Netflix's GLOW was a fantastic series that really took off for the streaming service. Being loosely based on the real GLOW wrestling promotion that previously existed, it was a show that really pushed women's empowerment in a way that hasn't been seen before.
Typically when combat sports are brought into the movie and television world, they focus on male characters. Whether it be boxing, MMA, or professional wrestling the stories all tend to be based are men, which is why this show was so refreshing. It blends comedy with emotion in a perfect way, all while trying to be as realistic to the world that it is based around in the process. Here are five things that the show got right about wrestling, as well as five things that weren't quite correct.
10 Right: Chavo Guerrero
Throughout the series, several professional wrestlers were used on the show, most noticeably Awesome Kong, who played the Welfare Queen. However, one who made a brief cameo was Chavo Guerrero, who appeared on the show as Chico Guapo.
This was actually a smart decision on Netflix's behalf because Chavo's uncle, Mando, actually was the man who did the training of the models and non-wrestlers for the original promotion. Interestingly, Chavo himself actually helped to train the actresses for this series, giving some links in reality as well as on-screen.
9 Wrong: The Magazine
One aspect from the show that wasn't covered at all was the fact that the wrestlers were all used as models as well. Because they all came from backgrounds in acting, dancing, and modeling, they made the most of that by having a GLOW magazine.
The women would pose for pictures to be put in them and would provide gossip columns and answer fan letters. The show opted to focus on female empowerment and pushing them as people desperate to become athletes instead, but there was plenty of modeling work and sexualization still happening.
8 Right: Drug Use
For a long period of time, the wrestling industry was seriously jaded and struggled with the talks and rumors of drug use within it. From the wrestlers to the promoters, there have been many cases of it taking place with people from the industry itself admitting to it since.
This is something that GLOW openly tackled head-on with Sam's character who was addicted to cocaine. It was a long-running storyline throughout the show and one that was handled very well, giving an honest look that is honest and truthful.
7 Wrong: Quick Learning
One of the great things about the show is that it doesn't just highlight the television show itself but all the background storylines and issues that were going on as well. One of those is the fact that the women had to actually learn how to wrestle and do the moves that they would perform.
In the show, the women learn the moves incredibly quickly and do it perfectly when it comes to performing in front of a crowd. However, in reality, that wouldn't be the case as learning and perfecting wrestling is incredibly difficult and the odds of them nailing everything as quickly as they do is very slim.
6 Right: Sexism
One of the reasons that GLOW is so great is that it shows how powerful women can be when they band together to work on something, making their voices heard. However, there is no doubt that there are times, particularly during this time period, that sexism existed in the world of professional wrestling.
Female wrestlers were rarely given the big opportunities they get in today's day and age, and that is something that the show covers brilliantly. This is one of the main reasons that GLOW was created in the first place, in order to fight those beliefs and it was great that the show tackled it.
5 Wrong: Viva Las Vegas
At the end of the second season, the ladies of the show head out to Las Vegas in order to keep the show alive after they strike a deal with a strip club owner. They begin to shoot episodes out of the Riviera, but this was actually always GLOW's home, from the start.
The Netflix show decided to have this be a moment and build up to it, likely for cinematic effect and to establish the characters. However, this big move was just how things got started for them in truth, but it certainly worked this way round as well.
4 Right: Stereotypes
Something that GLOW was always well-known for was the stereotypical and, at times, clearly racist gimmicks and personas that each woman would have. This was kept true during the show which characters such as the Welfare Queen or Ellen Wong's "Fortune Cookie" being prime examples.
At the time, they were accepted and pushed as a simple way to make people boo them because they were foreign. The show could easily have strayed away and been slightly less obvious with this situation due to not wanting to offend, but it handled the issue very well to be as realistic as possible.
3 Wrong: Sam's Attitude
In the Netflix show, Sam Sylvia is the director of GLOW, who portrays the role that was originally played by Matt Climber, who was the director of the show in real life. While Sam is a grumpy man at times and does have an issue with drugs, he is lovable overall and has a warm characteristic about him.
In reality, Matt Climber was actually incredibly politically incorrect whether it was in regard to sexism, racism, or any other stereotype. While he always pushed to highlight the women, he was incredibly mean to the talents at times, which wasn't really highlighted on the television show.
2 Right: The Actual Wrestling
One of the main concerns many wrestling fans had prior to the show first being released was what the actual wrestling would be like. However, the actresses involved all worked incredibly hard to make sure that the wrestling looked as good as possible.
The group all seriously developed from season to season, adding some tremendous moves to their arsenal that weren't the easiest to perform. They were taught by trained professionals such as Chavo Guerrero and real wrestlers did feature on the show as well which helped, but this is something that the show certainly excelled with.
1 Wrong: Power To The Women
In order to push the story of female empowerment, Sam Sylvia ends up giving some of his power to Alison Brie's character, Ruth. She helps with the production of the wrestling program, which is a brilliant way to showcase the message of women starting to become equal.
While that's all good and well and fits in today's day and age, the fact of the matter is that in reality this never happened. The legitimate wrestling promotion never gave any significant creative or production control to a woman and was always totally dominated by males.
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