Real Women of Gaming

I love when a television program shows that failure can lead to new opportunities. Those opportunities may not be exactly what you are looking for at first. It may not even be what you most want but you can make it work. Success requires a lot of work. It also means that you have to be able to roll with the punches. Season Three of GLOW showcases all of this on one of the biggest stages there is. Las Vegas. 

The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling find themselves far from home this season. After failing to keep their television spot the ladies have been given a shot to keep wrestling. It will require a lot of sacrifice and creativity from the team though.

Starting off in typical fashion–trying to recover from a botched interview–the ladies face their first show in Vegas. Throughout the season everyone faces many difficulties. Some of them are physical abilities. Some are based on the pressures of discovering self in the face of societal norms. Some are figuring out what you really want to do with your life. What success looks like for each member of the team. 

All the time the backdrop of Vegas is playing out this season. New characters to help and hinder are introduced. There are a lot of laughs and also some heart breaking moments. This season has something for everyone. I think the show really knocked it out of the park with this season.

As with previous seasons, the soundtrack is flawless. Like other seasons the show is full of bangers from the 1980s. They add depth or humor, as needed, to every scene. The regular music that has been used for past seasons in the background is familiar, taking us through this last season in a new city. There are also fun Vegas style versions of Christmas songs this season. The Christmas songs give this last season, that no one knew would be the final season, a bittersweet feeling. Music is an important part of any television series and GLOW used its to the fullest.

The costumes tell the story of the evolution of the characters throughout the season. Whether in their gear, street clothing in the desert, or fancy clothing for parties, the characters go through a lot. It also helps to ground the audience in the 1980s. The setting of Vegas is masterfully executed. A whole casino is the backdrop for a great set of stories. I have to say that GLOW really utilized all of these tools fantastically throughout the series. 

My only complaint with this season is that there was supposed to be a fourth season that was canceled after filming started. So while there is an ending to this season that can also be the big ending it doesn’t totally feel like an ending for a whole show. That is hardly the fault of the writers, cast, or crew though.

Other than that I loved this season. I loved the stories that were told. I loved how the characters evolved. The storytelling was tight. There really is very little to complain about. GLOW was a great way to pay homage to the real women who wrestled in the 1980s and the challenges they faced in the industry. The very real dangers as well. 

GLOW is one of my favorites. It continues to be one of my comfort shows that I rewatch frequently. I highly recommend it.