The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestlinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iM7W1Dvl6Q&t=1s
Hidden within the cast of nearly only women, four male characters have glimmers to shine; Sam Silvia the director, Bash Howard the producer, Keith Bang (Cherry's husband) and Mark Eagan (Debbie's ex-husband). Of these characters, Sam (Marc Maron) and Bash (Chris Lowell) get a considerable amount of screen time. That's not necessarily true for the husbands.
While Keith is never shy with his comedic delivery, nor do his moments of being Cherry's rock ever fall flat, this article will mainly focus on Mark and Bash. There is so much that could be said of Sam that it would take away focus. His performance is great, and season two offers a new sensitivity to the character. I don't want to create a "GLOW" overload, as I do have another "GLOW" centric article coming up after this. After a break, however, to explore other topics, I will return to the world of the fictional retelling of the women's wrestling show, opening with a piece studying Ruth, and the Sam/Keith article.
Sam Silvia (Marc Maron)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iM7W1Dvl6Q&t=1s
To begin, let's look at Mark. The show opens with Ruth sleeping with someone, the episode later revealing him to be her best friend's husband. The back and forth tension between one-minute friends, next-minute enemies Ruth and Debbie all started with the catalyst that is Mark's infidelity. During their verbal boxing match in season two, we learn that there has always been a tension between Ruth and Debbie. But the action of sleeping with Mark is what allowed the levee to break.
Initially, Mark is painted as a force to strangle and keep Debbie down. (The almost Debbie-Downer pun there was not planned, I promise). But as season one moves forward, you learn that he's misunderstood. Nothing can defend his actions of cheating, but what at first appears as a man who cheated because he could, is slowly transformed into a man who cheated because he is insecure. And that is a great change that really helps the show.
Debbie, despite being beautiful and successful, is flooded with doubts. And yet she finds strength more often than not. Mark doesn't, and so he puts her down, serving as an interesting contrast to the other men on the show like Sam and Bash. The show is about the underdog, and Mark in a way makes Debbie an underdog.
Debbie Eagan and Randy (Betty Gilpin)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iM7W1Dvl6Q&t=1s
Towards the middle of season one, he and Debbie get "back together," but immediately, it's clear he doesn't support her. In the finale, she shed's him from her life. (Another pun not intended, i.e., a dog's shed).
In season two, however, he is incredibly sensitive and supportive. His actions with his secretary calling about his bed... not a "good guy" move. But in the finale of season two, he brings Randy to the wrestling ring to see his mom practice, showing support of her career; when Debbie holds back tears in leaving for Vegas he offers the idea that maybe them being divorced is a good thing because he can take care of Randy while she can have her career. It allows her to do both the mom-career and work-career with more ease.
That newer, nicer side of Mark is endearing, and like many of the characters in season two, it is underutilized. He is so underutilized in fact, neither trailer for season one or two even shows him. Both trailers, however, provide a healthy supply of eccentric producer Bash Howard.
Bash Howard (Chris Lowell)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iM7W1Dvl6Q&t=1s
In "It's 'GLOW!' The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling," I point out how there is a potential connection between Bash and Debbie, despite his marrying Rhonda. However, the Netflix original also hints at another possibility; that Bash Howard is gay.
There are undertone's throughout season one; the way he and Floor (his butler who is revealed to be gay in season two) are so close; his house is decorated with Mapplethorpe-esque photos (the clean ones, not the explicitly sexual ones); he puts the glitter mascara on in the finale. Season two continues it; his uncomfortable expression in the gay club; how he wants everything of Floor's gone and the house sterilized after he learns of his death (due to AIDS).
On their own, none of these moments add up, but together, they slowly bring about a change in Bash's character. There are other, smaller moments, but these are the more notable ones. Looking at the two moments in the second season, one could argue against the theory. He was uncomfortable because he's straight in a gay bar. And he was seemingly shocked to realized Floor hangs out in a gay bar/club. Or, his uncomfortable with it because it was open, and he's not open about being gay.
Furthermore, in the 80's knowledge of AIDS and how it was spread was limited, so he goes ballistic with the cleaning to avoid it "being" in the house. Or is he worried he possible has it based on a moment he and Floor shared? This is all speculation, but if you haven't thought of this, go back and rewatch the show. The signs are there, or at the least, there is a case to be made.
Bash Howardhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZqDO6cTYVY&t=2s
If my speculation is correct, then creators Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch should be applauded. If I am right, they handled a character's struggle to accept his homosexuality with grace and development that is rarely seen on television. Most shows have a character's sexuality flip with no indication of the character being gay; no did the story move in that direction. It is almost handed as if being gay is a trend. There is little to no development taking the character that way, and the decision is that to have a token character to meet a demographic.
But in the case of 'GLOW", the character of Bash Howard has been a supporting member for two years now, with a subtle sub-plot of his own, honing in on his development and self-revelation. There is no concrete answer to say that he is gay, but let's say he is for the sake of my point. That means, for two seasons we've seen his story evolve to that discovery with care and grace, and if season three reveals this to be true, the creators did an amazing job of exploring that storyline.
They briefly explored this with Arthie Premkumar as she falls for YolanRivas. The exploration can be made deeper, however, if my Bash hypothesis is right.
Arthie, Justine and Rhonahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZqDO6cTYVY&t=2s
At the very least, wherever Bash's story goes, be it with Rhonda or Debbie, or he realizes he is gay, poor Carmen still doesn't get to be with him. She was underused in season two, and hopefully, she comes more into the limelight in the junior year; it will be interesting to see her reaction to Bash's story.
Carmen (Britney Young)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZqDO6cTYVY&t=2s
