, who played Barbara Cooper Royer on the beloved CBS sitcom for nine seasons, recently reflected on the show’s debut during an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show. Her memories of that time are vivid, almost sensory. “Whenever I think of One Day at a Time, I can smell it,” she shared. “I can smell the stage because it was my first big job.”
Bertinelli vividly recalls the moment before she stepped onto the set to deliver her first line in front of a live studio audience. “I’m holding the doorknob, and I can see the audience, and I’m about to go in,” she reminisced. “I have my basketball. I’m 15 years old. And I’m saying my line over and over: ‘Mom, Mom, I made the team! I made the team! Mom, Mom, I made the team!’ because I wanted to make sure I got my first line right.”
Even at 15, Bertinelli had a profound sense of the show’s lasting impact. “I remember thinking—and this is what’s so weird—I remember thinking, ‘I’m going to be able to show this to my children one day,’” she said. Yet, decades later, her son Wolfgang, whom she shared with her late husband, Eddie Van Halen, has yet to watch the show. “I don’t think Wolfie’s ever seen it,” she admitted. “Now he can!”
But here’s where it gets controversial: Is it fair to expect family members to engage with our past achievements, or should we let go of such expectations? Bertinelli’s unfulfilled dream raises questions about legacy, connection, and the weight we place on sharing our journeys with loved ones.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly last year, Bertinelli reflected on her intuition about the show’s significance. “I knew that was going to be special,” she said. “I don’t know how I knew that then, but I could feel it. I wish I’d feel those feelings more.”
Today, Bertinelli experiences a similar sense of purpose as a lifestyle expert on Barrymore’s daytime talk show. “I mean, I feel it,” she said. “I love the way the audience is growing here. I love the way Drew is finding the audience that resonates with her and that they look forward to having Drew in their living room for the afternoons, because it takes so long for a talk show to find its legs.”
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of One Day at a Time, Bertinelli’s story serves as a poignant reminder of the power of dreams—and the bittersweet reality when they remain unfulfilled. What do you think? Should we hold onto these dreams, or is it time to let them go? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
