Say Yes

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

Synopsis
A visit from Russell puts Ruth on edge. Bash hires a magician to spice up the show. Sheila forges ahead with her acting and finds a new idol.

Plot
Bobby Barnes is at the Fan-Tan Hotel & Casino, putting on an act as Carol Channing in drag. He sings comically about one being nothing until they've performed at the Fan-Tan. Elsewhere, Ruth is in bed with Russell Barroso. They're discussing their future together, and what they want to do once the show in Vegas is over. She suggests that they look for a place together. He agrees that maybe it could work and suggests they get up and do something. He asks for her to show him Vegas.

In another room, Debbie and a man named Chad are making passionate love, but are disturbed by loud disco music. Debbie finally has enough and heads over to Cherry's room, telling her that it's a little early and her music is a little loud. She agrees to turn it down. Ruth and Russell meet Sam down in the lobby. Russell asks him if he's been working out and he quips "there's that cameraman's eye." He suggests that Debbie take him to the steak place and boss him around.

Sam sits down for a meeting with Debbie, Rhonda and Bash, who says that things are going great and the show is sold out for the next two weeks. He says they can make a lot of money, but Debbie is sour. She says that maybe she could push the money into a pile the shape of her son, whose childhood she's missing. They discuss the departure of Keith Bang, which has left them without a boxing ref. Debbie says that she has lined one up, but he's expensive. Bash suggests that maybe both he and Sam could take on the role.

A man named Steve Mills shows up, saying that he's not just their waiter, but that he traffics... in magic. He performs a trick, which wows Bash, though Sam seems less than amused. He asks to be a part of the GLOW show. He gives Bash his card and leaves, and Bash still seems enamored, but Debbie points out that they need a referee and not a magician. She tells him to stop whatever he's thinking, but it's too late.

Cherry is aghast at the idea that, being a voodoo priestess herself, somebody else would be doing the magic at the show. Debbie points out that she doesn't actually know any magic. She says that she's sure "David Cooperfield" there could teach her. Carmen comments that would be pretty cool to have some actual magic in the ring. She does a routine with Kurt and suggests that Steve could "do this thing" as part of the act and make Kurt disappear. She says it'll spice things up, seeing as they've been a bit stale. Debbie tells Cherry that she's struggling and this could be a blessing in disguise. She could go up to the spa, take a bow, and then next week they'd be back to normal. She says it's fine if they want her to disappear so bad and leaves. Kurt asks if she's single now.

Ruth and Russell visit a pawn shop, which he calls "gambling gone wrong." She studies a case of watches and the owner asks if she's in the market for one. She says she already has one, but really shouldn't, as it's a loan that she should give back. She tells him she's there with her boyfriend and he suggests she look at some rings. "Who doesn't love rings?" she agrees, until she realizes he's talking about engagement rings. She says she's good, and he offers her one for $500. She tries some on while Russell tries out a camera and when he turns out, sees a number of rings on her hand and comments that she got engaged to six people. "I left you alone for two minutes." The owner tells him that if he doesn't buy her a ring, someone else will. She replies that in fact she'd like to buy him the camera. He says it's too much, that he was just looking, but she says that she wants to. He asks what would happen if they broke up, leading her to wonder if that's something he's really imagining. She asks how much it is and is told $375. She buys the camera.

Sheila is alone in a room, reading a scene from a play. Sam comes in and asks her what she's doing, and she explains that having quit the acting class, she's teaching herself. He asks if she could it in her room, but she says she told Ruth that she'd stay out during her visit with Russell. Sam asks if she'd like to read something a little newer and presents her with his screenplay. They read it together, Sam seeming very pleased with himself. Sheila asks a number of questions regarding the script that Sam doesn't understand why she's asking. She's not impressed with the role of the daughter character in the script. Sam thinks she's mysterious, but Sheila feels that while the father has a lot of great lines, she hardly says anything at all. Sam says the read-through is adjourned, saying this is why he can't let people read things before their done. She asks if he thinks she could be an actor the way she is, and he replies that her wolf act works great for a wrestling show.

Ruth thanks Sheila for letting her and Russell have the room to themselves. She says that Sam took her in, and Ruth quips that she hopes it wasn't too crowded with hookers. She tells her about the screenplay reading and she seems disturbed. Russell asks if she's ready for dinner, and she replies that they should go to Icons. Icons turns out to be a drag club. Ruth switches seats with Russell so that she can talk with Sheila about what happened with Sam. She asks if Sheila asked him to read it and she shakes her head. She asks if it was just the two of them, which Ruth finds odd. Sheila says she should ask if she could read it too, but she says she did. She is then silenced by the performer, who comments that "Only Cher can talk during our show, and she has." So she comes over to their group, pointing out that Russell is alone among women, asking if he's a Mormon. She asks what his story is and he replies that he's just visiting for the weekend with his girlfriend. She quips that he's only there for the weekend and she brought him to her show; she ought to just go have sex with him. That's what he's there for. She says she's banishing them. She then turns to Sheila, who she says is the most interesting person in the room. She asks where she's from and she turns the question back on her. She quips that she escaped from a chemical plant in Texas. She asks how long she's been a wolf. "How long have you been Barbra Streisand?" quips Sheila. "Longer than she has," replies the drag queen. She turns away from the inscrutable Sheila and says she's going to sing a song.

Ruth is kvetching to Russell about how Sam let Sheila read his script even though she's barely an actress. He comments that she wanted him to ask her and she admits that she did, that they're collaborators. He says to tell him that he hurt her feelings, but she says she can't. She wonders if he thought she might be too critical, or he wanted a flatter tone for the reading. A waitress asks if they want drinks. She refuses, but he orders, to her surprise. "For this conversation? Yeah." He says that normally he has a good read on her, but she's been nuts that weekend. He's been there two hours and she wants to move in together, she tries on all the rings, buys him an expensive camera, and is obsessed with Sam. She denies being obsessed and claims she was kidding about moving in together. He replies that his grandmother says there's truth in every joke. A married couple interrupts, getting him to take their photo. They say it's been the best three weeks of their life.

Debbie knocks on Cherry's door, saying that she's loud and late, and said no to the drag club visit. She asks if she's quitting, because then she would need two weeks notice. Cherry tells her to come in. Carmen is with Big Kurt, who is wondering how she can do the same show night after night without getting bored. She says they just changed a whole match, but he counters that there's no storylines and no drama. He says she's creative and better than half the guys he works with. He suggests he come on the road with her and do some real wrestling. She says she can't, that the girls depend on her. She asks him to bring her back a t-shirt.

Rhonda wakes up Bash, who apologizes, telling her that he's had meetings all day with acrobats and jugglers and a tiger wrangler. She introduces him to Bobby Barnes, who was the drag queen from earlier. He tells him that they beat the tigers. He tells him that he's a singer, having been there 11 years. He makes his pitch to Bash, saying that he pays to play and is cheap. He tells hi that he'd like to make money for him, that he knows he cares well about his performers. Rhonda returns with a spread and drinks. They toast to new friends.

Cherry tells Debbie that at this point she's just trying to keep moving after her break-up with Keith. She was scared after losing the baby, but he told her they were enough. Debbie tells her that she loves her own son, Randy, but that she sometimes thinks about how much easier things could be if she never had a baby or gotten married. She says she doesn't want a clean slate, that she loves being married to Keith. Cherry asks if she'd like to go into the hot tub and Debbie says yes, but then says not, saying that at this point she can't really go downstairs as she's had sex with just about everyone at the hotel, and left a juggler in her room. They have a good laugh. Cherry asks if she needs to go get him, and she says he'll leave when he's hungry.

Downstairs, Ruth admits that she couldn't really afford the camera and Russell notes that you don't exactly return stuff to a pawn shop. He says she's not crazy, and she says that Vegas can make you a little crazy. He says they can do one more month and if it's making them crazy, they'll just talk every other night. They kiss and she suggests they go upstairs. Back at the drag club, Bobby performs "Yes" from the musical 70, Girls, 70. The song continues as Sam types his script at his typewriter and as Russell snaps a photo of Ruth and they hug and kiss before he leaves in a cab. The song comes to a triumphant conclusion, as it's revealed that the song was for an audience of one, Bash. "No," he says, it's not a Bash Howard production. He turns to leave, saying his wife might be interested in voice lessons. Back in his room, Bobby takes it all off. It seems he does, have a fan, however, Sheila. She tells him that she's from Baltimore and she loved his show. He asks how long it's been since she washed her hair. She takes it off, revealing that it's a wig. He takes it and starts combing it. "Where in Baltimore?" he asks.

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
 * Victor Quinaz as Russell Barroso
 * Kevin Cahoon as Bobby Barnes
 * Murray Sawchuck as Steve Mills

Co-starring

 * Carlos Edwin as Kurt
 * Eric Lutz as Chad
 * Frank Ridley as Marlo
 * Lorin McCraley as Matty
 * Beth Curry as Amanda Beth

Trivia

 * This episode inspired the creation of "Say Yes! with Stephen C Edwards," a one-hour live show for charity featuring comedian Stephen C Edwards. Edwards watched this episode of the program and drew inspiration from it.