Unique, humorous and with touches of warmth, this series might just be the sitcom of the summer.

It’s smartly plotted, with characters that deepen in the course of the show. But, refreshingly, in our era of homework TV, it’s also a joyride, all roller skates and mousse-claw bangs, synthesizer jams and leopard-print leotards, home pregnancy tests and cocaine-serving robots. By the final episodes, I was whooping at my computer screen, fists in the air, like a superfan.

An entertaining, amusing and at times poignant first season that also has some wretched excesses and predictable turns. But there are more than a few little unexpected delights, ranging from Ruth’s impression of Audrey Hepburn winning an Oscar for Roman Holiday to Sam’s learning that a just released real-life movie has upstaged his plans to direct a surefire crowning masterpiece titled Mothers and Lovers.

GLOW is packed with an excellent ensemble cast that includes Alison Brie and Marc Maron, sharp commentary on gender and racial stereotypes, and an awesomely ’80s soundtrack. It’s also just plain fun, aware of (and sometimes shamelessly indulgent in) the inherent silliness of wrestling, while never looking down on it.

GLOW pulses with all sorts of potential talking points about gender, friendships between women and public perception of stereotypes, but rather than bogging itself down in prolonged messaging, it is consistently committed to a brisk pace and a lightness that reflects its subject matter.

GLOW, both the show and the show within the show, lives and dies by its ferocious women.

GLOW works (or doesn’t work) in a 1:1 ratio with how things are working out in its story. When the characters are disorganized and the cable show is a mess, so is GLOW. Once the characters find their personas as wrestlers, they start to have them for viewers. And once the performances begin, GLOW starts to get very good.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

I usually don't like these feminist shows, but this one was actually entertaining and it didn't press the feministic values on its audience very second. It was a little too dramatic, though.

The show definitely has its moments, but overall, the writing isn't especially clever or unique. It relies on the old affair plot to start and doesn't really have major character beyond it. The side characters aren't given enough screen time and frankly, most don't deserve it and overall it can be slow at times. The being said, the show does have moments where it's genuinely funny and the leads are fairly compelling. Worth a watch if you're into wrestling.

I want to like this show more but it is so corny and most of the people who aren't Marc Maron and Alison Brie are terrible actors. There is some serious eye rolling scenes that Saved By the Bell wouldn't have done. The pilot was great but then the first half of the season is so boring. The second half is much better but it keeps doing really dumb stuff. Still I enjoyed watching it enough to watch all of it and want to see a second season. Even at the unbelievably saccharine ending I had a smile on my face so I don't regret watching this light escapism.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]