New comedies have been scarce on TV lately, but NBC is hoping to shake up its Friday nights with Stumble, a funny, documentary-style show about competitive junior college cheerleading. The show comes from Liz and Jeff Astrof, a brother-and-sister team who have already created several successful comedies. They recently spoke with TopMob about developing the show and how much more positive the set environment was compared to other projects they’ve worked on.
The new series Stumble features Jenn Lyons as Courteney Potter, a cheerleading coach who loses her job after a video surfaces of her making inappropriate comments to her team. She starts fresh at Headltston State Junior College, while her former assistant, Tammy Istiny (Kristin Chenowith), takes over the team with the help of her husband, Boone (Taran Killam, known from SNL). You can start watching now with a Peacock subscription.
Courteney’s joined a truly unusual team at Headltston. It includes a diver who falls asleep unexpectedly, a former football player with a huge ego, a new member who’s wearing an ankle monitor, and a woman with a heartbreaking past that somehow makes for some surprisingly funny moments. Plus, one of her former cheerleaders, Ryan Pinkston from Young Rock, is even willing to ditch his career to cheer again – and that’s just a small taste of the group!
I recently talked with the Astrof siblings about their new show. They admitted the name, “Headltston,” is likely to be mispronounced by everyone. Liz Astrof, a veteran actress with a strong background in shows like The King of Queens, Last Man Standing, 2 Broke Girls, and Shining Vale, also told me:
The whole team – both the cast and crew – are incredibly kind. Having both experienced difficult and unpleasant work environments in the past, we made it our priority to create a positive and collaborative atmosphere, and we’ve definitely achieved that.
As a long-time fan of behind-the-scenes stories, I always find it interesting to hear what set experiences were like for the people who actually made the shows. The Astrof siblings, both veterans in the industry, were pretty tight-lipped about any difficult sets they might have worked on over the years. But when it came to talking about bringing a bit of joy to viewers, they were all smiles! They were especially complimentary about the new actors who played Courteney’s team. Jeff Astrof, who’s worked on shows like The New Adventures of Old Christine, the hilarious mockumentary Trial & Error, and Shining Vale with his sister, went on to say…
Everyone really enjoys working on the show, and that positive energy definitely shows on screen. I always believe a happy set translates to a better TV product. I recently reminded the team that this was their last week working together before the show aired and they potentially became well-known – it was a make-or-break moment. At the start of the writers’ room, before any feedback comes in, everyone is optimistic. I told them this was it – they were starting a challenging journey, and needed to be prepared. I even had Taran Killam and Ryan Pinkston, who had experience with pilots, share what to expect with the rest of the team.
These days, it’s hard to know which TV shows will become huge hits. However, with a promising first episode and being scheduled on Friday nights with Reba McEntire’s Happy’s Place, Stumble seems to have assembled a cast with real potential. According to Jeff Astrof, the actors had a genuine connection, appearing like close friends – enthusiastic, energetic, and already very close.
NBC has a strong track record with mockumentaries, offering everything from beloved shows like The Office and Parks & Recreation to its current series, St. Denis Medical. One of the sitcom’s stars recently discussed the enduring appeal of this comedic style. Plus, The Paper, which Taylor Swift enjoys, is moving to NBC after initially streaming on Peacock. But what about the show Stumble? Liz Astrof, speaking about the cast, said:
The cheerleaders have a really strong bond and support each other, despite coming from very different backgrounds. It’s a loving team, and that’s what made the show so appealing – seeing people from all walks of life connect. The same is true for the kids involved; they’re incredibly close. They enjoy spending time together, like going to karaoke or hanging out in the city on weekends. It’s truly wonderful to see.
This naturally raises the question: why use a mockumentary style for a sitcom about cheerleading? Jeff Astrof admits it’s a valid point, especially since the show will be unique for primetime television, even considering other mockumentary comedies. Beyond bringing in Monica Aldama, the real-life cheer coach from the Netflix docuseries Cheer, as an executive producer, Astrof explained:
As a movie fan, what really drew me to this project was the stylistic choice we made. We weren’t aiming for a traditional documentary about the cheer world, or even about Monica, or the pressure of junior college cheerleading. We wanted to do a mockumentary – a style that’s surprisingly tricky to pull off! There’s a lot to learn about filming and storytelling when you go this route, and so many opportunities for visual gags and little jokes. But honestly, we were really trying to avoid anything that felt too much like ‘The Office’ or any other show people might immediately compare it to. We wanted something unique.
Although The Office is often the first show people think of when discussing this style, Liz Astrof agreed with her brother that Stumble is quite different. Jeff then explained how the cheerleading comedy is effectively using the format:
Breaking the fourth wall is a big part of the show, and we’re well aware of it. The characters often acknowledge the camera directly, and Courteney even jokes about us editing those moments out. There are scenes where she specifically asks to see what footage is coming next.
Even after just one episode, I can say the show’s mockumentary style – the way the camera is used – had me laughing right from the start. If you haven’t seen the first episode yet, check out the trailer to get a feel for what Stumble is like.
Don’t miss new episodes of Stumble on NBC Fridays at 8:30 p.m. Eastern, right after Happy’s Place Season 2! If you miss an episode, or want to rewatch, you can stream it on Peacock. Stumble is one of just two brand-new, original sitcoms debuting on network television this fall, taking over the 8:30 p.m. Eastern timeslot previously held by Lopez vs. Lopez, which concluded its run on NBC earlier this year.
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2025-11-11 05:10