Ep 7. Live Studio Audience

Set in the 1980s, GLOW is a comedy-drama television series on Netflix that follows the fictionalized story of a struggling actress Ruth Wilder (Alison Brie) who auditions for and eventually joins an all-female wrestling promotion called the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GLOW). Season 1 episode 7, "Live Studio Audience," is a memorable one that showcases the many layers of the show's characters as they navigate their personal and professional relationships.

The episode opens with the GLOW girls watching footage of their last match, which didn't have a live audience. Sam (Marc Maron), the show's director, announces that they would be having a live studio audience for their next match. The girls are excited about this new development, which adds a new level of excitement and pressure to their already challenging jobs.

As they prepare for the live match, tensions run high for some of the girls. Ruth, in particular, is struggling with personal issues with her best friend Debbie (Betty Gilpin), who is also her tag team partner in the ring. The tension between them mounts as they try to come up with a new finishing move for their upcoming match. Meanwhile, Sheila (Gayle Rankin) struggles with being herself and adopting the character she plays in the ring, a wolf. Her struggles are compounded by the arrival of her estranged family, who make a surprise visit during the show's performance.

The live audience adds an extra layer of pressure to the performers and the backstage crew; the girls are nervous about performing in front of a live audience, and Sam is on edge as he tries to keep the show running smoothly. The good news is that the audience is receptive, and the show goes off without any major hitches. But, afterwards, things take a dark turn when the girls find out that Sam's wife has walked out on him, and he takes it out on them in an unusually brutal training session.

Throughout the episode, we get hints about the larger themes of the show, including societal expectations about women, relationships between mothers and daughters, and the personal demons everyone carries with them. The episode also sets the stage for the rest of the season, particularly Ruth's and Debbie's relationship woes, and the ever-evolving professional and personal dynamics between all the characters.

Overall, "Live Studio Audience" is a standout episode in a series filled with memorable characters, acrobatic wrestling scenes, and '80s nostalgia. The episode's blend of comedy and drama is pitch-perfect, as it balances the high-stakes pressure of live television with the personal struggles of the characters. Fans of the show would not want to miss this episode, which is emblematic of GLOW's unique blend of humor, heart, and wrestling.