My Heart Will GLOW On.

It’s been WELL over a year since I’ve posted anything. In fact I’m pretty sure the last time the muse struck me it was when Captain Marvel came out. I think it’s fair to say that things have not been super extra for this nerd as of late.

However, despite being waist deep in writeups for a masters that will soon be far behind me, the muse has not simply struck so much as she had body slammed me into a need to get some thoughts out.

Nearly three weeks ago (yes the muse has been wrestling with me for three weeks now) Netflix decided to cancel GLOW. I realize that in the grand scheme of things, this is not a huge deal. And I also recognize that instead of writing about this I should be writing for my masters, and this is therefore a tiny self-indulgent and possibly self-destructive task to undertake. But if GLOW has taught me anything, it’s that if I’m not having an extramarital affair, or breaking any bones, this should be a fine endeavor to briefly engage in.

Minor spoilers below as I express the frustrations I’ve been feeling towards Netflix, in a way that doesn’t include spandex, cocaine… or any other poor decisions.

GLOW was phenomenal. It was a show about women trying to take control in an era where control was denied to them at every turn. It was a show about best friends learning to connect after betrayal. And about people learning to heal through hurting.

Ruth Wilder (Alison Brie) and Debbie Eagan (Betty Gilpin) were amazing. No matter what good (or awful) decisions they made or things they said, somehow you rooted for both of them. Will I ever forgive Ruth’s infidelity, probably not, but can I see her grow past it? Maybe… but only to a point, because season three left things unfinished. Will I ever get past Debbie’s selfishness (especially when she essentially told Ruth in season 2 to take one for the team)? It’s possible, but who knows because season three left things UNFINISHED. Will Sam actually begin having a healthy relationship with someone and become the father he should have been? I wish I knew, but season three LEFT THINGS UNFINISHED…

Do you see where I’m going here? I hope so, because even when GLOW made you feel like you could see where things were going, it was still doing things its own way. Leaving them unfinished hurts, and even though it’s just a show leaving everything unfinished feels like the absolute antithesis of what we could have had.

All I have now are dreams, and for all I know my dreams of a conclusion (even a heartbreaking one), may bear as much fruit as Ruth’s acting career.

I get why, due to the close contact the actors have to be in, cancelling due to Covid was the path Netflix took, but (and here’s where my hopes and dreams get a little spoilery) they could have strayed from the beaten path of the show and still wrapped things up.

Season three ended with Sam facing health issues and concealing them from his daughter. You don’t need wrestling for that storyline. Ruth was determined to go her own way and pursue a career on her own. You don’t need wrestling for that storyline. Debbie was off to be a TV executive and to be in control in ways she’d never been before. You don’t need wrestling to tell that story.

I’ll never forget how I felt watching the airport scene between Ruth and Debbie. It was filled with so much love, and so many unspoken words. It was both romantic and platonic with no sentimentality.

It was tragic and triumphant, and left me wondering what a final season would bring. And whether the last season brought our characters triumph or tragedy, I wanted to be there with them to experience any hurt or healing it might bring.

I’m not the only who thinks Netflix shouldn’t have cancelled GLOW. And while it’s nice to know I’m not alone. I really don’t think it matters.

It would feel great to have Sam’s attitude toward life and act like I don’t care. But I do.  I’d love for Netflix to alter plans at the last minute and swoop in with a limited run or movie to wrap things up. However, I’m sure that Netflix will be (as Tex told Debbie the business world is) RUTHless.

With that being the likely case, there’s not much to do, but put on our big girl costumes, wrestle our insecurities to the ground, face our obstacles head on (and with headlocks if needed), and remember that we’re all stronger and smarter than we know.

So, here’s to the reruns, may we never stop GLOWing.