GLOW (TV Series 2017–2019) Poster

(2017–2019)

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8/10
I will NEVER forgive Netflix for canceling this...
punqdoq2 April 2022
This show is almost perfect. I enjoyed every second of it, and I'm not one to usually watch Netflix originals. Seeing the unique group of characters grow and develop throughout the series was really fun to watch. The plot lines were intriguing and had a beautiful mix of drama, comedy, and pure awkwardness. It's so real. But when the series ends with 6 different cliff hangers it makes it hard for me to recommend it to people. Covid got in the way of the closure for this series, and I HOPE they decide to bring it back. If other studios can return to filming after the pandemic slows down, and some can film DURING the pandemic as well, I don't see why they can't bring this show back. So many loose ends need to be tied. Netflix has the money and power to do it and I don't see why they don't. If they can green light shitty shows that NO ONE watches, they can renew this for more. We want more.
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9/10
So good I've watched both seasons twice... In a week!!!!!
beau-679709 July 2018
After watching mediocre series, GLOW was a breath of fresh air. Every single character had texture and were so compelling to watch. I found myself invested in every one of them. I felt I was watching real people, as opposed to actors acting like real people and what made this possible was the writing AND the talent.

What really sold this series to me was the true depiction of the 1980s; the cinematography, the soundtrack, the casting (this is how people looked in the 80s) and the grit. Such an awesome production. Alison Brie, Betty Gilpin, Marc Maron and Chris Lowell really stood out for me but the whole cast were amazing. Kia Stevens is also a talent to look out for. Her voice alone stood out for me; it was soothing yet powerful. I digress...

The writing was so brilliantly done that I felt every nuance was necessary and added to the overall story. Whether it was a pause, an unspoken word, a sigh, every bit of it was crucial and made the script meaty and real. I can't stand a script that sounds pedestrian and forced, like it has been overly rehearsed. The GLOW writers have the conversational flow of script writing down pat. They deserve awards!!!

Another element that makes this series what it is, is the chemistry between cast members. I believe them; Ruth and Debbie's tension but care for one another, Sam and Bash's good cop, bad cop routine and the ladies ensemble as a whole. There's drama, suspense, COMEDY and great music! A winning combination.

It's so good I've watched both seasons twice. Bring on season 3!
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9/10
So Very Pleasantly Surprised at This Kick Ass Show!
mylesbrandi24 June 2017
I was pretty skeptical of this show from the previews.--I was wrong to be so skeptical!! It's smart, funny and emotional at times. The costuming and soundtrack are great, as is the entire show. It's really well done and my only complaint is that it's a half hour show when I thought the episodes could have been longer. --I guess I just wanted more of a good thing! It really is better than the previews would leave you to believe. I can't recommend this enough for anyone who enjoys something different from their shows!
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10/10
The Most Authentic Depiction of L.A. in the '80s I've Seen to Date
darthramious1 July 2017
The 1980s wasn't just neon fabrics, side ponytails, and cream colored suits with t-shirts. It was also too much moose, too much make-up, and sock-less penny loafers. It was ugly. Brilliantly, gloriously ugly and tacky. And that's what you see in this show. Superficially speaking, this series (and its characters) looks more authentically of the era than anything else I have seen portrayed on film in the last two decades.

Much of the credit goes to costume designer Beth Morgan, who sifted through photo albums to research the look of the decade, rather than fashion catalogs and television shows and seeing an obstructed, romanticized vision of the era. The characters either wear too much or not enough of everything. This was the eighties, warts and all, and just for that alone, this show is worth a look.

But on top of that, you have a rich, diverse cast of characters, almost all of which are multi-dimensional and bring more to the table than just what they appear to be (while ironically trying to play up their stereotypes to promote the show they are working on). And though some characters sadly don't get the time to fully develop in just ten half-hour episodes, you have reason to believe that they will in future seasons, as the executive producers have proved before in the ongoing seasons of 'Orange is the New Black'.

And then there's the men of GLOW. The women are getting plenty of praise - and deservedly so - but the few male characters depicted also get a chance to shine. Chris Lowell plays the fascinating benefactor to the entire GLOW enterprise. He's the only one - initially - with the vision of what the show should be, and although he isn't introduced until episode three ('The Wrath of Kuntar'), his presence is felt as the unseen force propelling a reluctant director and inexperienced cast to pursue this venture. Bashir Salahuddin is the epitome of the phrase "no small parts" in this series. He exudes a warmth that instantly brings calmness and security to anyone and everyone around him. And although he is given minimal lines and - what some may argue - a generic character in the handful of appearances he makes, you genuinely feel invested and supportive of the developments he undertakes in the latter half of the season.

And finally, there's Marc Maron. Whether or not you've heard about him yet, you will soon and it will be because of this role. He plays the director enlisted with putting an all-female wrestling show together. He comes from a B-list, schlock horror background and only takes the job to finance his dream project, but despite being a sleaze ball with a predilection for the vices of the time, he also genuinely cares for people. He's a guy who will step up and stick his neck out for the people he believes in, and unlike just about all the other characters written with a drug problem, Maron's character isn't dictated by societal expectations to flounder and jeopardize the other characters around him. He's an asset, and not only that, but an absolute necessity. He's also an addict, but a functioning addict, which sadly many people in the industry were back then.

Maron exemplifies everything great about this show. It's not glorifying the era, it's a raw, unapologetic, and - at times - brutally honest depiction of the 1980s in southern California: Flawed, hilarious, and tacky.
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10/10
So, I had to write this cuz there are some nasty reviews here
dmacmelville-270-46586225 August 2017
I don't typically write reviews anymore because, who cares, really. It's just that I've seen some really lame-ass reviews for this show, so I had to chime in. In a world were people are going ballistic that Tim Allen's last opus to moronic men was canceled, shows like GLOW give me hope.

The writing is sharp - funny and moving. The characters are all well drawn with each having clear and distinct personalities. The music, costumes, sets are all authentic-feeling and look just great. And the actors ... wow! These folks are all perfect in their roles. Brie and Maron are almost too awesome. I see awards attention for them - or at least hope I do. Gilpin and the other beautiful, fabulous ladies are all perfect. Each episode you find yourself loving somebody new. Even Bash and Florian.

This show is funny, it's heart-felt, it's energetic, it's wicked fun! Netflix should be proud, they're doing some really good things and this is definitely one of them.
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9/10
This Show Hits It Out of the Park
zinjo00-587-97518326 June 2017
For all the Gen X and Y audiences this show is a nostalgic blast from the past! The music is spot on, the characters engaging, the story smart and funny. Definitely another hit for Netflix.

The show runners fully understand what wrestling is all about. The soap opera drama, the choreography, the archetype characters, it is all there.

I was curious and skeptical when I saw the previews, but I gave it a shot because Alison Brie has great taste in roles so I took a chance and am grateful I did. There is something for all viewers.

I hope there are plans to have a Brett Hart cameo in this show. As far as wrestlers go, he was the true master at making everything in the ring look painfully real.

This is a definite watch for anyone who enjoys good comedic dramas.

Be sure to check it out.
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8/10
entertaining and interesting
b_imdb-785-17320824 June 2017
After having watched the first three episodes of Glow, I can say that this is really quite an interesting show. It's part of a new wave of "direct-to-VoD" series that don't have to bow to cable TV standards in terms of language or nudity, but also concerning story development. Glow is a comedy alright, but it tackles difficult subjects like adultery and hard life choices. I would not say that this combination clicks every single time, but there are really quite awesome moments (and very funny ones, too) and I enjoy the basic setup and characters a lot. The acting is also pretty good.

I am curious to see where this is going, but I have to say that I'm very happy that there are shows like this that try to break a little from the mold.
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6/10
Difficult third album
scottmcparker1 September 2019
The first two seasons were original, cool and funny and you really warmed to the characters. Two shows in and Season 3 just feels like any other soap opera and is almost difficult to watch, such a shame as a great cast and concept has been let down by poor writing and a lack of focus.
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8/10
Save Glow!!!
rubenjwong_8811 January 2021
I really love this TV show, I wish we could get an ending.
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7/10
Season 3 - Lost its way
keastgary13 August 2019
I loved the first 2 seasons but season 3 is a disjointed affair. The season tries to focus more on the individual stories of the characters as opposed to the wrestling but falls short in my view. The relationships the 2 main characters enter into lack credibility. Against all this its still very well acted but the writers/producers need to decide where this is going and stick to it instead of this mish mash of half stories.
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9/10
GLOW Season 1 Review
j_forbesy29 June 2017
Wrestling is a 'sport' I don't know too much about. All I know is that it is scripted TV that plays out in front of live crowds. And they 'fight'. After GLOW, my thoughts on wrestling haven't change much, but I can appreciate the behind the scenes a lot more.

GLOW is one of Netflix's newest additions to their ever so growing library. It follows a group of ladies as they take up a wresting job purely for the money. Set in the 80s where many females struggle to get big time work, the show explores the behind the scenes of wrestling while looking into the life of an actress in the 80s.

There is so much to talk about for this show that it is going to be hard to touch on all the bases. Firstly, this is a show about wrestling but it is a story about the characters. That is my biggest take away from this show. Considering that they only had 10 30 minute episodes, they managed to make you care about all these characters and give each an arc that some shows manage to do across several season. 

I have to give a lot of credit to the writing, because without this show being written the way it was, there is no way it turns out as good as it does. Whether it is comedy or emotional dialog, every moment of this show is well crafted and not one line of dialog or one action from a character seems out of place. 

An equal amount of credit has to go to the cast. While Allison Brie was the only name I knew entering the show, I exited the show with many stand outs. While Brie was one of them, I thought Marc Maron, Betty Gilpin and Britney Young stood up as the other standouts. That however takes nothing away from the rest of the cast. Each one of them nailed their performance and I couldn't name one member that stood out for the wrong reasons.

I thought the whole show was shot wonderfully. They really captured that 80s LA that I am use to seeing in movies, and if it wasn't for the camera and audio quality, I would have believed that this show was shot in the 80s. Much of that also came from the music choices. Similarly to Stranger Things, the music gave the show so much authenticity when it came to portraying a time period.

Overall, I was really surprised with this show. Firstly it was one of the easiest binge watches I have ever had. I watched the whole show in an afternoon because it was only 5 hours long rather than 10+. I'm not sure if this show will be getting a season 2 but I am all on board with it. I think this is one of the most well made shows around at the moment and it deserves all the credit it can get.

9/10
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7/10
Season 1 great, Season 2 good, Season 3 awful
ssinai11 August 2019
I've been a big fan of GLOW - both the original wrestling series in the 80's, and the Netflix series. Just finished watching season 3, and was very disappointed. I realized that the funniest and most entertaining aspects of Netflix seasons 1 and 2 happened during the wrestling-related scenes, where the cast members were either in the ring or training. Season 3 was almost all about personal relationships, with very little wrestling. It went from a show that appealed to everybody in the first two seasons, to a "chick-flick" or "rom-com" type of series that was directed mostly at female viewers in season 3. (I'm a guy.)

Way too many sex scenes, which I consider to be what bad screenwriters do to fill time when they can't come up with entertaining ideas.

And even though I consider myself slightly liberal, I am getting sick of political correctness and social justice being crammed down my throat, which season 3 of GLOW decided to do.

That said, I hope the series gets renewed for a 4th season, that season 3 was an aberration, and GLOW returns to what it was doing for the first two seasons.
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3/10
No glow in GLOW for season 3.
betsim32522 August 2019
I'm jumping on the bandwagon, season 3 was terrible! I felt like I was watching the show for the first time and one that I would not have finished at that. Poor directing. Poor scripts. Poor political agenda. Whatever the issue is, please fix it for season 4. And for Pete's sake please bring back Sam! I have to think back hard, was he even a main character this season? If I can say one positive thing, it would be that ................... nope, nothing.......I'm at a loss.
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10/10
An instant '80's' classic made better through diverse casting and taboo breaking story lines!
francesca-8041827 June 2017
I adored it! I watched it twice through straight away. Take every lighthearted, cult 80's film from your youth and roll them into one, then inject the diverse casting and perspectives that all of those films were sorely missing, sprinkle on some amazing 80's fashion and music, serve with some fearless subject matter (storylines covering miscarriage and abortion, misogyny, anxiety. Racism and infidelity) and you get GLOW! What cinema in the 80's SHOULD have looked like. Just like Dirty Dancing, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Back to the Future and The Breakfast Club, this show is going to be one that I watch again and again....and again. Something that I put on when life gets stressful and I just need to disappear into my kitsch 80's fantasy for a while. The episodes are short but impactful, the dialogue is fun and full of humour, after watching it you and your friends will just want to dress up like a wrestlers and start practising moves on each other! An all round hit for me, 10/10!
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10/10
Goosebumps
rogier-867855 July 2018
Glow is about a completely dysfunctional group of women wrestlers, American style in the 80's. That sentence alone should spark everyone's interest. And it keeps on giving. This series let's its characters screw up to triumph brilliantly. It's mix of sex, drugs and wrestling is a stroke of genius.

I know it's high praise. But don't worry going in with too high expectations. Glow will not disappoint. If anything, it'll still blow you away, even if you see the perfect 10's. It's well deserved. The actors seem to relish their roles. It becomes hard even to pick a favorite character. Every episode has you rooting for someone new.

It's characters are all desperately seeking both love and success. They often don't get it but it doesn't matter. They become a team against all odds and persevere. The build ups to the finales are so well crafted I frequently found myself having goosebumps when all the drama outside the ring comes together when the wrestling starts.

It's just... see it.
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10/10
It's Simply A Treat
I don't know as to why so many people hate it. It has 3 very important things going for itself: 1) Stellar Cast. Allison Brie is unrecognizable. Every character feels well sketched out. 2) Gripping story-line. Albeit a bit cheesy but it's intentional, I think and it's good kind of cheesy. 3) Brilliant screenplay and impeccable cinematography.

If you've ever been a fan of 80's comedy and you are a sucker for some good old underdog story, then this is the show for you.

It's mostly predictable yet every scene feels like a breath of fresh air. Every character is flawed and yet incredibly likable. And perhaps most importantly it doesn't have even a single dull frame.

Can't wait for the 2nd season.
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8/10
A GLOW-rious beginning
stencilman28 June 2017
GLOW is loosely based on the actual GLOW (Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling) TV show which was a cheesy but charming women's wrestling show which ran for four seasons in the late 80s.

This is a really funny, heartwarming and sometimes exciting show. It is a very good combination of characters and wrestling. As a lifelong pro wrestling fan, the show successfully shows wrestling for being fun without making fun of it. I could have appreciated more insight into how hard it is to be a wrestler especially taking bumps which take a toll on the body. That being said, it does a very good job showing the people and getting us behind them. They are flawed people but likable and ultimately, you root for their success.

The performances are uniformly excellent. Alison Brie is a capable lead who keeps the movie centered. Marc Maron, as the frustrated but deep down decent cokehead director does a fabulous job. Betty Gilpin as the slightly arrogant former soap opera star is brilliant especially since she has a lot of emotional scenes. I loved the wrestler cameos which I will keep a secret.

To conclude, the show is a wonderful love letter to wrestling fans. It would have been convenient to mock wrestling as stupid and dumb but the show avoids that pitfall. For new fans, it would serve as a good conduit into the crazy world of wrestling and for wrestling fans, it shows a simpler era where we were not smarks who picked apart every booking decision. Highly recommended!
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6/10
loved first 2 seasons, season 3 lost the fun
cshawsta8412 August 2019
Season 3 so bad we turned it off after 2 episodes. Show became a soap opera and a bad one at that. No wrestling which made the show fun in 1st 2 seasons. Allot of these shows should just stop while there ahead
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10/10
Superb Writing & Acting
referencemix3 July 2017
The music, clothing and sets really capture the 80's vibe. Being born in 78 I know my 80's. I loved real wrestling like John Carpenter before it was ruined in the late 90's. this captures that vibe so well. Best acting I've seen in a super long time. I loved everything about this so much.
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Season 3. What happened?
WalterMittee22 August 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I was a big fan of the original GLOW and Seasons 1 and 2 were a lot of fun. Season 3 has deteriorated into an avalanche of back story with so many sexual scenes, that we just abandoned it. When Ruth exposed herself, that's when we said enough. We made it to ep 3 with not a wrestling match in sight.

C'mon guys, why fix what wasn't broken?
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6/10
Glow season 3
dhampton275018 August 2019
Love this series! This season was a little too much agenda pushed. Mark Maron is awesome! All the cast is great. Look forward to next season. Finale was Christmas, really?
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9/10
Shouldn't Have Been Canceled
sammielimehouse-846589 April 2021
GLOW is one of my favorite Netflix Originals. Nearly everything about this show, I love. The writing is smart, the acting is amazing, especially from Alison Brie and Marc Maron, and the story is among my favorite of any Netflix Original. Over, I love this show and wished we would've gotten that fourth and final season. Fingers crossed for a movie!

8.7/10.
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6/10
S1 & S2: Yay! S3: Boo, hiss
gani040110 October 2019
I'm a Alison Brie fan and love her range in this show. I also live the outfits, hair, and makeup; all an homage to the 80s. Which is great foe r this series that's "loosely" based on real life GLOW show of the 80s. I've never been a huge wrestling fan, but my grandma was so this show makes me smile and remember her. Back to Alison Brie. The chemistry between her and Marc Maron is scintillating, keeps you at the edge of your seat to see what happens next. S1 & S2 built on this. S3 threw it all away. S3 has little to no wrestling, way too much Betty Gilpin for my taste, and 3/4 of an episode on Brie and Maron's relationship. I'm skeptical for S4.
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1/10
Season 3 sucks
croc-574-20256921 August 2019
Season 1 and 2 was good 3 sucks the big one and I have canceled Netflix for good. There is nothing good on there anymore
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9/10
Back to the Future, Old Boy and deep dark humor. I liked it. Warning: Spoilers
I usually dislike Netflix shows. Especially those with super heroes. But I gotta admit. This was a pretty good one.

When it comes to reviewing good shows or movies it's just too hard for me because there are too many aspects that I liked about the show. So I never know where to begin with. But here are the things I enjoyed about this one:

1) The time setting. I always enjoy 80's and this show gave me that sense of 80's pretty well.

2) Acting was really good too. Especially with the character Ruth. This show involved a lot of acting within acting within acting. I mean it's a hard one. As an actor Alison Brie, you are the character Ruth of the show GLOW portraying a mediocre actor trying to find a good job for yourself. Once you find a fake wrestling show to take part in then that involves another level of acting which she "learns" by training within the show. Geez it's really hard to explain but I can summarize it by calling it something cheesy like actingception (derived from the movie inception just in case...) It's not just with Alison Brie but all the other wrestler women too.

3) The humor from time to time was predictable but it was still enjoyable and was a little dark, which I enjoy a lot. I believe there was even an OldBoy reference when one of the wrestlers happens to be the daughter of the director and then his daughter tells him what is what when the director tries to make out with his own daughter unkowingly. That moment was so odd and uncomfortable I was both smiling and at the same time embarrassed. Again hard to explain.

This show could get a 10 from me if the wresting moves were just a tiny bit more realistic. Of course they were doing it cheesy on purpose but the level of cheesiness could be reduced just a little bit more to make it seem like these women worked really hard and they started as desperate actors being clueless about wrestling but in the end they put out something that's the result of hard work. I guess I was expecting a much better development in terms of wrestling. They could even use rope tricks green screen CGI I wouldn't care really.

For instance the part in the show where Ruth and Machu Pichu were demonstrating their moves for the first time. They were so amazing. I was like wow these are going to turn into real wrestlers by the end of the show. But as the show proceeded it actually turned into camera techniques to hide actors' incompetence at wrestling.

I don't criticize the show because of my own expectations. I criticize because I fear that some people might find wrestling scenes too cheesy and it might turn them off. Wheras people like me would be okay thinking all that wrestling to be really good on a symbolic level.

Anyways I talked too much. You should really give this show a try.
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