Saturday, August 10, 2019

REVIEW: 'GLOW' - Cherry Grows Concerned About Her Fellow Wrestlers While Bash Continues to Network in 'Desert Pollen'

Netflix's GLOW - Episode 3.03 "Desert Pollen"

Fed up with the ladies' sloppy performances and lack of training, Cherry takes them to a showgirl dance class, which stokes Debbie's insecurities.





In 2018, there were 495 scripted shows airing amongst the linear channels and streaming services. The way people are consuming content now is so different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, there is less necessity to provide ample coverage of each specific episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site is making the move to shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of Netflix's GLOW.

"Desert Pollen" was written by Rachel Shukert and directed by Jesse Peretz

The women of GLOW are largely in charge of looking after themselves and each other. There isn't an organizational structure that protects them while also dictating the exact demands of this job. The producers are still largely making it up as they go along. GLOW has become a close family. It's a party atmosphere where the people still enjoy hanging out with each other. But they also moved the show to Vegas because it was the only venue where they could keep doing this work. Of course, that meant producing the same show every night. As such, the women feel like they no longer have to put the work in to maintain their wrestling skills. They know this routine. They know how to perform. Cherry understands that they all have to keep in shape in order to keep performing. The women have to take care of themselves to ensure that nothing bad happens to them in or out of the ring. The rest of the team just struggles to look at Cherry as a leader because they don't give her that authority. She is absolutely right though. There needs to be standards. The women can't go out partying all night long in Vegas. That's the lifestyle that Melrose promotes. She is having a blast in this city. The rest of the ladies struggle to keep up with her. They need a night off every once in awhile. But Melrose enjoys being sexualized and appreciated. She thinks it's a compliment when someone thinks she's a prostitute. Sure, it's one big misunderstanding where she's the one actually paying to have sex. That can be absolutely soul-crushing for her. In fact, this new city is forcing the women to be very self-conscious about their bodies and their eagerness to perform as wrestlers. In fact, it seems like disaster is just waiting to happen. Tammé is starting to have back problems while Debbie forces herself to throw up after dinner. These are troubling signs that may prove that these performers aren't capable of continuing with the show for too much longer. Everyone believes that it's just two more months of work. That's what their contracts stipulate. And yet, it's a complete free-for-all when it comes to any kind of medical expenses or guarantees that the producers will cover any problems that come up. The GLOW family rallied around Ruth when her ankle was broken. She has recovered now. But nothing within the organization has changed all that much. Bash is more interested in courting producers around the city instead of continuing to manage the show he is currently running. Sam doesn't think he has to put much work into the show because it's already a finished product. He is instead trying to improve himself. He was honest about his feelings with Ruth. He is working on a new screenplay. He also decides to quit smoking here. Those could all be welcoming signs. And yet, the show still wishes to punctuate that moment where Ruth is trying to cheer up Debbie by being a showgirl without a top on only for Sam to walk in on them. That's awkward. It's still empowering to see the depiction of bodies in all their shapes and sizes. The show provides equal opportunities for nudity both male and female. But the wear and tear on the women's bodies is really starting to become apparent. Cherry is worried about what pregnancy and having a family will ultimately do to her. It's a change that she doesn't know if she can commit to any longer. She sees how the Showgirls dance teacher had to give up so much. This woman may already be back in peak shape which could infuriate someone like Debbie. But right now, it's all about Cherry and Keith having this unfortunate fight about the future of their family. He wants kids and she is no longer sure. That's devastating and could prove that tragedy may occur from many different corners of this world. Humans are always just trying to do their best. But the GLOW production really hasn't done anything to protect its wrestlers to ensure that they always come first in a way that guarantees their safety both physically and mentally.