G.L.O.W. - Concerned Women of America

When it does appear that Ruth might find romance with camera operator, Russell—who invites her to a film celebration of Ruth Gordon’s work—Debbie makes sure to usurp it with a request for her to remain behind to redo voice narration. Ruth’s ambition is essentially capitalized on by a jealous Debbie, who seemingly still harbors anger issues with her over the adultery with Mark. As Debbie walks away after the narration is voiceover is finished, Ruth hopes they can go out someplace but soon realizes that the request for her to remain behind was simply to interrupt the date so that it wouldn’t happen. This ongoing strife that lingers just continues to see-saw uncomfortably/awkwardly Ruth who seems to remain quite guilt-stricken about her involvement in the dissolution of Debbie’s marriage. The actions of Ruth have continued as a specter she cannot escape, and her life/career remain stymied by the adultery, while Debbie asserts herself accordingly, not making things easy. The PSA expected of Sam and his producers, Concerned Women of America (hence, the title of the episode), are at odds with G.L.O.W. over the use of sexuality and violence on their programs. So Debbie offers to produce the PSA for him, hoping to shoot within a window of one minute, while Sam is asked by the husband of former Junk Chain to get her to come out of her trailer onset of a cop show. Cherry just isn’t much of an actress, struggling with lines and unable to withstand the pressures of acting before a camera on the set of a cop show, so Sam seeks to get her back on G.L.O.W. The perm and absence of lines are the death knell for Cherry, anyway. Melrose deals with constipation while Jenny holds a cure for it hostage until she gets her coat in exchange! So Melrose and the girls realize that Justine, Sam’s teenage daughter, is having more sex than they are, initiating the plan to have a party in the sole purpose of their getting laid! The dialogue for Melrose alone (not to mention, Yolanda when talking about lesbian sex) is explicit and vulgar which could very well shock newcomers to the show…much like we used to see in those 80s sex comedies when guys would speak rather expressively about women’s body parts and what they want to do with them. Sam’s irritation and grouchy attitude remains intact, while he stirs himself away from any contact with the PSA, giving total control to Debbie. So you see where Ruth had been in control of the main titles sequence and remains in the doghouse because of it whereas Debbie was given the reins to creatively do whatever she wants with the PSA…that balance of control has certainly shifted, with Ruth on the receiving end of a lot of grief, it appears. But Ruth, bless her heart, is resilient. That said, Ruth will have to endure the setbacks in order to fight and struggle for the satisfaction of potential success…but will Debbie allow her to accomplish anything in career or life for that matter without pulling from her vindictive bag a monkey wrench? Sheila the She Wolf being a typist machine once again reminds me of how clever and funny this show truly is. But Ruth deciding to brush Russell off in favor of a friend who later dismissively disregards her after he affectionately appeals to her to give him a chance bookends the episode with her once again left out in the cold. It is a pattern, a vicious cycle that Ruth seems destined to repeat. But Brie is so good at provoking sympathy for her (her face and eyes, her countenance just draining of their joy, from being exhilarated to disappointed, are quite heartbreaking), that Ruth remains a character easy to root for. Although Sam remains difficult, the show once again reminds us of that under the surface care for people that he tries to mask, helping out Cherry in her time of need, while being brutally honest in her lack of talent in front of the camera (praising her stunt abilities, though), seeing she gets her old job back, and the fatherly concerns such as his daughter having a place to stay, going to school, and how she’s portrayed in the PSA. The irony of Justine being the girl turning down sex due to unwanted pregnancy (and the produced, edited segment about the unwanted pregnancy, using Carmen as a diapered baby rampaging through her mother’s life, using wrestling GLOW characters as symbolism, is a hoot!) cracked me up. Bash has become the third wheel producer who seems to agree with Debbie a lot more than anticipated, even being the boyfriend Justine turns down in the PSA. Acting as sort of the middle man between Sam and Debbie, they are able to get things done as a trio that might not be accomplished otherwise.
3.5/5