GLOW: Season 3
Netflix's GLOW returns for a third season with the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling performing in Vegas, and even as the ladies are stuck playing for the gambling crowd night after night, their personal journeys have endless material to draw on
Back for its third summer, the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling find themselves in Vegas, performing their greatest hits night after night to the gambling crowd. While the wrestlers’ moves and ring personas have largely stayed the same since the end of the first season (often to their consternation), GLOW continues to find new ground and rich material through its full trust in its messy, loud, and ultimately kind-hearted characters.
Bash (Chris Lowell) and Sam (Marc Maron) have their moments in the spotlight, but the women are the show’s aggressively warm heart and soul. Alison Brie continues to mine Ruth’s self-sabotaging tendencies alongside her dreams of stardom, and comedy genius Betty Gilpin is this year’s MVP as she grows Debbie’s business savvy alongside her relationship and familial struggles. Kate Nash develops Rhonda’s sensitive side as she reckons with the reality of marriage, Arthie (Sunita Mani) and Yolanda’s (Shakira Barrera) relationship gets ample space to evolve alongside their personal revelations, and Gayle Rankin has tremendous fun with Sheila’s burgeoning sense of self. The addition of Geena Davis as an ex-showgirl and casino manager is icing on the cake.
GLOW has always been at its best when the rulebook is abandoned, either in terms of episodic structure or in the wrestling ring. The third series throws in these surprises without sacrificing the show’s integrity. It trusts that their characters will maintain investment with minimal meddling from soap-like plot twists – and this trust is not misplaced. It keeps all development organic and ever-expanding; even if the ladies are stuck in Vegas, their personal journeys have endless material to draw on. The series’ only downside is that there may be a bit too much going on to neatly wrap everything up with this finale, making some plot points feel sloppy at best, irresponsible at worst.
That said, should GLOW be renewed there is enough still to do in this colourful, human-centric world for a few seasons more.
GLOW season 3 is streaming now on Netflix