GLOW

GLOW is an American comedy-drama series dealing with the world of Professional Women's Wrestling that aired on Netflix from 2017 to 2019. The series, an acronym for the "Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling," is renowned for its intelligent scripting, fascinating characters, and the comedic yet delicate portrayal of headstrong women striving to make their mark in the glitzy, testosterone-charged world of wrestling.

The show is just as much about wrestling as it is about the relationships and personal dynamics of the women who make up the wrestling ensemble. These interpersonal dynamics are the foundation of the series, which provides the show with a unique appeal that separates it from other television series.

Set in the 1980s in Los Angeles, the series revolves around Ruth Wilder (Alison Brie), a struggling actress burdened with one too many failed auditions. The story begins with Ruth's deep desperation to land a role which eventually leads her to the world of women's wrestling, an unconventional setting indeed. Throughout the series, we get a chance to witness Ruth shape her wrestling figure - a Russian villain named Zoya the Destroya, which in turn also shapes her off-screen persona.

GLOW offers a unique and often hilarious perspective on the struggles and victories of female wrestlers under the tutelage of the washed-up B-movie director, Sam Sylvia (Marc Maron). His unlikely role as a wrestling coach adds a spark to the beautifully scripted storyline. GLOW brings to the forefront his efforts to train fifteen unruly women for the wrestling event of the century.

In this wrestling world, each woman must define her gimmick—an exaggerated persona to entertain the crowd—and, to do so, they often rely on outrageous stereotypes, which, ironically, pokes at social and cultural issues of the era. However, the drama behind the scenes unfolds when their personal lives cross paths with their in-ring characters.

Central to the storyline is Ruth's complicated relationship with her friend and soap-opera queen Debbie Eagan (Betty Gilpin), who enters wrestling as the All-American face, Liberty Belle, to combat Ruth's Russian heel. Their off-stage rivalry drives the show's narrative in interesting ways, developing their characters beyond the wrestling personas.

Unlike other sports dramas, GLOW doesn't shy away from showing raw emotions, personal dramas, and real-life issues relating to body image and empowerment, offering simultaneously funny and heartfelt narratives. GLOW uses wrestling as a backdrop to deal with these themes, and as strange as it might sound, it works wonderfully well.

Equally as riveting as the storyline is the 1980s aesthetic of the show. With its neon lights, big hair, and larger-than-life costumes, GLOW transports its viewers straight back to the eighties. The show's visual style matches its narrative tone: bright, colorful, lively, and yet brutally honest. The original series truly encapsulates the spirit of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, who, despite their somewhat bizarre job description, face regular, everyday issues.

GLOW has a wonderfully diverse cast beyond the central trio. Each wrestling lady, though initially brought forward as a stereotype, gradually reveals their unique and complex identity throughout the show. They start as caricatures but, by the end of the series, they are real women with their own stories.

While GLOW humorously navigates the novelty of women’s wrestling, it also juxtaposes the charm of their training scenes with a deep, touching exploration of womanhood. The dichotomy between wrestling's bestial physicality and the women's individual emotional intelligence creates an underlying tension, propping the story up and keeping viewers captivated throughout its four-season run.

All in all, GLOW is not just an ode to the women who broke new ground in wrestling, paving the way for future females in the sport, but it's also a heartfelt exploration of friendship, personal growth, and the search for identity. It's touching, comical, thought-provoking, and above all, truly empowering.