The Return of the Mockumentary Sitcom Continues With NBC’s "Stumble"!

The mid-2000s to 2010s saw a golden age in the mockumentary sitcom format, with shows like ABC’s "Modern Family" (2009-2020), and NBC’s "The Office" (2005-2013) and "Parks and Recreation" (2009-2015) epitomizing the genre. While the style never disappeared, there was a slowdown in the amount of new mockumentary sitcoms being made. However, there’s been a recent resurgence of the format in the 2020s, with shows like ABC’s "Abbott Elementary", NBC’s "St. Denis Medical", and Peacock’s "The Paper". The most recent addition to this list is NBC’s "Stumble", which premiered November 7. 

"Stumble" follows the competitive Courteney Potter (Jenn Lyon), who is one championship away from becoming the “winningest" coach in college cheer history. But there’s one problem: she just lost her job as head coach for Sammy Davis Sr. Junior College’s cheer team. In order to still have a shot at winning the championship, she gets a new job at Heådltston State Junior College, whose name is as unpronounceable as their team is unprepared. In fact, their team initially only consists of one cheerleader, meaning Courteney must find creative ways to recruit new members. 

If you’re a fan of "Glee", you might also like "Stumble", since their pilots share several similarities. For example, both pilots follow their protagonists as they revamp their respective teams, essentially building them from the ground up. "Stumble"’s Coach Courteney and "Glee"’s Will Schuester also both notably use blackmail as one of their many methods to recruit new members. But most importantly, the idea of leading a group of misfits with the hope of them making it to nationals is a concept that’s clearly presented across both shows. "Glee" alumni Jenna Ushkowitz and Heather Morris even took to social media to advertise for "Stumble"’s premiere. 

"Stumble"’s star-studded cast also includes Taran Killam as Courteney’s husband, Boon E. Potter, a football coach who still hasn’t fully recovered from his career-ending head injury. The cast also features recurring guest star Kristin Chenoweth as Tammy Istiny, the long-time assistant cheer coach who must step up as head coach following Courteney’s firing.

The show’s tone blends quick wit with Southern charm, and the pilot successfully sets up a fun and quirky cast of characters who must learn to work together if they want to make it to nationals.

"Stumble" airs on NBC Fridays at 8:30/7:30c, with new episodes available to stream on Peacock the next day!