Up, Up, Up

"Up, Up, Up" is the first episode of the third season of GLOW. It is the twenty-first episode of the series overall. It was released via Netflix on August 9, 2019.

Synopsis
Hours before GLOW's opening show at the Fan-Tan casino in Las Vegas, a national tragedy unfolds on live TV, leaving everyone spooked.

Plot
A woman joins a friend for a plate of breakfast in a hotel room. Together, the two watch on television as a reporter introduces the stars of Bash Howard's GLOW, Liberty Belle and Zoya the Destroya. He asks them how they're enjoying Las Vegas, and as the interview continues, Sheila the She-Wolf watches in another hotel room. She chuckles as Ruth answers the interviewer's question in an exaggerated Russian accent, matching her costume He asks if they've been in a casino, and Debbie quips that she likes blackjack, but doesn't bet on red. Carmen joins her.

As the interview continues, talk turns to the upcoming launch of the Challenger, quipping that the Russians keep their "puppies." Ruth continues her role as a Russian, asking why Debbie is so proud of the Challenger. They then go live to the launch of the Challenger, Ruth and Debbie on a box at the upper right. The countdown ends and the rocket launches. Ruth quips that she hopes they don't run out of gas, going full on with her role as a Russian nay-sayer. As the gag continues, everyone else looks disturbed, including Debbie. On television, disaster. Debbie, stunned, says that they need to cut.

The girls discuss the incident, telling Ruth not to worry, as it was only local news. Ruth, however, is beating herself up for making fun of a national tragedy on live television. Carmen says she was just being a good heel and that maybe the crew survived. Sheila, however, says that with their shuttle having plunged into the ocean, they are definitely dead. Russell phones, asking if she was watching. He asks if she's okay. She says she's happy she'll see him that night, but he says he got called into work, as KDTV needs people on the street in the wake of the disaster. He apologizes for not being able to be the date for her opening. Sheila asks if they would really still open the show that night.

Sam, Bash and Debbie are discussing that very matter. She's in favor of pushing the opening night back by a few days, but the others aren't so sure. They finally agree, but Bash feels they should also run it by Sandy, the Fan-Tan Hotel & Casino's entertainment director. She says she almost crashed her car hearing of the disaster on the radio. She recalls the MGM fire, and relates a story of how a woman named Fluff said "it doesn't smell like smoke in here." That's Vegas. She mistakes Debbie for Sam's wife, then apologizes for the gaffe, as it's something that's happened to her many times herself. Bash calls them the "Three Musketeers," and Sandy says she'll see them that night. Talk turns to the opening night party.

Sam begins setting up for the night's event. Backstage, Jenny talks superstition with Ruth, Ruth admitting that she thinks it's bad luck for a shuttle to have fallen out of the sky on the day of their opening night. Jenny suggests getting a Buddhist monk to bless the space, but Sam calls for them to come out for an act known as the "Red Scare." Ruth, however, has the idea that they should address the Challenger disaster head-on in the show. She thinks it would be "catharsis." Rehearsal does not go well, as everyone is rather distracted. Bash is on the phone talking with Roy of Siegfried and Roy. There is no energy to any of the performances, and Tammé Dawson is missing in action.

Backstage, everyone is glued to a video feed of the ocean water where the Challenger shuttle crashed, the feeling being perhaps that if they keep watching, something might somehow change. Jenny has a lit a candle to ward off evil spirits, aggravating the group, as there are no windows. Jenny wishes there were, as this would let out the bad energy. Tammé is led out of the room.

Ruth speaks with Sam, suggesting that they use the Britannica character as a means of commenting on the morning's events. Debbie, however, wants her to let it go. Sam thinks she feels guilty about what happened on the broadcast that morning, but unless they make the show into a "group therapy session," it won't do what she's looking for. They continue the rehearsal, now for a "Chapel of Love" scene. Just then, they realize that the after-party has a space theme, which doesn't seem fitting, given the day's events. They rehearse an act with a zipline, only to find that the zipline is getting stuck in the center, forcing Cherry to get a ladder. Then, to add insult to injury, a fire alarm starts going off.

Jenny wonders if it has something to do with her incense. Everybody is forced to wait outside as the fire department goes in, shivering in the cold. Fortunately, the fire department quickly sounds the all-clear, and the group finds free drinks being offered back inside. The group is gvein some casino chips in order to take a bit of time to reset. A group immediately heads for the craps table. After a few jokes at her expense, Jenny blows on the dice to get things started. Cheryr makes a bad roll, and Jenny is told to leave the table for being bad luck, but when she starts to walk away is allowed to stay. Cherry rolls a seven and everyone wins. Everyone bets again. She rolls seven again and everyone wins again.

Debbie and Ruth head outside, where Debbie shows that the group is on the Fan-Tan Hotel & Casino marquee, reading "BASH HOWARD PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS THE GORGEOUS LADIES OF WRESTLING JAN - 28 - APRIL 30." Ruth seems a bit stunned, confusing Debbie, who thought seeing their name in lights might cheer her up. Ruth notes that it's technically Bash's name who is in lights. Debbie tells her to take a moment to appreciate what's in front of her, speaking as her producer. A man, whom Debbie calls "Todd," approaches, commenting that it was "fun last night," but Debbie is annoyed, telling him that she's working. He replies that his name is actually "Chad." He gets in a car and leaves. Ruth asks "really," and she replies "smoke 'em if you got 'em."

Rhonda and Bash work on putting together the party, but Bash is nervous, as he knows very few of the attendees. Rhonda reassures him that they'll love it and they'll love him, like she does, kissing him. He says he wasn't sure if she wanted to and she replies that she does. They share a passionate kiss before getting down for more...

Getting ready backstage, the girls discuss various gifts that they've received. Cherry and Debbie share a laugh over Bash's picture on a magazine called What's On in Las Vegas. Debbie notes that she was the one who set up the photo shoot for that, and that both of their pictures were taken. Sam comes on over the intercom, saying that everyone has worked really hard. Debbie switches him off, saying that she wasn't sure they could bounce back after that morning, but they're professionals and pulled it together. They all have a moment of silence for the Challenger, though it's briefly interrupted by a delivery of balloons. It ends up becoming a balloon fight, filled with excited giggling.

Sam and Bash hobnob as things get ready to open. Sandy introduces them to Bernie Rubenstein, the director and choreographer of Rhapsody, the longest running show at Fan-Tan. When Sandy tells him that the program is lady wrestlers, he comments that he used to wrestle in high school. The show begins. Afterwards, backstage, Ruth and Sam meet, Ruth wearing a golden dress. They share a toast, Sam saying that it's been quite a day. He tells her that he was making his first movie when Robert Kennedy was shot, but they kept working. Ruth tells him that her father was watching the launch with a class of eighth graders. He asks if she called him, but she says she would fall apart if she heard his voice. They agree that they made it through the day, and agree to go the party.

They join Debbie and head into the elevator together, but before the elevator door can close, Cherry joins them, followed by the whole group. Sam finds it so crowded, he declares he's going to take the stairs.

Guest starring

 * Sunita Mani as Arthie Premkumar
 * Shakira Barrera as Yolanda Rivas
 * Kimmy Gatewood as Stacey Beswick
 * Rebekka Johnson as Dawn Rivecca
 * Marianna Palka as Reggie Walsh
 * Ellen Wong as Jenny Chey
 * Geena Davis as Sandy Devereaux St. Clair
 * Victor Quinaz as Russell Barroso
 * Bob Stephenson as Dave
 * Ray Xifo as Bernie

Co-starring

 * Tami Sagher as Craps Dealer
 * Peter Kelamis as Perry
 * Eric Lutz as Chad
 * Colton Tran as Andy