Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Cheer’ Season 2 On Netflix, Where The Stars Of The Breakout Docu-Series Examine the Price of Fame

It’s been over 2 years since Cheer premiered on Netflix and took the world by storm, prompting Saturday Night Live sketches, talk show appearances, and a massive following for its young stars (see our Cheer Season 2 Cast Guide). With its overnight success, the show also drew criticism for its coach’s relentless methods, only pushing the divisive series farther into the spotlight. The second season, now streaming on Netflix, examines the impact fame has had on the team, the fallout of abuse allegations against one of its own, and the addition of a rival team to the show.

CHEER: SEASON 2: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: Scenes from the 2021 Collegiate Cheer & Dance Championship.

The Gist: Cheer‘s second season gets off to a bit of a somber start. Coach Monica reflects on the hardships of the past year, including the charges of child sex abuse against fan-favorite Jerry Harris, the pandemic, and the effects of overnight success on the team. This first installment kicks off in the spring of 2020, just as the team experiences their first real taste of fame in the form of screaming fans, talk shows, and millions of Instagram followers. This newfound celebrity is disruptive to their practice, but Coach Monica Aldama presses on, keeping a watchful eye on dazzling newcomers like Maddy Brum and preparing to select who will be on the mat this season. Cheer‘s success hasn’t been sunshine and rainbows for everyone, though; the athletes sidelined off-camera last season seem understandably resentful towards Season 1’s stars, but they seem resolved to keep their heads down and work hard (for now, at least).

If adjusting to fame and everything that comes with it isn’t dramatic enough for you, we’re also introduced to Navarro’s rivals, Trinity Valley Community College. After coming in second in Daytona, the team is obsessed with beating Navarro. We get a whole new cast of characters to root for, a group who would like nothing more than to rub a victory in Coach Aldama’s face. Only time will tell if they succeed. Meanwhile, at Navarro, some Season 1 favorites – including Gabi and Lexi – return to the team, reclaiming coveted mat spots. As the first installment of the second season comes to a close, Coach Aldama makes her decisions about who will hit the mat this season, and there are more than a few broken hearts in the room. With Daytona looming, however, there’s no time for tears.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Last Chance U, Dance Moms, Cheer Squad, and Basketball or Nothing might remind you of Cheer, as well as documentaries like Athlete A.

Our Take: Following up a viral sensation like Cheer is no easy feat. I’ll admit I had my worries about this second season, wondering how they’d tackle the Jerry Harris revelations, the pandemic, and their overnight success. Fortunately, series creator Greg Whiteley (Last Chance U) and the rest of the team allay these fears in the first few minutes of Season 2, quickly reminding us why we became so addicted the first time around. While the first episode doesn’t get deep into the heavy things ahead for Navarro (and the rest of the world), it gives us a glimpse of the pain to come, the weight of it all obvious in Aldama’s eyes when she briefly discusses Jerry Harris and what a difficult year it’s been for them all. The last thing we want to see on TV these days is a reminder of the pandemic we are still living in, but Cheer remains watchable as ever, even as it prepares to collide headfirst with the coronavirus and see all their hard work put on pause.

Cheer‘s second season, though it has moments that drag a tad, is a compelling examination of fame and ambition, combining the best elements of sports documentaries with some of the juicier components of reality television.  By introducing us to the Trinity Valley team, the stakes are raised to a much more exciting place, allowing us to root for (and rally against) these fresh-faced athletes whose main goal is to take down Navarro. These people – including the vets we know and love and the rookies new to the game – make for great characters, taking us on a drama-fueled journey that will lead to a climactic competition, only made more interesting by the addition of Trinity Valley to the series. Season 2 is a worthy continuation of the themes and intensity that made Season 1 such a ridiculously binge-able affair.

Sex and Skin: None.

Parting Shot: The Trinity Valley cheerleaders chant and vow to beat Navarro as their coach looks on.

Sleeper Star: Cheer newcomer Jada Wooten, star over at Navarro rival Trinity Valley, wastes no time making a big impression. She’s the kind of no-bullshit athlete that makes these kinds of series so much fun to watch, telling off her teammates for messing around and admitting how crushing coming in second place in Daytona really was for her. She has her eyes on the prize, unwavering in her dedication to being the best she can be, and unwilling to take any nonsense from her teammates. There’s something so compelling about an athlete who wears their heart on their sleeve, unrelenting in their desire to win and unafraid to tell off anyone who stands in their way. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the season holds for Jada.

Most Pilot-y Line: There are a few corny lines as Cheer finds its footing again, all boasting similar “we carry on” vibes: “I keep putting one foot in front of the other every single day. I don’t have a choice.”

Our Call: STREAM IT. Cheer ramps up the stakes in its second season with the addition of a rival team and an unflinching examination of what overnight success can do to a group of people. It’s a must-see sports doc for super-fans and casual viewers alike.

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines, hogging the mic at karaoke, and thirst-tweeting. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.