Candis R. McLean
Each week we will bring you the latest in television news, episode trailers, and promotional news. From what’s streaming this week to the best scenes from hit series, we’ve got you covered.
Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling
GLOW is the newest Jenji Kohan (Orange Is The New Black) show to hit Netflix. The Weeds producer tapped Alison Brie, Community alum, and American Gods actress Betty Gilpin to star on this 90’s wrestling revival series. I watched all ten episodes because there’s no sports on TV and I’m a sucker for anything with neon lighting in its promos. The series opens up with Alson Brie’s character, Ruth Wilder at an audition. She knowingly reads the male part and knocks it out of the park. When the casting director corrects her on her character’s lines she dejectedly reads the female part. The contrast and drop down to her telling her boss that his wife was on the phone really sets the female centric tone of the show. The next day we meet Ruth’s best friend Debbie Eagan (Gilpin). After Ruth tells Debbie that adulting is hard, she gets a call to audition for the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling aka GLOW. That night a mildly attractive man (He’s a 6 on a good day) climbs into Ruth’s window and after a verbal back-and-forth they end up sleeping together. Please note the apprehension by both parties to hookup because its going to get election night crazy in a minute. Ruth auditions repeatedly for the show. She has no knowledge of wrestling and gives off a supreme;”I’m a real actress” snob vibe. Outside the gym she’s robbed by some ten year olds on scooters. Debbie comes to her aid and picks her up. It’s in the car that the audience gets a glimpse of Debbie’s husband who’s picture is on her keychain. It’s Mr. 6 on a good day!
Ruth gets the wresting gig. One day during training Debbie walks in, and confronts her on her harlot ways. Debbie kicks the crap out of Ruth to my excitement. The director of the production Sam Silvia gets so caught up in the duo’s drama that he offers Betty a full-time position to play the lead on the TV wrestling program. Betty, who has no prospects in her career or life, says yes. The show begins form around the fractured friendship between the pair and the massive undertaking of the wrestling show. There are ten other women cast in the show. They each of different stage personas including a genius named Britannica, a she-wolf, Vicky the Viking, and more. The show really works in the stereotypes and labels that are placed on women through there character’s. At one point we see two women of color beating up KKK members in the ring. The ladies sharpen their skills and Debbie reconciles with the fact that she’ll have to work with Ruth. Even time Ruth speaks I think:
The women rally together to raise money after its discovered that their main benefactor is broke. During all of the financial drama Ruth discovers she pregnant. She gets Sam to take her to have an abortion. The pair really bonded through the episodes. They connected over their similar dirtbag ways. To raise funds, the women crash a Nancy Reagan “Say no to drugs” fundraiser. Each of them hilariously takes turns lying and stating that wrestling saved them from their dangerous crack addictions. The made-up backstories have the audience in so much shock that they easily get the money they need to secure a taping location for the show. Before the show, one of the women who is a part of the broadcast tells Sam that she’s his daughter. This is a crazy revelation but also fills in why she stalking him for most of the season. Sam disappears leaving Ruth and the rest of the ladies to begin running the show on opening night. Betty also informs the crew that she’s reconciling with her basic and trash cheating husband and is leaving the show. It seems as though everything is falling apart. Later Sam rushes in and is met by cameramen with no direction and the ladies scrambling to put on a good show. In the end, after major storyline twists on stage, its revealed that Betty never quit. She ripped off her housewife clothes in the audience and takes on Betty in the ring in an ultimate showdown. She even tells her husband to take a hike.
The finale concludes with the women in the ring fighting it out for the ultimate GLOW crown. When all the dust settles the network loves the reel, the women’s bonds are stronger than ever, and Sam reconciles with his newfound daughter. Ruth in high spirits asks Betty if she wants to get a drink. Betty replies for the rest of the non delusional world and says no. Honey, you’re still a homewrecker begone.
…
BET Awards
The 2017 BET Awards aired last night. Hosted by Leslie Jones the special music, film, and television celebration kicked off with a stellar performance by Bruno Mars. One of the highlights of the night was when Remy Ma ended Nicki Minaj’s consecutive run of winning the Best Female Hip Hop Artist Award. Best New Artist Chance the Rapper and Humanitarian Award winner also received a special message:
Video of The Year: Bruno Mars, “24K Magic”; Beyoncé, “Sorry”
Best Male R&B/Pop Artist: Bruno Mars
Best Female R&B/Pop Artist: Beyonce
Best Male Hip Hop Artist: Kendrick Lamar
Best Female Hip Hop Artist: Remy Ma
Best New artist: Chance the Rapper
Album of the year: Beyoncé, “Lemonade”
Read the full list of winners here.
For a bonus, it appears that Migos and Joe Budden got into it on the red carpet. Life is great.
Migos is not here for the disrespect from Joe Budden. ???pic.twitter.com/AgE5xp69re
— The Shadow League (@ShadowLeagueTSL) June 26, 2017
…
News
-The most watched show in the history of STARZ is Power. The fast-paced and dapper drug drama made its return to primetime last night with its fourth season premier. Recently producer 50 Cent revealed that the last season of the sizzling show will be its 7th. That’s three more seasons fans will have to look forward to from this addicting production. If you’re not watching it time to get glued in.
-Netlfix announced that it was cancelling the series Girl Boss last week. The network parted ways with the production after its freshman year. Honestly, it wasn’t memorable and I’m sure half the people reading this have never heard of it.
–Game Of Thrones released the best trailer ever created last week. The season 7 promo video reached millions of views in a matter of an hour last week. The anticipation for the new season has reached an all-time high after fans got their hands on this visually stunning reel.
-USA fully uploaded the BFF Comedy Playing House. The entire third season is On Demand currently so get streaming. The sitcom took a hiatus for various reasons including lead actress Jessica St. Clair’s breast cancer diagnosis. Her healthcare shock was inserted into the storyline of the series. Catch up on the new season were you can learn valid facts of life such as:
-Former Grey’s Anatomy star Kim Raver will be returning to the series for its fourteenth season. The actress played army doctor turned civilian MD in the ABC medical drama. Knowing Shonda Rhimes, her character might last until the closing credits of her first episode.
-Speaking of ABC, the network ressurrected The Gong Show last week. It also premiered something so rare and so unique; another music competition show. Just when you thought they couldn’t possible make another musical voting show ABC exclaims, “hold my beer.” The reviews for The Gong Show and BoyBand premieres were mixed. I can’t think of one meaningful reason why the boyband era or another talent show should exist.
-Revivals are in the air. Former The O.C. star Rachel Bilson recently claimed that she was “open to” a taking up the production again. This ominous statement will do nothing to link a cast who hasn’t seen each other in years or reignite a production that has tons of off-screen drama.
-Last week Ellen Degeneres called out a woman who was caught on camera stealing from her show’s show. The woman not only swiped the item from The Ellen Show store but also had the audacity to sit in the audience as though nothing happened. Watch as Ellen gets to the bottom it and things get awkward:
https://youtu.be/Cn3AgNC2TSk
–Westworld star Evan Rachel Wood and creators Lisa Joy and Jonah Nolan spoke with Variety about the “ambitious” second season of the HBO drama. The confirmed the death of character’s killed off in season one, the major Man and Black and William plot twist, and the new season: “We always knew that we wanted the stakes and the scope to increase dramatically and that means the scale of production increases as well. We have an amazingly talented group of writers, directors, and crew coming back and gearing up for what I think and what I hope will prove to be a season twice as ambitious as the first one.”
…
Shock and Jaw Dropping Moment of the Week
Better Call Saul wrapped up its third season last week. For seasons viewers have speculated the moments in the main character Jimmy’s life that eventually transforms him into the Saul Goodman character we saw on the hit series Breaking Bad. In the season finale, one of those moments, finally surfaced. The audience has seen countless reconciliation attempts between Jimmy and his brother Chuck result in failure. Chuck ‘s suicide in the final episode of the season will be the catalyst that makes Jimmy question if you can truly navigate this world trying to be a good person.
…
Promo of the Week
( CLAWS on TNT airing at 9PM EST)
…
What You Should Be Watching
Comic turned hit AMC series Preacher returned for its second season last night. The Dominic Copper and Academy Award Nominee, Ruth Negga, led thrilling series has plenty of action and drama to go around. After Jesse Custer’s (Cooper) father dies, he returns home to Texas to take over his church. When he gets an out-of-this-world power, he teams up with his wild ex-girlfriend (Negga) to take on the evil that surging through the town.
…
Tweets of the Week
. @nickiminaj pic.twitter.com/pPaB0frzNf
— Kee ? (@MrMouthAlmighty) June 26, 2017
Dean talking about Lee being a racist was probably the classiest way I’ve seen someone throw shade IN MY LIFE. I’m in love. #TheBachelorette
— Sumah Violet (@xoxo_sum) June 20, 2017
Would be awful if @AMC_TV cancelled Better Call Saul. The ratings are no worse than Breaking Bad S4 and it’s one of the best shows on TV.
— John Paulsen (@4for4_John) June 21, 2017
Does Jackie not know they record AND film everything, Bonnie can have receipts pulled; Don’t get Phaedra’ed now #BasketballWives #BBWLA pic.twitter.com/7GUpDyCVu7
— Saint Krisha (@MyOwnDefintion) June 20, 2017
You can tell that Ramona doesn’t have real friends by her hair. A good friend would say fix that. #RHONY
— boss_ton_girl (@boss_ton_girl) June 22, 2017
When you realize Charlie Murphy was so skinny because he was battling cancer #PowerTV #PowerPremiere #Power pic.twitter.com/XZob789nOP
— rosechocglam (@rosechocglam) June 25, 2017
You can follow Candis McLean on Twitter (@CandisRMcLean) and e-mail her at [email protected]. Follow Philly Influencer on Twitter (@PHL_Influencer), Facebook and Instagram.