NBC’s New Comedy Lineup Adds A Cheerleading Mockumentary, And The Showrunners Shared Why It’s ‘So Flattering’ Join Reba McEntire’s Happy’s Place

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Even with fall TV already underway, there’s still one new sitcom debuting next week: Stumble. This mockumentary comedy, which will air on NBC, follows the lives of a junior college cheerleading squad. Starring Jenn Lyon, Taran Killam from Saturday Night Live, and Kristin Chenoweth, Stumble will air on Friday nights alongside Reba McEntire’s Happy’s Place. The show’s creators, Jeff and Liz Astrof, expressed their excitement and gratitude for being given that prime time slot.

The brother and sister team behind the show have a successful history with popular sitcoms like The King of Queens, 2 Broke Girls, The New Adventures of Old Christine, and Trial & Error. Their new show, Stumble, is a comedy centered around the world of junior college cheerleading and the quirky team determined to win a championship. Stumble is one of only two new sitcoms premiering on network television this fall, along with CBS’ DMV.

Luckily, the new show Stumble is airing right after a popular Friday night sitcom, Happy’s Place, starring Reba McEntire and featuring some of her former Reba co-stars. I recently spoke with the Astrof siblings, and Jeff shared his thoughts on this pairing, saying:

We’re incredibly excited to be on television! We know it’s a challenging time for comedy, but we were told our show attracts a large live audience for NBC, and it actually tested very well with viewers across the country – which was a pleasant surprise. We simply wrote what we thought was a funny and engaging show, and we believe Reba and Kristin Chenoweth will appeal to our audience. We’re truly thrilled and honored to have been given this opportunity, no matter where they decide to air it.

As Jeff Astrof pointed out, there aren’t many successful sitcoms on network television these days, but Happy’s Place shows that audiences still want to laugh. Liz Astrof agreed, and added that she and her brother were especially pleased that NBC gave their show the 8:30 p.m. Eastern time slot following Reba on Fridays.

It’s really nice to have so much support and follow in the footsteps of a show as successful as Reba. It’s flattering to be set up for success like this, and it feels good to know people believe in us.

NBC has a history of successful mockumentary-style shows, from classics like The Office and Parks & Recreation to its current series, St. Denis Medical. One of the stars even shared their thoughts on why this style of show remains popular. While St. Denis Medical is unique, it’s a smart move to focus on the world of junior college cheerleading – it’s surprisingly funnier than if the show followed a more high-profile competitive scene.

Jeff Astrof concurred with his sister about being set up for success on NBC, then added:

I’m always surprised people even watch TV, especially since I get asked about where to find our show all the time. People keep asking about ‘Peacock,’ and honestly, I’m not entirely sure! I know we air on NBC, and I think it’s available on Peacock the next day. Ideally, we want people to watch live so they’ll want to re-watch it on Peacock and catch all the jokes they missed. But honestly, we’d be happy if anyone watched at all, even if it’s the next morning!

New episodes of NBC’s Stumble will be available to stream on Peacock the day after they air, perfect if you miss the live broadcast or want to rewatch for jokes you might have skipped. Because it’s filmed like a documentary, the show has a lot of visual humor that you don’t often see in traditional sitcoms, and it looks like everyone involved had a great time making it. Check out the trailer!

Don’t miss the first episode of Stumble, premiering on NBC Friday, November 7th at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time, right after the season premiere of Happy’s Place! Plus, visit TopMob during premiere week for more about Stumble from Liz and Jeff Astrof.

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2025-11-01 01:09