Like newbie grapplers straining to learn their moves, the first season of Netflix original series “GLOW” about a troupe of struggling female actors in the 1980s turned female wrestlers, started out as a sluggish undercard match. Furthermore, it was dispiriting that the best character on a show ostensibly about women, was, at least at first, a man (Marc Maron, who played the Svengali snake oil salesman of the wrestling operation). Yet, if the show stepped cautiously into the wrestling ring at first before delivering its best moves (yes, it improved), then season two finally takes the title with all the confidence of an off-the-top rope leap. Like actors finding their voice in a new role, “GLOW” season two finds its wrestling stars perfecting their brawling blows and bruising holds.
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Created by Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch, the second season of “GLOW” carries its own brand of humor while adding raw emotion and daring social commentary. From the first episode, there’s a driving conflict between unique characters that develop, sways, and comes to a head throughout the show. And with the streaming services’ model of binge-happy content, once you take your seat for the match, you’ll stay glued for the remainder of the card.
The second season picks up slightly after where the first season left off. Season one of “GLOW” left the troupe of actors/wrestlers taping the pilot episode of their new wrestling show, “Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling,” in the Hayworth Ballroom. Tensions were high, as Ruth (Alison Brie) directed the episode in Sam Sylvia’s (Maron) place while he dealt with some unanticipated family drama (the revelation that one of the young women was his daughter). Debbie Egan (Betty Gilpin) surprised the audience, and her fellow cast members, when she returned to the ring as her “GLOW” alter ego Liberty Belle to face her arch enemy: Ruth’s character, Russian Zoya the Destroyer. But their game plan didn’t exactly go as designed when at the last minute, as Liberty Belle touted her crown, Tammé (Kia Stevens), as Welfare Queen, stole the championship under the direction of Sam. With the success of the pilot, the ladies return to film the rest of their season and drama naturally ensues.
At the start of season two, the cast of “Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling” are back from their break and back in the gym for the rest of the season. With the 1980s still in play, the show continues its parade full of big hair-dos, glitter, and colorful eyeshadow, but beneath the outrageous costumes is one of the best ensemble casts on television. In the cast of unique characters, Sam Sylvia (Maron) remains the bitter, if at times charming and quippy, director of the operation. Also back is the flustered producer Bash Howard (Chris Lowell) struggling to keep the show afloat. The star of the ‘Ladies’ show Debbie Egan (Gilpin), grapples with personal blows that begin to affect her work while Ruth Wilder (Brie), who is still dedicated to her craft, is the emotional adhesive holding the eclectic cast together.
The show doesn’t waste any time setting up conflict for the first half of the new season. Ruth and Debbie are still at odds following Debbie’s realization that Ruth slept with Debbie’s husband in season one. It’s a strain that kicks off the show but doesn’t let up for one moment, leading to an explosive mid-season episode. Sam is still struggling to retain a semblance of control and when his authority is challenged the sting seeps in for the rest of the season.
In episode one, Ruth’s talent and enthusiasm for the new show get the better of her, and she finds her way onto Sam’s wrong side. And these frictions produce opportunities to explore parts of the show that are new, like the heightened push and pull between Sam and Ruth, Sam’s turn as reluctant father, and Betty’s new role as producer. The latest addition of Yolanda (Shakira Barrera) gives Ruth the opportunity to learn a new skill and shows off the strong bonds formed between the women as the series progresses. When it comes to the rest of the ensemble, more is learned about established characters from season one, including Rhonda’s (Kate Nash) citizenship, Tammé’s relationship with her son, and how the women handle their newfound quasi-celebrity status.
But what sets season two apart from its predecessor is the emotional weight carried. Even when there’s not a storyline, and only a moment, “GLOW” realizes and humanizes the lived experiences of its diverse cast. Cherry Bang (Sydelle Noel) is having a brutal and humiliating time. Having left her wrestling gig, she doesn’t fit into her new, leading role on a drama series. The dehumanizing solution offered by her new co-workers is to “fix her,” and without asking for permission, she’s sat in a makeup chair as straightening chemicals are brushed through her natural kinky hair. Adding insult to injury, her lines are cut back; in a sense trying to erase her existence altogether. Distraught, she returns to Sam to let her back in on the wrestling extravaganza.
By the midway point of the new season, “GLOW” breaks out its best moves. A not-so-subtle commentary on the sexist, male-driven power dynamics of the entertainment industry is mainly dialogue-laden up until this point. When Ruth has an encounter with a powerful KDTV male exec, the show is placed in jeopardy when she runs out of a hotel room, evading a traumatic experience. When Ruth finally tells Debbie she may be the cause of the show’s trouble, Debbie’s reaction is anything but expected, highlighting a severe fracture between the two and the unfair ways women must navigate the misogynistic world they work in. It’s a reading on the industry as a whole and transcends the show within a show to highlight the topical subject of today.
With all of this in mind, “GLOW” plays by its own rules, both the show itself and in the world of the characters. There is little the season lacks. But this latest installment can feel slightly overwhelming with the excessive introduction of too many new characters, and many of these story arcs don’t get their due attention. Ultimately, some loose ends are tied up; others are left dangling. This flaw never hinders the show entirely, and in fact, there’s something there in all these threads that keep you engaged for what will hopefully be a third season.
If the hair and makeup weren’t enough, “GLOW” always reminds its audiences they are in the ‘80s. Some great musical moments come with the nondiegetic-use of songs “You’re All I Need To Get By” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell in a touching sequence. “Far From Over” by Frank Stallone is set to a great montage of the women preparing for the fight to come, and “You Make My Dreams Come True” by Hall and Oates gets a fun play following a shocking scene. Tracks like “I Know What Boys Like” by The Waitresses and the Genesis song “Man On The Corner” exploit the full weight of their lyrics to biting and poignant effect.
If at times stretching itself too thin with the number of stories it is trying to tell, “GLOW” is at least growing more and more ambitious. It’s a feminist undertaking of intersecting identities rarely seen on television, combining witty humor and empathetic drama; the series certainly improves on where it started. Brie and Maron are magnetic, with Gilpin giving an intense, dynamic performance. The fiercely talented cast gives as good as they can get too. There are times when the season simply can’t hold the weight of exploring and establishing its many new narratives, but while it may buckle on wobbly knees, “GLOW” never falls flat and generally recovers from most mistakes. Cheering on characters and jeering others as if you were at a live taping yourself, “GLOW” remains one of TV’s top contenders. Setting itself up for a third season in inspirational fashion, thank you Jefferson Starship anthem, it’s pretty clear nothing’s going to stop these ladies anytime soon. [B+]
Season two of “GLOW” starts streaming on Netflix Friday, June 29.