GLOW Season 2: Wrestling With The Familiar

GLOW, a series inspired by the real-life eighties wrestling show of the same name, became one of Netflix’s biggest sensations. With a focus on female empowerment and relationships, and body positivity, GLOW has inspired women across the globe to take ownership of their identities, to find their passion, and also bust out the leotards and cheesy eighties fashion. With an outstanding Emmy-nominated ensemble cast, GLOW is one of the best shows on television right now. This season proves to be even more impactful than the first, sure to secure additional Emmy nominations for its ensemble cast, and leads Alison Brie (Ruth), Marc Maron (Sam), and includes a strong consideration for Betty Gilpin (Debbie).

While many Netflix shows struggle to make an impact with hour long run times, GLOW manages to pack a punch with its 30 minute format in 10 episodes. The second season is equal in emotional intensity as the ladies return to work – reuniting its original cast and introducing some new members such as Yolanda (Shakira Barrera). With a new season comes new challenges, as the ladies deal with newfound fame and relationships. Never dull, GLOW keeps you hooked…and before you know it, you’re finished with the season and left wanting more.

Episode Highlights (Spoilers): The Ladies Wrestle With Familiar Issues

The latest season of GLOW in its entirety is outstanding, but there are few notable episodes that take the season over the edge. Even though GLOW takes place in the eighties, it’s not afraid to place modern women’s issues front and center.

Episode 4 – Mother of All Matches

Tamme (Kia Stevens), known in the ring as Welfare Queen – is the breakout role of the season. In an episode that focuses on motherhood, we learn more about Tamme’s life outside of GLOW. It is revealed that Tamme is a single mother with a son bound for Stanford. Despite Tamme’s discomfort, her son Ernest (Eli Goree) decides to attend a live show of GLOW. Ernest sees firsthand that his mother plays a negative racial stereotype, and the audience eats it up. Ernest is hurt, and so is Tamme as the audience chants “Get a job!” over and over again. After the show, Ernest expresses his concern but realizes how happy his mother is to be working – even if it is an offensive role.

This episode carries even more emotional weight when you realize that Kia Stevens wrestled as the racially charged character Awesome Kong in the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling league. This episode brushes with race issues in entertainment, but doesn’t dwell on it too much so it doesn’t distract from the other characters. However, it brings up a good dialogue.

Episode 5 – Perverts are People, Too

While this episode was written before the earth-shattering Harvey Weinstein story was released, it couldn’t be more timely. Ruth is invited to a private dinner with a network executive named Tom Grant (Paul Fitzgerald). Naive, Ruth sees the meeting as a way to talk about her career and the future of GLOW. From the beginning, it’s evident what the meeting’s true intentions are. Ruth is directed to a private bungalow and shortly left alone. After showering Ruth with praise, Tom asks her to simulate wrestling moves, and then Tom goes to get a bath ready for the two of them. While Tom is occupied, Ruth makes a run for it. Following Ruth’s escape, Tom pulls GLOW from its prime time slot, and moves it to the 2:00am slot to die. Ruth admits to Debbie her encounter, and Debbie blames her for ruining the show’s chance at success. Debbie tells Ruth how the entertainment industry works, much to Ruth’s disappointment. The casting couch has been around since the entertainment industry was born, and this episode proves that it still exists today – even after #METOO.

Episode 7 – Nothing Shattered

Under a cocaine-induced frenzy, Debbie injures Ruth – fracturing her ankle. Ruth is promptly taken to the hospital surrounded by the rest of the ladies and Sam. In an monumental scene, Ruth and Debbie get into a shouting match – suddenly airing out all their built up anger from over the years. Debbie still harbors feelings of resentment towards Ruth for sleeping with her husband. Ruth has been jealous of Debbie’s success and family as she struggled to make her dreams materialize. Both women laying their baggage on the table, make for a great piece for awards season. This has probably the strongest acting seen from Alison Brie, who has been in a multitude of critically-acclaimed shows.

Episode 8 – The Good Twin

Following in the trend of shows like Bojack Horseman and Mozart in the Jungle, director Meera Menon and the writers of GLOW created an entirely experimental episode. The episode is a complete on-air version of the show after Sam decides to go in a different creative direction. The Good Twin contains corny skits, music videos, and PSA’s to accompany the matches. A fun break from the seriousness of Nothing Shattered, The Good Twin gives audiences room to breath before returning. With nothing to lose in their time slot, Sam decides to flex his directing muscles again. Complete with cringy acting and graphics, The Good Twin is an entertaining, and strong standalone episode.

GLOW is great, but there should be more time to get to know everyone

GLOW provides some great storylines, and powerhouse acting, but its 30 minute run time simply can’t accommodate the amount of backstories. It just doesn’t have time to showcase its wonderful ensemble as much as it should. While the spunky Yolanda was introduced to the team, she doesn’t have much screen time. There are interesting interactions that we could have seen more of too: Arthie (Sunita Mani) develops a romance with Yolanda, and tries to shed her terrorist character on GLOW. A medical school dropout, Arthie is figuring out what she wants out of life and who she is.

The lovable Carmen (Britney Young) gets placed on the sidelines this season, left only as a means to push plot for other characters. While in the first season, she has a connection with Bash (Chris Lowell), they rarely interact together in the new season. A plot curve ball arrives when Bash admits he has feelings for Rhonda (Kate Nash) after almost none of their interactions are shown onscreen. Honestly, I would have loved to see more of Sheila (Gayle Rankin), Justine (Britt Baron), and Cherry (Sydelle Noel) too, but only so much time allows for them. Going forward, I hope the future seasons incorporate the other characters more. An entirely stacked cast, there is no excuse to not use the amount of talent they have.

The ladies are Las Vegas bound, but that can change some things

The conclusion of the second season leaves a lot open for the characters and the storyline. Taking the show to Las Vegas will give the GLOW a very different feel. It’s a show that’s distinctly Los Angeles, but taking the production to Vegas will change the show’s atmosphere from grungy and intimate – to bigger and flashier. This isn’t a bad thing, though. The original GLOW was filmed in Las Vegas.

With the new locale, how will the show live on? How will the ladies react to more fame and fortune? And last of all, what will happen between all of our favorite wrestlers? GLOW teaches the importance of sisterhood, and how it feels to be part of something bigger than yourself. Hoping it keeps up the momentum.

What did you think of this season of GLOW? How did you feel about the important issues brought up this season?

GLOW is now available to stream on Netflix in the US beginning June 29th. For more release information, you can view the IMDB page.