S01.E09: The Liberal Chokehold

[The Crazed Spruce]

Quote

With the show's future in jeopardy, Bash and the ladies search for creative ways to drum up cash.  A pair of revelations leaves Sam reeling.

[greekmom]

Spoiler

Best scene so far - Sam doing blow and cutting it on a framed photo of Nancy and Ronny!

[thuganomics85]

Bash's mother ended up being a lot like who I thought she would be.  Couldn't place the actress though, but she looked familiar.  Did love seeing Marc Evan Jackson as the host at the entrance, that Bash had to talk to in order to get through.

Justine ends up actually being Sam's daughter, so that is the real reason she has been so nosy with him.  He handles this revelation the only way Sam is likely capable of: by pushing her away.  Then again, he just found out that his big film about a guy going back in time and being chased my his teenage mother has more or less been done by Back to the Future.  Again, Classic Sam!

The montage of all the fake crack stories (including Jenny not speaking English, since Bash claimed she couldn't!) was hilarious, until Ruth used it as a way to admit what she did to Debbie and how awful she feels.  I do hope those two work it out eventually, but it's going to be hard, I imagine.

[BetterButter]

5 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

Couldn't place the actress though, but she looked familiar.

Elizabeth Perkins

[Lady Calypso]

Oh, thank god that the Justine/Sam thing wasn't where I was worried it would go. Hilarious that Sam essentially made Back To The Future, though. But that revelation is going to have to change him. I'm semi-intrigued with where they go with it.

I liked the Ruth/Debbie talk. Those two are always great when they have one on one scenes. And her talking about how she messed things up during her drug story was really good.

Bash was clearly distraught over the mess that he made, and the women had every right to be a little pissed. But man, did he deliver and help out with that drug addiction lie, and the others delivered on their stories. His mother was pretty much what I expected too.

[OnceSane]

The look on Bash's face when his mom gave him the venue was so great!  He may be a bit of a screw up, but his heart was in the right place.  And he stepped up to try to get the money.  And I liked his mom telling Ruth she didn't "get" wrestling until she heard Ruth's story.

Sam getting scooped by Back to the Future had me rolling.  And I feel I should have seen the daughter reveal coming, but I didn't.  Too immersed in the story to speculate.

[tljgator]

1 hour ago, OnceSane said:

And I feel I should have seen the daughter reveal coming, but I didn't.  Too immersed in the story to speculate.

Yeah, I felt really dumb for missing this one, since it was such a common trope in the 80s stuff that they've been reverential about, and still is today. I think I was just (rather unexpectedly) enjoying the show and rolling along on my Saturday afternoon binge and didn't even see it coming. I appreciated being surprised, though.

[SeanC]

On 6/25/2017 at 2:51 AM, thuganomics85 said:

Then again, he just found out that his big film about a guy going back in time and being chased my his teenage mother has more or less been done by Back to the Future.  Again, Classic Sam!

I was a bit disappointed that didn't cut to Sam exiting the movie theater, pissed off, a la Cartman in South Park's "Dances with Smurfs".

Random trivia I learned from watching this show:  Miyamoto Musashi was a famous Japanese samurai of the early Shogunate.  When the name was mentioned as one of the shows that GLOW was going to be aired in between, I looked it up to see if it was an actual show.  It doesn't appear to have been, but I assume it's meant to have been about the real guy.

[pasdetrois]

I'm almost done watching the first season. It picked up beginning with the third episode and I'm really enjoying it. However, Alison Brie bugs me in this. She seems very mannered and actressy (yes I know she's playing an actress). I'm enjoying the peripheral characters more than her character.

[tennisgurl]

Oh I SO called Justine being Sam's daughter he's unaware of. Of course he immediately pushed her away, after trying to hit on her in a coke filled depression. Of course, he did just find out he wrote Back to the Future, a week after it came out, so he was clearly not in the right headspace to deal with that.

Bash really came through this week, even after messing things up. I thin he's basically a sweet guy, he's just rather spoiled, and we have actually seen him show some real passion and responsibility this week, so hopefully he has some room to grow. His face when his mom gave them the money was so cute! Then his awkward but super happy thumbs up to Ruth during her speech and his "we don't do that" when Ruth suggested he hug his mom!

I'm pretty sure that image of people doing coke off a picture of the Reagans is, like, the 80s in a nutshell.

[Duke2801]

I feel like I'm missing something How does Justine being Sam's daughter explain her stealing the video camera and trying to make it look like what's-her-name (British lady he was shagging) was the one who stole it?

[snowwhyte]

I got the impression that Justine really does like Sam's work as a director. She sees wrestling as a distraction from his movies. I think her problem with Rhonda wasn't romantic jealousy but jealousy about the fact that Sam was sharing his ideas for his big movie and Rhonda didn't even stay awake to listen or seem to appreciate his genius. If she can get rid of Rhonda maybe Sam will confide in her instead and maybe she'll be able to build a relationship with him based on a mutual interest.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 6/29/2017 at 2:34 PM, Duke2801 said:

I feel like I'm missing something How does Justine being Sam's daughter explain her stealing the video camera and trying to make it look like what's-her-name (British lady he was shagging) was the one who stole it?

 

On 6/29/2017 at 2:48 PM, snowwhyte said:

I got the impression that Justine really does like Sam's work as a director. She sees wrestling as a distraction from his movies. I think her problem with Rhonda wasn't romantic jealousy but jealousy about the fact that Sam was sharing his ideas for his big movie and Rhonda didn't even stay awake to listen or seem to appreciate his genius. If she can get rid of Rhonda maybe Sam will confide in her instead and maybe she'll be able to build a relationship with him based on a mutual interest.

I certainly hope it wasn't romantic jealousy!  I don't think Justine liked the idea of him giving preferential treatment to one of the other women, but in this case, it wasn't because she was afraid that she would receive less wrestling promotion, the way some of the other women might, but rather because she wanted him to notice her, for the purpose of establishing their family relationship.

We still don't know how old she really is, though, do we?  Do we know both the year her mother had the one-night stand with Sam, and the exact year that the show is taking place?

Edited July 2, 2017 by ItCouldBeWorse

[Loandbehold]

26 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

We still don't know how old she really is, though, do we?  Do we know both the year her mother had the on-night stand with Sam, and the exact year that the show is taking place?

From a comment in the next episode you can determine the year of the show, but no mention is made of what year the one-night stand took place.

[snowwhyte]

I've been placing Justine at maybe 17. She definitely seems under age to me but if she I under age did she run away from home? Where's her mother? In the pilot I think Sam asked if she was of age but she seemed to be lying when she said yes. 

[DEM]

On 6/29/2017 at 0:34 PM, ItCouldBeWorse said:

the exact year that the show is taking place?

The hijacking of TWA Flight 847 took place 14-17 June, 1985; and Back to the Future opened 3 July 1985.  So they're playing a little loose with real-world chronology (though it's possible the Los Angelinos got to see an early screening), but it's roughly summer 1985.

Edited July 1, 2017 by DEM

[birdmom]

20 hours ago, DEM said:

The hijacking of TWA Flight 847 took place 14-17 June, 1985; and Back to the Future opened 3 July 1985.  So they're playing a little loose with real-world chronology (though it's possible the Los Angelinos got to see an early screeningy), but it's roughly summer 1985.

I actually saw an early screening of Back to the Future but i can't remember how early. 

[BigDfromLA]

A reference to Dr. Gene Scott?? He was absolutely hilarious!!

For those of us who live in L.A., the actual original GLOW program appeared on KDOC, Channel 56, a small, independent station located in Anaheim which at the time was owned by that jerk off, Pat Boone. Dr. Gene Scott was an unorthodox T.V. evangelist who appeared on Sundays and overnights I think. He was a character...wonder if any You Tube videos of him exist? 

KDOC at that time was the home/origin of 1980's buffoon/windbag Wally George, who spewed conservative garbage and gained a small local following. He was a complete phony. He actually tried to do shows involving women wrestlers and GLOW. This show should feature a Wally George character in a future episode.  A lot of comedic potential there.

[benteen]

Didn't expect the twist with Justine being Sam's dad.  What an awful father to have.  It was indeed hilarious that Sam basically wanted to make Back to the Future and was practically living out a reverse scenario.

I really like the Bash character a lot.  I couldn't place the actress who played his mom initially either.

Allison Brie was great giving Ruth's fake/non-fake story.

[tennisgurl]

Sam and the band doing coke off a picture of the Reagans was a really funny poke at the Just Say No Reagan types, but I also think they through in some more subtle irony of Bash's mom raising money to help crack addicts (not because she cares, but because it lines up with her politics and looks good for society ladies to do so) while she has nothing but disdain (until possibly the end) for her own son, who is a pretty heavy drug user himself.

[Ms Blue Jay]

On 6/25/2017 at 1:51 AM, thuganomics85 said:

Bash's mother ended up being a lot like who I thought she would be.  Couldn't place the actress though, but she looked familiar.  

I know it wasn't Elizabeth Perkins, but that's who I kept thinking of.  

Edited:  It WAS Elizabeth Perkins!?  Jesus.  Then I think she's had some work done.

On 6/25/2017 at 1:51 AM, thuganomics85 said:

Justine ends up actually being Sam's daughter, so that is the real reason she has been so nosy with him.  He handles this revelation the only way Sam is likely capable of: by pushing her away.  Then again, he just found out that his big film about a guy going back in time and being chased my his teenage mother has more or less been done by Back to the Future.  Again, Classic Sam!

Also kind of cool that the Justine subplot was kind of like an homage to (my personal favourite 80's movie of all time), Back to the Future.

By the way, if any of you are 80s pop culture freaks, I read this book and really enjoyed it.  "Life Moves Pretty Fast: The Lessons we Learned from Eighties Movies" - by Hadley Freeman.

Edited July 5, 2017 by Ms Blue Jay

[Ms Blue Jay]

On 6/29/2017 at 2:34 PM, Duke2801 said:

I feel like I'm missing something How does Justine being Sam's daughter explain her stealing the video camera and trying to make it look like what's-her-name (British lady he was shagging) was the one who stole it?

Was Justine the one who said Sam was using this wrestling show as a casting couch?  (Or was it someone else?)  If Justine, then I can see her being in judgemental daughter mode.  

[Cheezwiz]

So much funny in this episode.

Elizabeth Perkins was perfect as the withering Society matron. Poor Bash. No wonder he does drugs. Loved the coke-snorting off the photo of the Reagans.

Also loved Sam's assessment of Debbie's husband as an over-grown Cabbage Patch Doll (*giggle-snort*).

We haven't learned enough about Justine for me to feel invested in her character, but man I felt bad for her when she revealed her identity. She clearly only wanted to get to know who Sam was, and was probably hoping to share an interest in film. Instead he freaked out (no doubt repulsed by his own stupidity) and pushed her away. Hope he smartens up.

And...

2 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

 

By the way, if any of you are 80s pop culture freaks, I read this book and really enjoyed it.  "Life Moves Pretty Fast: The Lessons we Learned from Eighties Movies" - by Hadley Freeman.

Thanks for the recommendation Ms. Blue Jay! Looks like an interesting read!

[txhorns79]

Quote

From a comment in the next episode you can determine the year of the show, but no mention is made of what year the one-night stand took place.

They referenced Sam meeting her mother following a Black Panthers rally, so probably 67 or 68, just judging by how old Justine appears (16/17), and what time period a reference like that is generally meant to signify. 

[dubbel zout]

12 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

Edited:  It WAS Elizabeth Perkins!?  Jesus.  Then I think she's had some work done.

I don't think she's had work done. She's gotten older and gained some weight, as happens.

[Ms Blue Jay]

I am familiar.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 7/5/2017 at 7:43 AM, txhorns79 said:

Quote

From a comment in the next episode you can determine the year of the show, but no mention is made of what year the one-night stand took place.

They referenced Sam meeting her mother following a Black Panthers rally, so probably 67 or 68, just judging by how old Justine appears (16/17), and what time period a reference like that is generally meant to signify. 

I was trying to figure out how old she was based on the year of the assignation.

[Clanstarling]

On 6/24/2017 at 10:51 PM, thuganomics85 said:

 Then again, he just found out that his big film about a guy going back in time and being chased my his teenage mother has more or less been done by Back to the Future.  Again, Classic Sam!

I felt for him. I'd been working on an idea for a short story off and on for years (based on a personal experience, no less) - and then a famous (and my favorite) author published the perfect version of what I was trying to do. 

On 6/28/2017 at 7:20 PM, tennisgurl said:

Oh I SO called Justine being Sam's daughter he's unaware of. Of course he immediately pushed her away, after trying to hit on her in a coke filled depression. Of course, he did just find out he wrote Back to the Future, a week after it came out, so he was clearly not in the right headspace to deal with that.

I don't remember if it was you I'd remembered, but when the reveal came, and I turned to my husband and said that someone on the forum had called it.

On 6/29/2017 at 11:34 AM, Duke2801 said:

I feel like I'm missing something How does Justine being Sam's daughter explain her stealing the video camera and trying to make it look like what's-her-name (British lady he was shagging) was the one who stole it?

I think what she really hated (now that we know she's his daughter) is that Rhonda was pretty dismissive and uninterested in Sam's work. She couldn't get the title of the movie right, for one thing. And she seemed a bit of a gold digger, at least in attitude. There may have been more, but we've been binging and it all blurs. So she tried to set Rhonda up for a fall so they'd break up and Sam could find a worthier woman?

I thought the conversation between Ruth and Debbie at the fundraiser was incredible. They both were so nuanced, and it was heartbreaking. 

Edited July 9, 2017 by Clanstarling

[Neko]

I knew that was Elizabeth Perkins as soon as she opened her mouth.  Good for her for aging naturally in Hollywood.  It's refreshing to see an older woman look like and older woman an still getting parts.

Edited August 2, 2017 by Sweet Summer Child

[chocolatine]

On 8/2/2017 at 0:39 PM, Sweet Summer Child said:

I knew that was Elizabeth Perkins as soon as she opened her mouth.  Good for her for aging naturally in Hollywood.  It's refreshing to see an older woman look like and older woman an still getting parts.

Isn't Jenji Kohan involved in the show? Jenji and Elizabeth Perkins go way back (Weeds).

[festivus]

Well they truly got me with the reveal of Sam being Justine's father. I have to hand it to the actress though. As much as she was a fan of his movies and it seemed she was semi stalking him, I never got the sense that it was romantic or that she wanted to sleep with him. Well done.

On 7/4/2017 at 9:57 PM, Ms Blue Jay said:

By the way, if any of you are 80s pop culture freaks, I read this book and really enjoyed it.  "Life Moves Pretty Fast: The Lessons we Learned from Eighties Movies" - by Hadley Freeman.

I've read it after seeing it recommended somewhere on this site a while back. It was probably you. :)

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The girls' crack stories had me cackling. "Crack should be my middle name. And also my first and my last name." Loved when Ruth finished her story by adding one line about crack and Bash gave her a thumbs up. Melrose recommending Hazelden if anyone in the audience had a fucked up kid had more than a ring of truth to it.

I also loved when Sam approached the musicians to ask if they had any crack and then asked if they wanted some. Is it wrong that I laughed when one of the musicians said that Sam's movie sounded like Back to the Future?

That conversation with Debbie and Ruth was so sad. Ruth has been so careful to tiptoe around Debbie, knowing that she ruined their friendship, but there was that one millisecond where she began to respond like the old days and then she caught herself. So sad.

[aradia22]

I was hoping they might change the Beirut character.

The interaction at the diner in the beginning felt very natural.

Even it was all interiors, they'd have to wash 450 cars for $9000.

Ah! Marc Evan Jackson!

Elizabeth Perkins in that ridiculous outfit and makeup was perfect. 

OMG, can't believe it was all one big Back to the Future joke.

LOL, their fundraising speeches at the party were hilarious.

Is it weird that I was rooting for Bash? He's not great but there's something endearing about him. Like a puppy. Happy his mom gave them a venue.

Whew. Glad that stopped quickly. And I'm glad Justine is his daughter and not a stalker with a crush.