GLOW: Season 1/ Episode 4 “The Dusty Spur” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

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GLOW refocuses on the yet to be developed characters and takes a keen interest in Sheila, Carmen, and a little bit into Tammé.

Sheila

Sheila is not a wolf. She knows she is not a wolf. But something about wolves are empowering to her and that is why she puts on the makeup, the dusty wig, and takes on the persona[note]She’s been doing it for 5 years now.[/note]. If you were looking for an explanation beyond that? Well, good luck.

Commentary

Um, okay. Was I expecting some grand, the wolf is how I channel my power after a tragic incident? Kind of. But I think that thought process stems from the idea that people can’t just be weird. Like, being weird is more so a by-product of trauma. Be it something as small as not having friends to being assaulted. So with it seeming Sheila is weird because that’s just who she is, I appreciate it. I also appreciate how Ruth just accepts this. It takes a little time, but she understands through something happening to her and her channeling Anne of Green Gables to see her through.

Carmen: Carmen, Rhonda

As noted, Carmen comes from a wrestling family. Her dad is a wrestler, her brothers are a wrestler, but she isn’t allowed to be. Goliath Jackson, her father, expects her to live a normal life. He wants her to meet a nice man, get a respectable job, and let that be it. However, Carmen grew up around wrestling and loves it.

I mean, since her mom left, this is the most women Carmen has ever been around. Perhaps one of the few times she has had female friends. At least her friendship with Rhonda (Kate Nash) makes that seem so. Much less her ability and desire to be kind to Ruth despite the homewrecker moniker. So at the age of 25, she decides she isn’t going to continue to deal with her dad’s hypocrisy and she is sticking with GLOW.

Commentary

When I look on IMDB and see the genre tags of “Comedy, Drama” I find myself trying to understand how this show is either. It’s not that funny and while we get touching moments like what Carmen had, it doesn’t fit what drama traditionally holds. Though, in general, this isn’t a traditional show, right? So why expect its version of what’s funny to be something that cracks any and all people up? Much less, I find myself having to remember that not every show or movie is pushing for awards. Sometimes they are just trying to provide entertainment.

Which I know seems off topic when it comes to Carmen, but hear me out. When it comes to Carmen, she is sort of the first character who tows the line between comedic and dramatic. Being that this show is dealing with stereotypes, misogyny, and also womanhood, she is perhaps one of the few who can take a joke, is treated like a joke, but has feelings too.

We sort of saw that in Melrose, but she has become pure comic relief at this point. So Carmen, be it helping with someone else’s struggle or her own, is the only one who brings both a sort of goofy comic appeal while being involved in emotional storylines. Even if it is something as simple as threatening to leave her dad like her mom did.

Offensive & Difficult: Tammé, Ruth, Debbie

Tammé (Kia Stevens) was cool playing the Welfare Queen for a minute. However, with a son in Stanford and it really hitting her this character will be on TV, she has some thoughts. But being that Sam doesn’t care about political correctness and thinks the commentary is wonderful, he doesn’t want to budge. In fact, he gives some of his tapes to Tammé so she can understand who she is working with. Thus leading to a Blood Disco viewing with the girls, and Keith.

Someone Tammé asks about working with Sam. For she is really trying to understand if the man is racist, just plain insensitive, or maybe she is in her feelings. Which leads to Keith saying Sam is more sexist than racist. Thus answering that question.

As for Debbie? Well, same old same old. She can’t deal with her husband much anymore, he refuses to leave the house, so she leaves. Making this whole Sam and Sebastian, “Commune at a motel for awhile” thing a blessing. She, unlike the other girls, gets her own room, there is a pool and enough space for baby Randy. Unfortunately though, living at the motel, a mandatory thing if anyone wants to get paid, means seeing Ruth.

Yet, with no friends, even among the girls, maybe Ruth may have to do. Yes, she is the mistress of her marriage. However, she was nice once. They could maybe be friends again. Not today, not tomorrow, but with some time.

Commentary

Touching on the gimmick thing, a part of me honestly wonders if Stevens ever was approached with such a character. For I can truly picture WWE, especially in the 90s, perhaps putting a character out like this. Back when they were trashy and wonderful. But while on that thought, I do feel compelled to wonder what is Stevens take on all this? After all, she is the only one of the reoccurring cast members, that I know of, that was an actual wrestler. So I do wonder if this story mirrors hers or if the characters mirror people she has worked with [note]I honestly wish, in my own way, this was her show at times.[/note].

As for the Debbie situation? I won’t be a broken record. I’ll just note that I am looking to see how Ruth ends up back on good terms with her. It isn’t on the top of my list of what I’d like to see by the end of the season, but it’s somewhere near the bottom.