Every once in a while, a show clicks right away because of how funny and weird the characters are. Without a doubt, NBC’s Stumble is one of those shows. From the very first scene, you know exactly what you’re getting into. Cheer coach, Courteney Potter (Jenn Lyon), brags about how great her team is. But behind her, the camera dives into the real story: her cheerleaders are struggling, falling all over the place with the poise of toddlers. It’s hilarious right from the start with no boring introduction in the mix.
Borrowing from Michael Scott’s (Steve Carell) awkward moments in The Office and Leslie Knope’s (Amy Poehler) big dreams in Parks and Recreation, Stumble makes it clear from the onset that it’s not here to reinvent the wheel. It taps into the same successful recipe that made the aforementioned shows a hit. We’re talking about a boss who has no idea what she’s doing, a bunch of lovable weirdos, and those perfectly awkward moments that make viewers cringe and laugh all at once. In short, the show has that familiar NBC comedy feeling, while also bringing something fresh and new to the table.
What ‘Stumble’ Borrows From ‘The Office’s Mockumentary Playbook
Remember those scenes in The Office where the camera would catch someone lying or doing something cringeworthy? Or how in Parks and Recreation, the camera is right there whenever one of Leslie Knope’s big dreams goes belly-up? Stumble taps into similar vibes, but it’s in a whole other setting. Just as it was in both iconic shows, the camera acts gives viewers that knowing look when someone says or does something completely ridiculous.
The main character, Coach Courteney, is basically Michael Scott in a cheerleading uniform. She talks like she’s the best thing since sliced bread — basically one of those who seemingly has everything under control. But the truth is that her life is pretty messy. For instance, she lost a cushy job after she was linked to a viral scandal. Left with the broken pieces of her once-affluent life, she has to rebuild what’s left of her career by starting a team from scratch. And let’s just say… It’s not going very well. From the onset, it’s clear how bad things are, especially when she says she needs ten good cheerleaders, then the camera cuts to her asleep on a bench with only one person at tryouts. With its mix of sad and funny, that scene (among others) reminds you why the early seasons of The Office and Parks and Recreation were so special.
Even better, the people around Coach Courteney are just as entertaining. There’s Madonna (Arianna Davis), an incredible tumbler who always falls asleep in the middle of practice because she’s narcoleptic. Then there’s Steven (Ryan Pinkston), who’s super serious about cheerleading even though he works at a car rental. Watching him explain the nitty-gritty details of cheerleading instantly reminds you of Parks and Rec’s Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt), hilariously comparing his band Mouse Rat to The Beatles in Season 4, Episode 7, The Treaty. And of course, it’ll be hard not to miss Dimarcus (Jarrett Austin Brown), who has that major Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) energy that viewers absolutely loved. All in all, the ensemble builds on its past glory to tell fresh, even more hilarious stories.
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How ‘Stumble’ Repackages Classic Sitcom Energy For Modern Audiences
If there’s one thing the creators of Stumble understood, it’s that people no longer have a long attention span. So, while they aren’t particularly switching things up, they are moving with the times. Quite different from the approach in The Office’s earlier seasons, the jokes come fast and land hard. In all its absurdity, the show is also as grounded as they come. Let’s take the part where Dimarcus refuses to become a cheerleader because he doesn’t like the idea of cheering for other people. Coach Courteney doesn’t try to win him over with rehearsed speeches about “teamwork” or “school spirit.” She simply tells him that he’ll get more attention from fans and girls alike as a cheerleader. That’s all it took, and to be honest, that’s how tons of people think. Motivational speeches only work a fraction of the time.
The cheerleading setting is another smart choice, because it certainly makes things more interesting. The stakes are higher than in The Office, where fixing the printer felt dramatic because the workers weren’t particularly overachievers. If the characters mess up a stunt here, someone could actually get hurt and end up in the hospital. Case in point, when Krystal’s (Anissa Borrego) big move goes wrong at the show-off, she ends up with a broken ankle. That scene gives you that same “oh no” feeling you got when Michael Scott drove his car into the lake in The Office (Season 4, Episode 2, Dunder Mifflin Infinity), or when the Harvest Festival in Parks and Recreation (Season 3, Episode 7, Harvest Festival) was heading for disaster. Are the stakes the same? Not in any way, but there’s a shared sense of dread when something happens to one of the beloved characters.
The best part is that beneath all the chaos and failed stunts, the show has a lot of heart. You find yourself literally cheering for the characters even when they’re making terrible decisions… perhaps especially then. Plus, it comes with that same mix of wholesomeness and humor that made us love the employees at Dunder Mifflin and the parks department in Pawnee.
So, if you’re feeling nostalgic for mockumentary-style shows, check out Stumble on NBC.
