Created by Liz and Jeff Astrof—and executive produced by Netflix’s Cheer star and retired cheerleading coach Monica Aldama—NBC’s Stumble is a hilarious and heartfelt mockumentary that tackles junior college cheer with wit, energy, and surprising authenticity. If you loved Cheer or grew up watching Bring It On, Stumble brings that spirit with a hilarious twist.
Set in the fictional Wichita Flats, Texas, the series introduces Courteney Potter (Jenn Lyon), a decorated cheer coach with 14 national championships and an obsession with clinching number 15. That dream hits a wall when she’s fired from Sammy Davis Sr. Junior College after celebrating a win with too many tequila shots and giving out “Best Booty” awards at the banquet.
Enter Headltston State Junior College—a tiny Oklahoma school with no functioning cheer team and a mascot called the Buttons. Here, Courteney plans her comeback. Her husband Boone (Taran Killam), the former SDSJC football coach, follows along as her slightly clueless but lovable sidekick.
Headltston’s cheer team is more concept than reality. There’s Madonna (Arianna Davis), the narcoleptic tumbler who can flip with power but might collapse mid-run. Peaches (Taylor Dunbar), a kleptomaniac with elite IQ and criminal history. Dimarcus (Jarrett Austin Brown), a backflipping ex-quarterback poached from Boone’s old squad. Sally (Georgie Murphy), an endlessly optimistic foster kid. Krystal (Anissa Borrego), a former flyer and social media cheerlebrity. And Steven (Ryan Pinkston), Courteney’s 30-something former athlete who dropped out years ago but is now back for redemption.
If that sounds chaotic—it is. But it works.
The mockumentary format follows the footsteps of The Office, Abbott Elementary, and Parks and Rec, and Stumble nails the tone. Characters speak directly to camera, break the fourth wall with awkward confessions, and lean into the ridiculous highs and painful lows of competitive cheer. The comedy lands with sharp timing, thanks to Liz Astrof’s veteran sitcom writing and Aldama’s insider knowledge of what really happens on and off the mat.
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Jenn Lyon is perfectly cast. Her Courteney is ambitious, flawed, and passionate. You believe she’s been in the cheer trenches for decades. Her chemistry with Killam’s Boone is fantastic—they’re this generation’s Coach and Tami Taylor (Friday Night Lights) but funnier, with Courteney clearly running the show.
Kristin Chenoweth steals every scene as Tammy Istiny, Courteney’s former assistant turned rival. With sparkly tracksuits, bedazzled whistles, and vicious cheer energy, she’s the villain you love to hate. Watching her go from teary to toxic in seconds is one of the show’s best running bits.
Read More: NBC’s Stumble is the Cheer Show We’ve Been Waiting For
The production nails the details. From cringey pep rallies to absurd mascot interactions, the cheer world is shown as it truly is: a mix of intense athleticism, bizarre traditions, and deep, sometimes dysfunctional, bonds. Real cheerleaders including Kory Little, Tatiyahna Davis, AJ Blankenship, Zach LeMunyon, and Hailey Smith add legitimacy to the choreography, bringing real skills to baskets, pyramids, and tumbling passes. Dahlston Delgado’s routines are clean and believable—these aren’t Hollywood stunts; they look like routines you’d see at Worlds or Daytona.
The premiere introduces the world with sharp pacing and standout character intros, while Episode 2, “Media Day,” gives space for the squad’s dysfunction to simmer. Jokes hit, editing flows, and even the mockumentary conceits (like blurred toys or rival coaches refusing interviews) add charm.
What Stumble gets right is tone. It could have gone broad, but instead, it balances absurd moments with real character depth. There’s no mean-spirited humor here. The series roots for its characters the same way coaches root for teams. That optimism anchors the laughs and gives the show its heart.
Cheerleading is a hard sport to portray well on TV. But NBC’s Stumble hits zero in my opinion. With an all-in performance from Lyon, a top-tier supporting cast, real stunting, and insider jokes that will make any cheerleader laugh (and wince), this series is the most fun Friday night has seen in years.
Rating: 9.5/10 — Stumble hits zero with heart and laughs to spare.
Show premieres November 7th on NBC.
