GLOW (2017)
TV-MA
Starring Alison Brie, Betty Gilpin, Marc Maron, Sydelle Noel, Chris Lowell, Britney Young, Britt Baron, Kimmy Gatewood, Sunita Mani,
Created by Liz Flahive & Carly Mensch
The Story:
It's 1986 and Hollywood has-been Sam Sylvia (Maron) has been tasked to direct something that's never been done before: an all-women's wrestling show. So the open audition goes out, and hundreds of actresses come to the audition, but when they find out there will be wrestling involved, most get up and walk away. Those that survived the initial cut might go on to make the first wave of women's wrestlers the world would come to know as GLOW: The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling.
This is their story.
Ish.
:)
At the center of the story is Ruth (Brie) an actress who never quite lands the role of a lifetime, and realizes that all of the best parts go to men. She may not be a wrestler, but she wants it more than any of the other ladies that are there.
The biggest problem, she just slept with the husband of her best friend, Debbie (Gilpin) and when Sam decides to build the show around Debbie as Liberty Belle, it appears that Ruth is going to be expendable as a wrestler.
Ah, but as any wrestling fan will tell you, to have a good hero, you must have a great villain, and as the show evolves, Ruth will become the best possible villain any mid-80s wrestling hero could ask for.
My hat is off to the creators and stars of the show for taking me back to the 80s to relive the fun that was GLOW.
In 10 episodes that run just a shade over half an hour, the show builds quickly, not wasting a lot of time, yet each episode further fleshes out the overall storyline and the dozen actresses who are going to put their body on the line in the name of entertainment.
Dividing the first season into thirds, it's the middle act that cements everything.
What is going along pretty well in the first act, gets turned up to 11 once Ruth finally finds her true calling and gets her character. Also, Debbie's realization that wrestling isn't stupid...it's a soap opera, and that is something she is good at, and it all begins to click for her as well.
Then as the season winds down, it reveals it's heart and at this point you're so invested in the characters that you'll feel their pain even as they try and keep their smiles on for the cameras and their co-workers.
It's a whole lot of fun, and I think even if you've never cared for wrestling before, you might just find yourself digging what these ladies have to offer.
I would also be remiss to not mention how good Maron is in his role as director. I swear he gets the best lines in the show, and his delivery is impeccable. If this was being filmed 30 years ago, I'd swear he was the second coming of Terry Kiser. Don't worry, I'll give you a minute to Google him if you don't remember. :)
Once you've finished Season One and await what will hopefully come next, there is also a documentary: GLOW: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (2012) streaming on Netflix as well. Clocking in just a little over an hour, you can relive the lightning in a bottle that was GLOW and how much fun the original show was for them, and their millions of fans.
Myself included.
And 30 years later, count me as a fan of the New GLOW as well.
Final Grade for Both: B+ / A- range
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