GLOW – Keep Ridin’

By: Ellie Dolan-Yates

Ruth (Alison Brie) is carrying a 50^th cake into the dressing room to celebrate GLOW’s 50^th show in Vegas. The girls blow out the candles together and Carmen (Britney Young) cuts the cake. Ruth sits at her dressing table and takes off her makeup. Behind her we see a sped-up scene of the other girls post-show and the lights go out several times as Ruth takes off her makeup. Is she getting bored of her daily routine? She looks it. Ruth takes a blue folder from a shelf in the dressing room and Debbie (Betty Gilpin) asks what number it is. Ruth says it’s their 200^th show. Melrose (Jackie Tohn) lets out a tiny “yippee” and Ruth says that they should celebrate. Debbie says that she has a date and so do Carmen and Melrose. Carmen asks Melrose if it’s with her prostitute boyfriend and Melrose says she’s paying him and everything’s on her terms and she’s happy. Ruth is left alone to start her 200^th performance report. She writes, “Hi,/ Are you even reading these?/ I miss you.”

There is a phone call for Ruth and she takes it in the lobby. It’s Russell (Victor Quinaz). He’s been offered the chance to work on a film in Sevilla for two months. He says now they don’t have to argue about Ruth working in Vegas and him staying at home waiting for her. Ruth says that she can come to L.A. on the weekend to celebrate, but Russell says his flight leaves on Friday. Russell suggests that Ruth visits Spain for New Year’s, but she says she doesn’t know. Russell tells her not to do this over the phone, but Ruth says she’s not doing anything. There is silence between them.

Sandy (Geena Davis) asks Bash (Chris Lowell) and Rhonda (Kate Nash) how their house is coming along. Bash says that they love the architect that she has recommended and Sandy says that they should set up an office for Bash in the hotel now that he is producing two shows a night. Bash half jokes about buying the penthouse. Must be nice to have all that money! Sandy thanks him for his investment in Rhapsody, it can finally have the face-lift it deserves. Sandy shows Bash and Rhonda her elaborate plans for Rhapsody, but Bash throws them away and says that they should bring Rhapsody into the 80’s. Cut to Rhonda dressed as a showgirl in front of 2 BMX ramps with riders performing tricks behind her. “BMX babes” as Bash calls them. Rhonda explains that Bash’s “thing” is showing that girls can do things people think only boys can do. Bash tells Sandy that if he’s putting money into Rhapsody, it needs a Bash Howard stamp. A BMX showgirl show. Why not? Sandy isn’t impressed. She suggests just updating the music so that people can still come and see the show that they love. Rhonda points out that no one is coming to see Rhapsody anymore and Bash says that if this were happening to GLOW it would be cancelled. They tell Sandy that if they can’t make improvements then they’re not sure if Rhapsody is the best investment for them. Sandy says that if they don’t invest they’ll be putting 80 showgirls out of a job. Bash says he knows, so they need to bring it to the future. Sandy says he and Rhonda are quite the team and Bash kisses Rhonda on the cheek. Aw!

Sheila (Gayle Rankin) with a new look is asking Ruth about Russell and him working in Spain. Ruth says that everyone is moving on with their lives and she is stuck writing performance reports. Sheila asks if she wants to act out a scene with her. Bobby (Kevin Cahoon) is holding a charity ball and Sheila wants to act out this scene in it with Ruth. Cherry (Sydelle Noel) and Carmen (Britney Young) are at the casino talking to Rita (Tami Sagher), the Craps dealer. Cherry is talking about her gambling pursuits of the night before when Rita nods to security. Al (Jeffrey David Anderson) approaches the table and asks Cherry to leave with him. Cherry says no, but Rita tells her that she needs to go. Carmen finds out from Rita that Cherry is in trouble. Al and Cherry are sat in a room resembling a police interview room when Sandy enters and tells Al that Cherry is one of the performers. Al says that’s the only reason they’ve let it go on for so long. Cherry owes the casino $5,000! Sandy tells Cherry that she’s lucky as the casino normally takes legal action after thirty days. Sandy asks Al, in the spirit of the holidays, to give Cherry more time, but Al says she has one week. Cherry says she can’t use her savings and she doesn’t want anyone to know. She’ll figure it out.

Ruth and Sheila are in the ring rehearsing their scene for the ball. Ruth is struggling with the fact that it is originally about two men. As Ruth recites lines about Sheila’s character being out in the world and doing things we see in her face that she’s thinking about herself. Sheila says that she loves all the self-doubt that she’s putting into Austin’s character, but Ruth says that she’s not acting yet. In the hallway Debbie persuades Ruth to go and visit the horse that Tex has bought her for their six-month anniversary. Yep, a horse for six months. As Debbie is getting ready to ride her horse, she asks Ruth to talk to her and take her mind off the thought of breaking her neck. Ruth says that Sheila is a good actress, better than her, and Debbie tells Ruth that she needs to stop comparing herself to others. Ruth says the ball might not happen anyway since Bobby is not very good with money. Ruth and Debbie are sat on Tex’s porch with blankets and they are brought tea. Ruth says it’s weird seeing Debbie on a horse since they came to Vegas to wrestle and Debbie has put on a whole new life whereas Ruth is stuck in a loop. Ruth asks Debbie to go back to L.A. and do a play with her, but Debbie says it’s an awful idea as she wants to get bigger not smaller. It’s not about big roles as Debbie explains she’d be happy if Liberty Belle was the last character she ever played. She wants to get into producing. Ruth says that she’s not done anything about moving away from GLOW, which is running on autopilot. Ruth apologizes and Debbie agrees to run lines with her but they only have an hour. Tex will be back from his business trip for dinner. Ruth asks how she’s supposed to get back and Debbie says she will have Bob drive her. Ruth isn’t impressed, even less so when Debbie shows no enthusiasm reading her lines.

Carmen catches Cherry walking down the stairs in a blonde wig and asks where she is going. Cherry just says “out” and Carmen says that she is going with her. They end up at mud wrestling with Denise (Breeda Wool), the dance teacher. Carmen says that the mud wrestlers can’t even wrestle and Denise says that’s not the point of it. Carmen says Cherry could get hurt and it’s gross, but Cherry says stripping is her only other option to make money. Carmen says that she’ll wrestle Cherry. As they’re stood waiting in bikinis, Cherry says they can’t believe they’re doing this. Carmen says they’ll go old school, whoever pins the other first wins. The crowd place their bets on who will win and the two wrestle as they would in the ring and they are fully covered in mud. Cherry wins.

Bash is brushing his teeth and says that they should scrap the guest house for a tennis court and pool. Rhonda is waiting for him on their bed wearing a sexy nightdress. Bash asks if she’s cold and she says he can warm her up. Bash says he’s brushing his teeth. Rhonda asks if there’s anything she can do, but Bash says he can brush his teeth on his own. Rhonda says that she feels like Bash hadn’t been interested in her lately. They haven’t had sex for two months…Well, you are married now, Rhonda! She says that she misses him, but Bash says that he’s right there as nothing’s changed and he loves her. He’d want to stay married to her even if they never had sex again. Rhonda looks hurt.

Ruth is on her way back to the hotel when she asks Bob to pull over. She’s noticed a camper van decorated with lights offering psychic readings. She goes in and says that she wants to know if she’s wasting her life. She shuffles the cards. Kind of. Bobby enters his dressing room to speak to Debbie who says that she’s found a sponsor in L.A. who will donate all the liquor for his ball. She says that she will go through the budget with him tomorrow as he has a party that needs producing and she needs something to produce. Bobby asks her if she really wants to produce an underground AIDS fundraiser for free. She says yes, with a lot of uncertainty, and says it’s always been her dream. Ruth has brought breakfast for her and Sheila and Sheila tells her that she has a message. It’s Sam (Marc Maron)! He thanks her for her five million performance reports. He says sorry and tells her that they’d like her to be in Justine’s film! She’s shocked, then lets out a massive grin.