Streaming on Netflix - Rod Bishop unpacks some further thoughts on CHEER (Greg Whiteley, USA, 2020)

Editor's Note: In an earlier post which you can find if you click here, Rod Bishop heaped praise on a new documentary series streaming on Netflix. Rod has continued to follow the public reaction to the series and reports further.

“KimberlyCondict” tweeted on 11 January:

Oscar predictions:

Best Picture - CHEER
Best Cinematography- CHEER
Best Screenplay - CHEER
Best Actor - La’Darius (CHEER)
Best Actress - Morgan (CHEER)
Best Supp Actor - Jerry (CHEER)
Best Supp Actress - Lexi (CHEER)
Best Direction - Bong Joon Ho (Parasite)

On 18 February Andrew Horton in The Guardian started his article Leading The Way: How Cheer became a Netflix megahit:

“It’s nearly impossible, if you have been on the internet in the past couple of weeks, to miss the sprawl of fame that is Cheer, the Netflix docuseries following the nation’s best junior college competitive cheer squad, Navarro College, as they train for the 2019 national championships in Daytona. Netflix, notoriously stingy on its figures, hasn’t released official viewership data on the series, but since its premiere in December, it has generated an avalanche of self-generating hype and content. It has led to enthralled thinkpieces, pieces on the pieces to read about Cheer and a cache of memes. Its cast members have appeared on the Today show and the Ellen DeGeneres Show, in virality-designed videos faux-casting the movies, front row at a New York fashion week show. Jerry Harris, a breakout star from the show anointed a “human sunbeam” by the New Yorker, worked the Oscars red carpet for Ellen and was fawned over by Cheer fans including Greta Gerwig, Laura Dern, Rebel Wilson, Billie Eilish and Kathy Bates…”

A couple of tweets from Reece Witherspoon:

At the end of Cheer, when La'Darius's brother started crying, and Morgan's grandparents figured out how to stream the competition and Lexi nailed her tumbling pass, and Jerry nailed all his stunts, I cried big baby tears. 

When Coach Monica said she had a lot of career choices but all she wanted to do was coach these Navarro College Cheerleaders, I started to think about all the female coaches who we never see in movies or TV that are changing kids’ lives. And I cried again!

And from 14 fans:

Cheer on Netflix is more stressful than any horror movie, I won’t sleep tonight 

I don't even know Jerry but he can have one of my kidneys if he ever needs it

StartingCheer: “okay, this looks like it could be some mindless fun”
After three episodes: “Let’s GO, Morgan, you are STRONG YOU CAN MAKE MAT, girl. JERRY, you beautiful human, KEEP UP THE POSITIVITY!!!” 

I’ve finished Cheer on Netflix and I have come to four conclusions:

1)   Cheerleading is wild

2)   I would take a bullet for Morgan

3)   Jerry is the greatest human being alive

4)   I want Monica to be proud of me

At noon: Hmm, maybe I’ll check out this Cheer documentary; seems sorta interesting. 
Four hours later: MORGAN HAS COME SUCH A LONG WAY AND JERRY DESERVES TO BE ON MAT AND HOW THE HELL COULD YALL DROP SHERBS AND GABI NEEDS BETTER PARENTS AND IM SO PROUD OF YOU LEXI

I want to binge the rest of Cheerbut i know Monica would want me to go to bed at a reasonable hour and we're not letting her down in this house. 

How about the time coach Monica used her standing in the community to make sure Lexi got justice for a sex crime and saw to it that the whole team rallied around her and made her feel like she had nothing to be ashamed of? 

Oh my god, it’s one week to Daytona and we can’t hit the pyramid, get it together Aly

Yes, hello Netflix? I’d like another 6 episode true crime doc on why the hell Sherbs hit the floor. I want alibis. That was fucked up.

At episode Four: 5 DAYS TIL DAYTONA AND WE STILL ARENT HITTING THE PYRAMID ALLIE??

First 15 mins of Cheer: “Eh this isn’t for me”
Five hours into binge: “IF JERRY DOESNT GET ON THE FUCKING SQUAD I AM BURNING EVERYTHING DOWN”

I thought I cared about my friends and family and then I watched Cheer and the only thing I care about now is the Navarro Cheer Team, making mat for Daytona and protecting Jerry at all costs.

Cheer, the Netflix docu-series about cheerleading is a better portait of obsession than Joker, and has more to say about mental health, bullying, income inequality, parental neglect, and the perils of modern society.

I recommended to my mom she watched Cheer and she said “no, I don’t need to, I saw that when it was on.” Took me five minutes to realise she was talking about Cheers. Oh, parents! Gotta love them!