Created by Liz and Jeff Astrof and executive produced by Netflix’s “Cheer” star and retired cheerleading coach Monica Aldama, NBC’s newest sitcom, **“Stumble,”** is a hysterical mockumentary about the high-stakes arena of junior college cheerleading.
For viewers who adored the “Cheer” docuseries and Aldama’s no-nonsense approach to coaching, this light-hearted twist on that world introduces a cast of wildly colorful characters and a woman determined to win, no matter the cost.
Set in the fictional Wichita Flats, Texas, audiences are introduced to Courteney Potter (a perfectly cast Jenn Lyon), one of the winningest coaches in college cheer history. A workaholic who lives and breathes the sport, Courteney is ready to go after her 15th championship and officially surpass the coach who made her life a living hell during her cheerleading days.
Unfortunately, Courteney’s plot is thwarted when she is fired from Sammy Davis Sr. Junior College (SDSJC) for drinking with her team at their victory party and giving out awards for “best booty.” Courteney’s husband, Boone (Taran Killam), encourages her to use her newfound freedom to relax, but she just can’t let go of that elusive last championship.
As a result, she finds herself taking a job 80 miles away in Oklahoma at Headleston Junior College, home of the Buttons. Unlike the award-winning SDSJC, now run by Courteney’s former assistant coach and newfound rival Tammy Istiny (Kristin Chenoweth), Headleston’s cheer program leaves a lot to be desired.
Though the sole member of the squad, Madonna (Arianna Davis), is exceptionally talented, her narcolepsy means she often collapses on the mat at any moment. Still, not one to be deterred, Courteney presses forward and puts a squad together so Headleston can qualify for the Daytona Cheerleading Championships.
After rounding up some cheerleaders made famous from a rather raunchy TikTok routine, pilfering one of Boone’s football players, Dimarcus (Jarrett Austin Brown), taking on Peaches (Taylor Dunbar), a kleptomaniac who Courteney caught breaking into her car, and trying to convince SDSJC’s star flyer, Krystal (Anissa Borrego), to join the squad, the cheer coach finds herself with the concepts of a team.
However, making it to Daytona, let alone winning a championship, may remain well out of Courteney’s grasp. Still, she’s going to do everything she can to get Headleston there.
**“Stumble”** stands out because the show knows exactly what it wants to be. The writers have mastered the cadence and comedic style that make series like “The Office,” “Parks and Recreation,” and, more recently, “Abbott Elementary” so beloved.
Moreover, although the show features some familiar tropes and themes, all the characters are distinct and add a new dimension to the narrative and delights of this world. Steven (Ryan Pinkston) is a thirty-something car salesman who was on Courteney’s very first squad more than a dozen years ago. Sally (Georgie Murphy) is a terrible cheerleader with a tragic life story, and even Boone, a football coach, is as obsessed with his wife as she is with her job.
Lyon’s magnetism touches the entire cast, but her scenes with both Killam’s Boone and Chenoweth’s Tammy really leap off the screen. Tammy is a thrilling foil for Courteney. Though the Headleston coach is all encouragement, professional blouses, and high-heeled boots, Tammy dresses as if she’s still tumbling around the gym.
From a full-fledged cheer outfit to bedazzled tracksuits and a plethora of thick 1980s-esque scrunchies, she is a pint-sized nemesis, barely able to contain her glee at Courteney’s misfortune and switching immediately into nice/nasty banter with her former boss.
Critics received just two episodes for review. Yet, the pilot and Episode 2, “Media Day,” are full of sharp writing and details that someone who has long been immersed in this environment, like Aldama, would know to include.
Viewers who have never watched “Cheer” will undoubtedly be able to follow the storylines. However, the added knowledge of the Corsicana, Texas-set docuseries might invite a sharper analysis and deeper understanding of the show.
Comedies can be tricky. Humor is subjective, and when the setting is as unique as junior college cheerleading, it can be challenging to craft a series with universal appeal. **“Stumble”** has none of these issues.
With a highly talented cast who clearly know their characters and exceptional comedic timing, the show hits the ground running, and it can only reach new heights from here.
**“Stumble”** premieres Nov. 7 on NBC with new episodes dropping weekly on Fridays.
https://variety.com/2025/tv/reviews/stumble-review-nbc-kristin-chenoweth-jenn-lyon-1236568442/
