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Parents' Guide to

Cheer

By Mandie Caroll, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Engrossing docuseries follows cheer team champions.

TV Netflix Reality TV 2020
Cheer Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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age 14+

Based on 5 parent reviews

MarkNLa
MarkNLa Adult
January 26, 2020
age 18+

Pushes the Envelope on Physical Abuse

I believe the opportunity that some of these kids have been given is great and they all great in their own way. Where it crosses the line for me is it’s almost glamourizing pushing yourself to the limit and risking serious injury to win. It’s too much. And Monica makes it very clear that it’s her reputation at stake which I believe is her real motivation behind her strict, firm and at time grueling approach to preparation for 2.5 minutes once a year in Daytona. I believe she wants it to be about the kids, but it really is about her winning. Enough is never enough. Furthermore, I feel like this production projects Texas values on kids who come from all walks of life and situations. The History Professor being the best example. She says she’s teaching TX history when all she is doing is projecting the ultra conservative values of Corsicana onto Students who don’t really care. She goes as far as to say she totes her gun with her everywhere she goes. If the goal of this show is to show how physical cheerleading is and others should see it as a sport, fine, but the message that you get and see is young kids who love the sport being pushed to the limit constantly and made to feel bad when they fail. As one reviewer put it, Monica doesn’t put much into their little victories. It’s a business to her more than anything. She claims and states the kids are more important yet every decision she makes it geared toward ensuring the win. How about some of those kids who never make it to Mat? It’s a business decision to keep them off and hoping, but trusting Monica because of the reputation she’s built. Personally, the guy who runs the Trinity Univesoty program is more balanced and a better example.
jpoobah36iq
jpoobah36iq Parent of 15-year-old
February 12, 2023
age 16+
Only watched a few bits of a few episodes and decided this was not for my 13 year old daughter who is a cheerleader. The reality of some of the stories is heartfelt but really not appropriate for a middle school aged person I think. Too much drama with a capital D. The rating of TV-MA was enough for me to tell my daughter that she will have to wait a few years to view.
See all 5 parent reviews

What's the Story?

CHEER opens at the start of the 2019 spring semester, as the Navarro Community College cheer team is gearing up for Nationals, where they will be the defending champions. Navarro, located in tiny Corsicana, Texas, attracts top cheerleaders from all over the country who want to train under Coach Monica Aldama, who has thirteen national championships under her belt. Episodes consist of scenes from cheer practices as the team learns their Nationals routine alternated with interviews and backstories of Coach Monica and five of the team members. There's likable Jerry, whose family tragedy inspires him to be his best, Morgan, who finds the "family" she's never had at Navarro, Gabi, a cheerleader of social media fame, La'Darius who survived abuse and bullying to become one of the best cheerleaders anywhere, and Lexi, a high school dropout struggling to do the right thing. The final episode at Nationals in Daytona Beach reveals whether or not all of their hard work and sacrifices pay off. Season 2 focuses equally on Navarro and rival Trinity Valley Community College. It chronicles how fame affected the team and delves in detail into the child pornography charges against the beloved Jerry.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5 ):
Kids say (10 ):

This surprisingly captivating docuseries about a team at the top of its game will delight cheer-loving viewers and convert the cheer-averse. The alternating scenes of cheer practices and performances and the life stories of compelling personalities in Cheer invest the viewer from the very first episode. It's also very balanced. Coach Monica's strong persona doesn't dominate the show. The young people really do shine here, and viewers will find themselves invested in their (and the teams') success. Stakes are established early: risk of major injury and the fact that only twenty of the forty cheerleaders will be selected to be "on mat" at Nationals makes the show pleasingly suspenseful.

A missed opportunity: going deeper into the important issues of LGBTQ discrimination and financial barriers to cheering, which are raised, but not given the deep attention they deserve. Other than that, the story is structured so well that as the competition nears, the tension and anxiety swells to near-panic levels for the cheerleaders and viewers of the show. The result of Nationals is as emotional as it gets in documentaries, but by the time the viewer gets to the end, many tears may have already been shed -- this show pulls at the heart all the way through and may even convert new fans to the sport.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Kids can talk about the different backgrounds the cheerleaders in Cheer are from. Which stories did you find most moving or relatable? How do these young adults change over the course of the series? Why do you think they make these changes?

  • Talk about the character strengths the cheerleaders show, like teamwork and perseverance. What are some that you have had to develop in order to succeed or overcome an obstacle?

  • There's a big risk of injuries that are involved in cheerleading. Why do you think it's worth the risk for the cheerleaders on the show?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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