Netflix Docuseries “CHEER” is All the Rage

The first breakout TV hit of 2020, the Netflix docuseries CHEER debuted on January 8th, showcasing the lives of Texas’s Navarro College’s Cheer team and their road to the National Championships in Daytona.  Navarro is an ultra-successful cheer program, with 13 National Championships. As someone who has participated in cheer since Kindergarten, I was eager to watch the show, and it did not disappoint. It is riveting and inspirational. Easily binge-able, CHEER consists of 6 one-hour-long episodes. 

Much of the series is devoted to the team’s amazing backstories, and all of the obstacles they have had to overcome to get to Navarro. Although everyone shown had touching stories, the story of Jerry Harris is the one that stole many audiences’ hearts. Although Jerry has been a dedicated team member for two years, he has yet to make the cut when it comes to who gets to actually compete with the team. Throughout the season, Jerry continues to push himself and his teammates with a smile on his face. 

The series shows the true life of a cheerleader through all of the pain and tears. Throughout the show, the team experiences a countless number of injuries. However, time and time again, the team continues to overcome the obstacles they face and find a way to make it work. The way that the team works together through everything is a great inspiration. Even when things don’t go their way and they had tough practices, they always came back stronger. 

I won’t say whether Navarro wins Daytona to capture their 14th championship, only that the tension is thick when you watch the team step onto the mat to compete.  There are twists and turns throughout, not just in their routines.

All in all, I give CHEER a 9.5/10. I think a longer season of shorter vignettes would have been better, but overall, the show is terrific, and I highly recommend it. You do not need to know anything or even care about cheerleading to enjoy this show: it’s messages of persistence, resilience and entertaining drama are universal.