GLOW is Netflix’s newest original drama and it gives a touch of reality to the performative worlds of Hollywood and wrestling.
GLOW stands for Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling. It was a real television show in the ’80s — a mixture of skit comedy and wrestling matches. Netflix’s version shows a fictional take on production behind the show. It follows a group of actresses, their director, and their producer as they prepare to shoot the TV pilot.
The Netflix series was created by Liz Flahive, who previously worked on Homeland, and Carly Mensch, who is known for her work on another Netflix original, Orange is the New Black.
It stars Alison Brie as Ruth, a down-on-her-luck actress who can’t get cast in anything because she’s too “normal.” She finally finds a place in the off-beat production of GLOW.
Brie is supported by a cast of brilliant actresses, including Betty Gilpin and Ellen Wong, who play other actresses that join the production. It also stars Marc Maron as Sam, the director, and Chris Lowell as Bash, the producer.
Initially, GLOW leans heavily into plot stereotypes, thanks in part to character Debbie Eagan (Gilpin), who acted on a soap opera before joining her frenemy Ruth in GLOW. There is cheating, fighting, and even a last minute need to fund-raise money for the production.
However, the characters keep the plot from becoming trite by navigating this drama with such nuance. They create their own wrestling alter egos and use them to combat the stereotypes others see in them.
Bombshell Rhonda becomes encyclopedia-smart Britannica. Sheila uses the character of She-Wolf to embrace the wig and makeup that make her feel comfortable. Average Ruth becomes Zoya the Destroyer, a Soviet Union nationalist.
Though masked as these characters in the ring, the struggles in these women’s lives of sexism, identity, and relationships bring the show down to Earth. They make these women feel relatable.
Going into the show, I thought Alison Brie would be the shining star of the production. She was a fan-favorite in Mad Men and has proven herself to be a dynamic actress. In many ways, she is that star.
Her versatility shines in every episode. She is just as good at making an audience laugh as she is at making them cry. She does wresting stunts and accents. In GLOW, all of it is believable and delightful to watch.
Even though Brie brings all this to the show, she doesn’t eclipse the other actors around her. For every right step Brie takes, her costars step up to match her. Gilpin keeps up with Brie’s emotion in a memorable fight scene in the show’s pilot and in every fight — wrestling or otherwise — after that. Maron’s character Sam matches Brie’s charm in each scene they have together.
It is Britney Young’s portrayal of Carmen, however, that I enjoyed the most. Carmen’s struggle with her family and anxiety is relatable and real. When, in one scene, her wrestling knowledge is called upon, her excitement is tangible. Young plays it all with enthusiasm and a smile that (excuse the pun) glows.
Overall, GLOW is a great addition to any Netflix queue. The show’s premise is unique. Wrestling is a fun, new world for Netflix viewers to inhabit, and it gives a fitting backdrop to the real draw of the show: its unique characters.
Between the wresting alter egos and the actresses themselves, the women of GLOW are what make the show so watchable. They bring nuance to stereotypes and heart to soap opera tropes. They are friends I’d watch again and again.
GLOW season 1 is streaming now. Will you be watching?
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