Desert Pollen

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

Synopsis
Fed up with the ladies' sloppy performances and lack of training, Cherry takes them to a showgirl dance class, which stokes Debbie's insecurities.

Plot
Cherry is overseeing some of the girls, who are working out at the gym. She speak with Sheila, who is hunched over a treadmill lightly walking while reading, asking where everyone is, as they were supposed to be there at 8 sharp. She says they need to get serious, as the show has been sloppy lately. Sheila says not to get after her, seeing as she at least showed up.

Cherry notes a trainer, Denise, who seems to have own crew well in command. She introduces herself, and just then, Sheila falls off her machine. She gets back on the machine and starts a brisk run. Later, Cherry talks with her husband about Denise, and how her group has a strict workout and nutrition routine, but she just Jenny spreading mayonnaise on cheese. Keith replies that sounds good, but Cherry continues to moan about the physical state of GLOW He says they're a bunch of girls having fun and in two months it won't be her problem anymore. She says it's her problem now, but he's more concerned about getting her to ovulate.

Sam visits Ruth, asking her how her new room is treating her. She says that the pollen in the old room was triggering her allergies. "Oh yeah, that desert pollen," quips Sam. Cherry goes around banging on everyone's doors, telling everyone they're going to a dance class. Sheila says that she and Tammé are already taking a very physical acting class that cost $200. Cherry says they get a pass, but everyone else needs to wake up. Ruth tells Debbie of this, but she says she's good, as she already got a full body workout the night before. Ruth tells her it'll be like old times.

The girls arrive at the class and find a group engaged in complex poses. "Eh," muses Ruth. Cherry tells the dance instructor to "let 'em have it." Meanwhile, Sam is with Bash on the tennis court, coughing. He excuses it as being the pollen. "In the desert?" wonders Bash. Bash calls over a couple of guys, Jerry and Lev Zeissman, the Zeissman twins. He says they're their doubles partners. Sam is annoyed that they're doing doubles. They and Bash hobnob for a bit, but Sam just wants to play.

Back the dance class, Debbie is having trouble "tucking her tail in." Back at the tennis match, the twins ask Bash what level of SPF he's wearing, saying that it's a must, seeing as he's in the desert. They suggest a guy named Mercurian if he needs a good skin guy. Sam just stays silent. Back at the dance class, the instructor starts another group, including Ruth and Cherry. She then asks for everyone to go together. Debbie comments that the "dance of death" begins. She says she has to get out and leaves.

Sheila and Tammé are at the acting class, where Tammé is giving a passionate performance. She ends with a joke, which gets everyone to laugh, but the instructor is not impressed. Her role is supposed to be that of Lena Younger, who was forced to sell her home because of white racism. She quips that she's good if she sold it at the top of the market. He thanks her, and asks who's next. Sheila goes next. He says anytime she's ready. She speaks of blood and drinking from someone's skull. He finally asks her to stop, saying he's distracted by her goth clothing. She says it's her, but he reminds her that acting is about setting aside self. She replies that the text is feral, and so is she. He says it's a problem, and she replies that he is, and quits. She and Tammé both leave, but Tammé drops her purse on her foot due to back problems.

The dance is over and Cherry talks with Denise, who reveals that she's no longer with Rhapsoday, one of the Fan-Tan's shows, as she had a baby, then suffered an injury. She has a chance at another audition though in a couple months. A group of children come in, her next class. Back at the court, the tennis match has ended. Bash is excited that the twins are coming to the show. Sam is not amused. He was hoping to work up a sweat, but Bash and the twins mostly just stood around gossiping. Bash agrees to go another round, telling him to go easy on him. They start a fierce match, but Sam gets irritated when Bash beats him soundly.

In the hotel, Debbie jogs up some stairs. Sam sits down for a cigarette, coughing badly, and disgusted, tries to toss away the pack, only to end up pulling out several at once. Debbie runs into Sandy, who says that she always takes the stairs. Sandy asks if she'd like some company. They talk about the show, Debbie saying that she could never stop performing completely. Sandy says she knows that they didn't hit it off right away, and she's not the biggest wrestling fan, but her door is always open.

Bash takes the twins backstage with the girls. He introduces them, calling Debbie the hardest-working lady producer in show-biz. They kiss her hand. They engage in some lewd conversation until finally Sam gets annoyed, saying that they're done. Bash suggests Debbie come get a drink with them, but Debbie is not interested.

Melrose and Jenny are having some drinks, though Jenny just wants to sleep. Melrose has Jenny leave so that she can chat up a guy who is approaching. He asks if she's lonely, and she says she isn't anymore. He introduces himself as Paul, asking her name, which she asks "What do you want it to be?" He asks if she has a room, suggesting they "discuss rate." She says they can figure that out later. He suggests they get out of there, and she says to give him one second. She goes to find Jenny, telling her he thinks she's a hooker. Jenny asks if she feels ashamed, but she's impressed he thinks she's hot enough to pay to have sex with her. She says she's going to take him upstairs.

Ruth asks Debbie if she wants dinner, but Debbie says she can't eat from the garbage buffet again. Ruth tells her that she needs to eat something, but she tells her to back off. Ruth puts on a ridiculous headdress, asking if she would eat dinner with a showgirl. She does a silly dance and song; Debbie says that she looks more like a band nerd in a giant hat. Then Ruth takes off her bra, laying it out. This gets a chuckle from Debbie, but also causes her to close her eyes. Then, Sam pops in. "Ooookay." He says he came in to apologize for the twins, but they seem fine in there. He asks if Ruth has covered up, then leaves.

Paul and Melanie wrap things up. He says it's awkward that they didn't nail down the details beforehand, but after the night they had, $200 seems fair. She says it's more than fair. He stares at her for a moment, asking if she needs to go get cash. She says he's supposed to pay her, but he tells her that's not how it works. She hired him. He's sorry for the misunderstanding, but she owes him. She says she's definitely not paying him, that she doesn't pay for him, and he came like a faucet. He says if it was just him, maybe, but he has a pimp. She replies that she has one too, and a lawyer, one who will argue that she never entered into an agreement with him. He gets out.

Cherry is with her husband, Keith, telling him that she doesn't want to do this. He asks what's wrong, asking her to have a seat. She says that they never really talked about what pregnancy will do to her body, that so many things could go wrong. He replies that everything could go right. He says as far as the show, she can phone it in; all of the others are. She wonders what she'll do about the show in the future, but he says he'll step it up. She wonders if this is what he really wants, and he says that what he really wants is a family. He thought they both did, that all this time he's been waiting. She says that she doesn't think she wants to have a baby. He wonders if it matters what he wants. She replies that she doesn't know. He says he doesn't know what he's doing there, and he's going to get a drink.

Ruth and Debbie head down for cheeseburgers and fries. At the table, they talk T&A. Ruth says it's an honor to have Debbie's ass in her face every night; that she's hot and she knows it. She doesn't have to beat herself up because she's not 6' 2" and 70 pounds. She says that when she was a child, she got the idea that nobody would ever notice anything about her body, and it never left her. Ruth says that's really stupid. Debbie agrees; she's someone's mother, and mothers are allowed to eat cheeseburgers. So she does. She's starving. Debbie orders two milkshakes. Ruth says that at the dance class, she kept looking at the other dancers, and it made her think of a scene from a movie. She sings Barbra Streissand, off-key.

Back in her hotel room, Debbie opens a package. She takes out a videotape and pops it in the player. It's her son, Randy, taking his first steps and playing with a toy horse. Mark asks if he say "horse." He does, and then "Hi" when Mark asks him to. "Mama." Debbie turns away and walks into the bathroom. She flexes in front of the mirror, then heads to the toilet and vomits. The toilet flushes and she cleans up. She smiles in the mirror.

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
 * Bashir Salahuddin as Keith Bang
 * Breeda Wool as Denise
 * Abigail Klein as Joy
 * Randy Sklar as Jerry Zeissman
 * Jason Sklar as Lev Zeissman
 * Nick Clifford as Paul
 * Arye Gross as Gene

Co-starring

 * Manny Jimenez Jr. as Manny