GLOW Season 1 (Television Review) – Fun and Poignant

GLOW is a comedy-drama television series created by Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch. This TV show was developed for Netflix and stars Kate Nash, Sydelle Noel, Britney Young, Marc Maron, Betty Gilpin and Alison Brie. The show focuses on the characters and gimmicks of a fictionalised version of the syndicated women’s professional wrestling circuit known as the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GLOW).

It is set in 1980s Los Angeles and the main protagonist is Ruth Wilder (Alison Brie), a struggling actress who turns to wrestling in order to survive in Hollywood. However, she is at odds with director Sam Sylvia (Marc Maron) and best friend Debbie Eagan (Betty Gilpin) after a shocking betrayal.

My Knowledge and Expectation of Season 1 of GLOW

Up until a month ago, I knew nothing about GLOW. My first encounter with this TV show came from Alison Brie’s promotional campaign through her Instagram profile. Additionally, apart from Alison Brie, I knew nothing about any of the cast. Still, I eventually became intrigued by the premise of the show and, after the great reviews it has been receiving since its release on Netflix, I was looking forward to a season of television that I assumed would be, at the very least, enjoyable.

My Thoughts on Season 1 of GLOW

While I do not hold GLOW in the same lofty regard as many others, I found it to be an extremely entertaining, fun television show that was at its best through its dramatic moments rather than its comedic moments. Don’t get me wrong, the show is funny at times and most of the humour came from Sam Sylvia who was my favourite part of GLOW. Marc Maron did a fantastic job in bringing this character to life and I hope he gets recognised for it in the form of an Emmy nomination.

What really made Sam Sylvia such a great character was the fact that, in addition to the comedy, he had layers. Maron portrayed the character in a way where you feel sympathetic for someone who, despite his obvious flaws, is doing his best to make it in Hollywood. Underneath his exterior, he has a heart. In fact, a lot of the characters in GLOW were anything but superficial, especially Machu Picchu (Britney Young). All of this made for some very poignant moments.

I also liked Alison Brie in the lead role of Ruth Wilder and she elevated a talented ensemble cast. You can tell that the whole cast had a great time making GLOW and it transferred well into the actual show as there was a real camaraderie between the female wrestlers. The relationship that they all had with each other felt very natural.

The Music of GLOW

Furthermore, the music in GLOW was great. It fitted well with the aesthetic of the show and particular songs that were highlights for me were ‘Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)’ by Journey and ‘Rock You Like A Hurricane’ by Scorpions. Another element of GLOW which I must commend is the number of episodes we got and the length of those episodes too.

There were 10 episodes in this first season of GLOW and they were all around 30 minutes long. Because of this structure, the show flowed very well. It was tight, succinct storytelling that made for a great binge. Moreover, the way this first season ended sets up the second season nicely and I am looking forward to seeing this story continuing because GLOW is a good show that deserves to be supported. I hope you give it a chance.