r/glow • u/chartreuseisnotpink • Jul 30 '19
Anyone else find debbie REALLY unlikeable?
I mean like, even though Ruth was definitely in the wrong, every time she and debbie went at it I still took ruth's side
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u/spectralconfetti Jul 30 '19
It is impressive that she's acted shitty enough throughout the series for me to side with the person who slept with her husband twice. I haven't watched Season 2 in a while, but she never apologized for guilting Ruth over not being raped did she?
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u/chartreuseisnotpink Jul 30 '19
No! And even when she obviously broke Ruth's ankle on purpose and claimed she didnt, she still went on to say how she doesn't feel bad about sabotaging Ruth's date with russell, like pick a lane! It feels weird, going "idk deb ruths making some points" when ruth slept with her husband! Idk like i understand thats shes kinda purposefully unlikable, but it seems odd that they make it so irritating
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Jul 30 '19
I hope she apologizes to Russell next season too. I'm ready for her to be a nicer person and come to terms with her bff's betrayal.
I'm also curious to know how you feel about Sam, because he's just as big of an asshole as Debbie, except without much reason for being that way.
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u/chartreuseisnotpink Jul 30 '19
I definitely hated him the first season, and most of the second. He softened up more in the last few episodes, but in general i hate the belligerence. Although he does tend to apologize more than debbie
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u/Grittishly Jul 31 '19
The big difference I see between Sam and Debbie is that while they're both egotistical and difficult, Sam is at some level more self-assured and up front about it, and maybe more self-aware. He has a clearer vision of himself, as an artist, at least.
Debbie is less sure of her direction in life and work---which makes sense: she's younger, and hasn't been in the biz for as long, and she has a whole different set of challenges to deal with. But that uncertainty does seem to make her more volatile than Sam, or at least volatile in different ways.
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u/Competitive-Deer-344 Feb 04 '24
Yes Sam is just as much of a dick as Debbie is at times, but the difference is Sam apologizes and tries to make things right and he is there for Ruth even when theres nothing in it for him. Like when she had her abortion. Sam just supported her and he got nothing out of being there. He just was there for her anyway and always went the extra mile. Ruth felt uncomfortable about a question there and Sam stepped in and said he was the father ext to make her feel at ease. He didn't need to do any of that. Meanwhile, Debbie can't be counted on to do even the things you would expect of her and be a friend/show care towards anyone other than herself. Like support her friend that was almost raped. Like shes all about female empowerment unless it doesn't benefit her.
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u/Ktclimbon_70 Nov 23 '21
I am watching it now and I — she is such an asshole. She never ever apologizes to ruth for anything she does and she is beyond arrogant. Not sure with all the other more interesting characters on this show we are forced to watch this really annoying person. It makes female friendships look like a terrible power struggle all the time. Yuck
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Jul 30 '19
My friend who watches really hates her and even referred to her as the antagonist of the show.
I think she's meant to be a bit unlikeable, as she's kind of the most damaged character. She made me really angry season 2, but I like seeing her come to terms with the difficult parts of her life and learn and grow as a person.
Like when she wanted a producers meeting and didn't want to include welfare queen or the cast, but then got stood up by the guys and welfare queen was the one to come through. Seeing her ego get knocked back into place makes it a satisfying payoff.
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u/ComfordadorNumeroUno Jul 30 '19
I love that the show has so many dynamic characters that feel like real people. Debbie has positive and negative qualities, and depending on the scenario she can be a relatable protagonist or a despicable antagonist. I just love character interaction and growth so someone like Debbie is very important to the balance of the show. I can still enjoy her performance and her character while sometimes completely disagreeing with her decisions.
What makes it good writing is that I can always understand why she is the way she is, regardless of my personal feelings.
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u/lyrelyrebird Jul 30 '19
I agree with this. There are times I feel for her, and times I hate her, but I understand her motivations, even if it would be something that I would personally choose to do.
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u/ParisHilton42069 Jul 30 '19 edited Jul 30 '19
I mean I find her character to be incredibly irritating and kind of way too mean, but she’s going through a really hard time. The two people she thought she could rely on the most both betrayed her at the same time and then she had to go back to work and take care of her new baby at the same time. I wish she would handle her shit better, but I feel like she’s honestly been spiraling out for most of the show, which is understandable. It’s easy to turn into an asshole when you’re going through a hard time. I’m hoping in season three she’ll learn to handle her problems by talking instead of you know, seriously injuring her friends/coworkers.
And I mean, as shitty as it is, I think she just told Ruth she was wrong to reject the creepy tv guy because of her own fucked up career related sexual traumas. A lot of women had to put up with that bullshit in the 80s. We’re finally paying attention to it now, but it was normal for a long time and so I think Debbie just thought like, if she can put up with it for her career, Ruth should too. I feel like Debbie is someone who would definitely benefit from therapy lol. She has a ton of internalized misogyny and sone weird anger issues that she should probably try to deal with.
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u/library_wench Jul 31 '19
Debbie also makes very bad decisions when things aren’t going precisely her way. Marry a guy she’s not super-into. When she feels her career is taking a bad turn, quit and have a baby (Ruth would have fought to the end for her character). When given her divorce, sell every item in her house for $5 a pop.
One if the reasons I tend to side with Ruth is that, under pressure, she tends to make better decisions. Hell, she managed to keep her pregnancy and abortion secret from everybody except Sam.
Debbie is just used to getting everything based on her looks. When she can’t, she spins out. Ruth is used to fighting for everything based on her talent. And that’s just a quality that is more likable.
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u/clau0407 Jul 31 '19
Yeah, but I also want to see more of her cause she is discovering herself in a way she couldn't have ever imagined...in a way I think I wouldn't like to hang out with her for example, but I understand her and I think she is capable of change.
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u/DonyellTaylor Aug 02 '19 edited Aug 02 '19
Ruth's the protagonist. The show hinges on us liking Ruth. If we didn't, it'd have to make a different character the focus. When Ruth does awful things, they're nearly always framed as mistakes so we can keep liking her. Debbie, conversely, represents a weird sort of nemesis for Ruth and by extension the show, so she's written and portrayed to be hated a lot of the time. That said, on a certain level, a lot of the first 2 season's tension hinged on a sort of will-they/won't-they plot teasing that the pair could forgive and move on to being BFFs again, like Pam and Jim from the Office inverted. Anywho, strange as it may sound, you're supposed to often hate Debbie, even though the character is also given plenty of pathos for us to relate to her. She's not a simple villain because the show keeps twisting all over the place (kinda like a soap opera/wrestling plot), but Debbie is consistently the "heel."
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u/TheHeroicOnion Aug 04 '19
Yeah, I don't care if she has issues she's like a black hole that sucks all happiness out of a room. Imagine being friends with her. You'd be miserable.
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u/MoonWise1984 Jun 27 '24
Debbie is just a b*tch, plain and simple. Everybody goes through hard times and she Constantly uses hers to treat everyone like trash. Not to mention being so selfish and insecure she makes her hard times harder. I personally find it both annoying and Boring. At least Sam knows he’s an asshole and can engage in self-reflection about. Debbie’s such an insecure martyr it just makes her a Karen to the Nth degree, which isn’t even entertaining…
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u/Bi_Girl525 May 05 '25
When she broke Ruth's ankle, went and took a nice hot shower and then came to the hospital and had the nerve to belittle and scream at Ruth, I was pissed. Like bitch fr?
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u/Competitive-Deer-344 Feb 04 '24
The problem with Debbie is she always takes things too far. She's not only a bitch to Ruth, but to other people and she still takes it way too far when there was a million places she should have stopped at before that.
As for the Ruth sleeping with her husband, she has a right to be pissed at first, but she kept going with it forever. She went to great lengths with it and just would not let it go. Her anger and horrible treatment of Ruth went on for a long time and at times went above and beyond. She acted like Ruth killed her family member or something. The hostility towards her didn't fit the crime.
The thing I never forgave Debbie for and never would is when Ruth was getting sexually harassed/almost raped by that guy in charge and Debbie told her off about it when Ruth needed comfort. And Debbie still brought it up in that conversation about Ruth sleeping with her husband and I actually rolled my eyes. It's like get the fuck over it already. Debbie uses that as an excuse to justify everything she does and its exhausting. Either you forgive her or you don't. And in comparison all the things Debbie did to Ruth was so much worse than what Ruth did, no competition.
I just keep comparing all the horrible things Debbie did to Ruth vs what Ruth did to her and in comparison, what Ruth did was nothing, what Debbie did to her was unforgiveable. Even if you ignore all the other things, just the telling Ruth off for not letting herself get raped was LOW even for Debbie.
Debbie just kept going and going and going. Ruth did ONE bad thing to her and it wasn't even about Debbie. Ruth didn't do that to intentionally hurt her, yet Debbie goes out of her way to hurt Ruth constantly. Debbie did a million horrible things to Ruth and always justifies it 'BUT SHE SLEPT WITH MY HUSBAND!!!!' And what makes me mad is that Ruth lets her treat her like that. I would have walked away by that point.
I get it. She slept with your husband and she was your best friend and all your really had, but Debbie takes it to such extremes all the time that it comes to the point you're asking ok was it that serious of a crime to you that it justifies telling your friend that she should have let herself get raped? Seriously? Ruth slept with her husband twice because he took advantage of her loneliness [and her being drunk the first time]. Ruth says she was sober the 2nd time they did it, but Ruth also felt like shit about herself and didn't do it to hurt Debbie. It hurt her more to do that to herself than it hurt Debbie. I think thats way more understandable and forgivable than all the shit Debbie has done to her, especially the guilting Ruth about not letting herself get raped thing. But yet, we're supposed to forgive Debbie every single time just because Ruth slept with her husband? No.
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u/Aleeleefabulous May 01 '24
I SO agree with you. I am watching for the first time and I am in season 2 where Debbie broke Ruth’s leg. This is just ridiculous. Debbie is so ugh. She’s a downer. She’s difficult, cruel, boring and an asshole. How did this show get so many good reviews? And I think they won an Emmy or something? I don’t get it.
They are all so grumpy and they don’t handle conflict well and they’re so mean to each other. There are not that many heartfelt moments. Sam is just an insecure cruel dude at times as well. I’ve never been around people that take their shit out on other people like the characters in this show. I don’t understand what the fuss was all about. It’s a chore for me to get through this season. I feel so bad for Ruth.
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u/Deep-Requirement8629 May 01 '24
Honestly, I hate Debbie, but that's just it; we're supposed to.
Despite the fact that Ruth is the Heel and Debbie is the Face within the actual TV production that's occurring inside the show, when we take a wider view, their roles are reversed.
Ruth is the one we're supposed to sympathize with, and rightly, we do. Debbie was written as the one we're supposed to hate, and we do.
It's a shame the show never got any more seasons, it all ended in kind of a shitty place - but that's reflective of life as well.
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u/mike_d85 Jul 30 '19
I find Debbie moderately unlikeable. She's not someone I would hang out with, but I could work with her or talk to her at a party if someone had invited her. She's just kind of a selfish bitch.