The AfterGLOW
I can’t really say I’m a big fan of professional wrestling anymore. Sure, I used to watch the shows and follow the storylines a long, long time ago, but I’ve dropped it ever since. So, when GLOW was announced to be released by Netflix, I was more or less indifferent to the premise of a series that revolved around sports entertainment. But, I would be lying if I said that it didn’t pique my interest in any way at all. After all, after watching the trailer and finding out that it was going to be a comedy, I was willing to give it a chance even if only for all the laughs I could get watching the show (plus, there’s the prospect of it being a parody of the world of professional wrestling).
After I had the chance to dig into the first episode, however, I have to say that my expectations were ignored to some extent. Again, I wouldn’t say that they were thrown out the window: GLOW had a lot of comedy in it. But, it didn’t exactly go where I thought it was going. Where I expected a parody of old school pro wrestling, I got a show that does not really revolve around the sport (or entertainment genre, if you will); and where I was looking forward to continuously laugh my ass off at its comedic content, I was treated to a story that had comedy as only a supplement. Now, do I hate it? Hell freaking no. GLOW is probably one of the most engaging TV series I’ve seen in a while, the kind that begs to be watched in its entirety in one sitting. Yes, I had hoped to have my belly ache from laughter, but instead I got hooked on a plot that is equal parts sincere and hilarious. To be completely honest, I didn’t think that I would even like it one bit.
GLOW stands for Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, and as such, the series focuses on the lives of the eponymous females of the show and all the drama that goes along with it. Sure, it has a main character in the form of Brie Larson’s Ruth, a struggling actress in Los Angeles who has made missteps along the way and is now doing her best to make amends for it, but we get glimpses – at least for now – of all the motivations all the other gorgeous ladies of wrestling have. Not to mention, almost all of the characters appearing on the show have an endearing quality to them or, at the least, a redeeming quality that adds to their dimension.
Then, of course, there’s the whole professional wrestling theme to GLOW. Really, I’m pretty glad that it didn’t focus on it, considering that it will have been just a pro wrestling nuts wet dream if that were the case.