Cheer

Cheer is an enticing, exciting, and compelling reality television docu-series produced by Netflix that first premiered on January 8, 2020. The series centers around the decorated cheerleading team at Navarro College, located in the small, rural town of Corsicana, Texas, under the direction of formidable coach Monica Aldama.

Cheer delves deep into the physically demanding and high-stakes world of competitive cheerleading, a sphere that is often misunderstood and downplayed by mainstream culture. It spotlights the intense training regimens, dynamic choreographies, and the gravity-defying stunts performed by the Navarro College cheer team. The athleticism and dedication needed to train at this level serve as a spotlight on an oft-overlooked sport.

The episodes are artfully laced with heartfelt personal stories of each cheerleader, ranging from triumphs over personal setbacks, struggle with challenging backgrounds, to their near-obsessive passion for the sport. The show goes beyond the pompoms and spirit fingers most of us associate with cheerleading, to reveal the blood, the sweat, the tears, and the raw talent that goes behind each whip, basket, and pyramid that the Navarro team brings into their performances.

At the helm of the team and show is the inspirational figure of Monica Aldama, a name synonymous with triumph in the cheerleading world. An iron-fisted leader, she is known for her high standards, perfectionism, and an impressive record of avant-garde choreography. Yet, she is also maternal, caring, supportive and shown to stand by her team through thick and thin - a mentor who demands peak performance, but offers unconditional love.

Each episode of the season presents viewers with the opportunity to appreciate the cheer team's sporting journey in its entirety. From the grueling training sessions, intricate choreographies, debilitating injuries, moments of self-doubt, and struggles with academics and personal lives against the looming specter of the National Cheerleading Championship in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Cheer also does an excellent job at exhibiting the true relationships these cheerleaders have with each other: the camaraderie and the brotherhood-sisterhood sentiment that shapes their bonding. These athletes rely on one another for not just catching stunts and spot-on formations but emotional support as well. We witness the height of group dynamics and teamwork.

The series also portrays the perceptible contrast between the small, southern town of Corsicana and the monumental importance of cheerleading in the town’s identity. The juxtaposition of the sleepy Texan town with the stark intensity of the cheerleading world is both fascinating and surreal. There's a sense of almost palpable expectation and immense pride vested in the young athletes by the townsfolk.

Of course, the series is not without its drama - Cheering injuries abound due to the physical intensity of the routines, adding an emotional undertone of fear and risk for the performers and viewers alike. The show doesn't shy away from the realities of physical toll and injury - an unfortunate, but undeniable part of competitive cheering. These storylines underscore the risk these athletes willingly undertake for their passion for the sport.

In its essence, Netflix’s Cheer offers much more than showcasing cheerleading as a competitive sport - it serves profound narratives of resilience, friendship, doing what it takes to achieve dreams, and finding family away from home. Interlaced with nail-biting climax and emotional subtleties, the series thrills, inspires, and hits you right in the feels. It's a compelling portrayal of the pursuit of perfection and the personal cost of this journey.

Cheer serves as a reminder that cheerleading is just as physically demanding and emotionally draining as any other team sport and deserves the same level of respect. So whether you are a cheer enthusiast or love indulging in feel-good sports drama, Cheer is a must-watch, promising emotional turmoil, inspiring victories, life-altering experiences, and the raw passion of the cheer world.