GLOW – Ruth Wilder (Alison Brie) – Photo by Erica Parise/Courtesy of Netflix.
GLOW – the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling – is a wild and crazy and unique series that would be entertaining as hell even if didn’t have something to say about making a TV wrestling show, feminism, family, racism and a bunch of other isms I can’t think of right now!
The first ten-episode season is now available on Netflix and, trust me on this, it’s freakin’ addictive!
GLOW’s first season takes us from Ruth Wilder (Alison Brie, Community) trying to read for ‘the man’s role’ because it’s the better role, through her attending an audition for a TV wrestling show called GLOW, and finding a new family with fourteen women who come together to create something so special it practically glitters.
We see the whole process, from casting to learning moves; costuming to rehearsals and test matches – right through to the first actual episode airing on TV (it’s cable but, hey, it’s a real show).
GLOW – Britney Young, Kimmy Gatewood, Rebekka Johnson, Ellen Wong, Britt Baron, Sydelle Noel, Alison Brie, Sunita Mani, Marianna Palka, Gayle Rankin, Kia Stevens, Jackie Tohn – Photo by Erica Parise/Courtesy of Netflix
Watching the GLOW women learning their craft and figuring out their characters – while also dealing with their differences – is the largest part of the fun. It’s a large, diverse cast that pokes fun at stereotypes by exploiting them in the context of the stories behind the wrestling matches (like a pro wrestler in a later episode realizes, it’s all about soap opera – ‘It’s where we get all our best stuff!’).
Joining Ruth on this unique and extraordinary journey are Betty Gilpin as Debbie Egan (aka Liberty Belle – the patriotic Southern belle); Britney Young as Carmen (aka Macchu Picchu, daughter of a pro wrestling legend); Sydelle Noel as Cherry Bang (a former stuntwoman); Gayle Rankin as Sheila the She-Wolf (who identifies as a wolf in and out of the ring); Sunita Mani (aka Beirut, the terrorist); Marianna Palka as Reggie; Kimmy Gatewood and Rebekka Johnson play Stacey and Dawn (best friends and hairdressers who are kind of the rodeo clowns of GLOW); Kate Nash as Rhonda (aka Britannica, the brainy British girl); Britt Baron as Justine (aka Scab, and possessor of a big secret); Jackie Tohn plays music video queen Melanie Rosen (aka Melrose); Kia Stevens (the only cast member with wrestling experience) as Tamée (aka Welfare Queen), and ellen Wong as Jenny (aka Fortune Cookie).
Marc Maron plays their director, Syd Sylvia, the show’s director – a smart, sarcastic B-movie director who’s using GLOW to finance his next project – but is really good at his job despite his snark.
GLOW – Kia Stevens, Ellen Wong, Marc Maron, Kate Nash, Sydelle Noel – Photo by Erica Parise/Courtesy of Netflix.
Veronica Mars’ Chris Lowell recurs as producer Bash, the money behind the show, and Rich Sommer who recurs as Debbie’s husband (who cheated on her with her best friend, Ruth).
Inspired by the real story of a 1980s all-female professional wrestling league, GLOW follows a group of women in Los Angeles who learn to body slam and break out of their comfort zones – all in the name of creating a low-budget cable TV show.
Along the way there are fences to mend; a boss to be slept with (not to get the job, really!); a legacy to live up to; friendships to be made, and a whole lot of women wrestling (from their first tentative moves to some pretty eye-popping moves by the time the pilot for GLOW is being shot).
GLOW – Marianna Palka, Jackie Tohn, Ellen Wong, Kate Nash, Sunita Mani – Photo by Erica Parise/Courtesy of Netflix.
Technically, GLOW is beautifully built – from tracking shots following wrestlers in the ring to hero shots of the winners of matches; from the costumes and makeup that completely bring the eighties to life; to the big hair and relatively new touch-tone phones. If you want to get to know more about the makeup, you can check reviews of Vine Vera’s products for more info.
The cinematography is exceptional, catching every mood at just the right time and following the fight choreography well.
The cast is pretty much outstanding – fourteen characters looking for someplace they belong being played by actors who take those unique characters and turn them into living, breathing people we can care about.
GLOW – Alsion Brie, Betty Gilpin – Photo by Erica Parise/Photo courtesy of Netflix.
Series creators Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch have put together a one-of-a-kind series that not only features a cast with a vast majority of female roles, but a series where these women are all interesting and fun to follow.
It’s a show about finding your place in the world – even you can’t stand each other – and figuring out how you fit into it without losing whatever it is that makes you you.
GLOW is glorious fun and poignant drama in a mix that creates a certain giddy enthrallment. It’s also the first series since Luke Cage that I binged the entire season in one sitting – and want to see it again (and if Netflix releases it on DVD, they should allow Flahive and Mensch the opportunity to do commentaries on a few episode, because these two really know what they’re doing!).
Final Grade: A