01-07-2025
This Controversial Netflix Show Just Dropped Season 2—and It's Already Causing a Major Stir
One of Netflix's most buzzed-about (and controversial) docuseries is back. America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders returned for season two on June 18. And it's already making major waves: The new seven-episode season quickly secured a spot in Netflix's coveted Top 10 list. While it didn't secure the number one spot (this soapy-drama did), it initially debuted in second and currently is in third, proving once again that whether people are watching out of love or hate, they're definitely tuning in.
In case you missed it, here's a quick synopsis. The show is a sports docu-series that takes viewers behind the scenes with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. From intense auditions and grueling training camps to performing on game day, America's Sweethearts follows both returning veterans and new hopefuls trying to make—and stay on—the most iconic cheer squad in the NFL.
Courtesy of Netflix
Season two dives even further beyond the pom-poms, digging deeper into the cheerleaders' fight for better pay and respect in a system that hasn't evolved much since the squad's creation over 60 years ago.
When it first premiered, the series sparked backlash for a multitude of reasons. It exposed the realities of the profession—from body image pressures and disordered eating to the shockingly low pay and outdated expectations. And while those truths are frustrating to watch, not every viewer found the show enraging.
In fact, PureWow editors Catrina Yohay and Greta Heggeness found it…therapeutic.
As a former college athlete, Yohay especially connected with the series. 'Watching these women work to achieve what they believe to be the pinnacle of their careers sent me right back to the many years I spent striving for the same thing, and boy was it cathartic,' she said following season one.
And Heggeness was thrilled about the season two renewal, which gave her "plenty of time to perfect the 'Thunderstruck' choreography."
Love it or hate it, one thing's clear: the show is making people feel.
Both seasons of America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are now streaming on Netflix.
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