On the mat

Netflix's Cheer goes full out for new season showcasing 2 Texas college rivals

Cheer is back in Corsicana for season 2.

Photo courtesy of Netflix

Flip out, Cheer fans. The Netflix sensation is coming back for a second season January 12, and it's doubling down on the Texas-sized drama.

Not only will the new season of the hit cheerleading reality series return to Corsicana to follow the twists and turns of Navarro College's national championship cheer team, but it'll get on the mat with Navarro's biggest rival, Trinity Valley Community College — located just 40 miles up the road in Athens.

Netflix made the surprise announcement on December 28 and described the new season like this:

The Emmy-winning breakout sensation is back and the stakes have never been higher. As Navarro defends its championship crown against a slew of challenges, including their fiercest rivals at Trinity Valley Community College, unexpected events threaten the camaraderie of the team and the season itself.

The biggest unexpected event, as loyal fans know, was the September 2020 arrest of breakout star Jerry Harris on several federal sexual misconduct charges, including soliciting child pornography. According to Variety, which was first to report the news of a new season, “Cheer deals with the allegations against Harris up front, and in an episode that focuses on the misconduct accusations, the brothers who first came forward about Harris are interviewed."

The new season, Netflix says, will also deal with the aftermath of Navarro cheer team's newfound superstardom as "cheer-lebrities" (remember when coach Monica Aldama competed onDancing with the Stars?) and, of course, the upending of their 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cheer became an instant hit when it debuted in January 2020, and went on to win three Emmys. The new season picks up after Navarro's 2019 victory at the national championships in Daytona Beach, Florida (the culmination of season one). Filming began in secret in January 2020, Variety reports, just before the pandemic shut the world down — and canceled the 2020 championships. Filming picked up in September 2020, just as Harris' legal troubles began. Netflix says:

Against that dramatic backdrop, the nine-episode season expands to showcase Navarro’s fiercest rival: Trinity Valley Community College. As with the Navarro team, TVCC has a charismatic coach and breakout stars whose struggles, triumphs and stories extend far beyond the mat. As both teams push for the 2021 championship in Daytona, familiar faces take compelling detours and new contenders make a name for themselves.

Season one Navarro favorites La’Darius Marshall, Morgan Simianer, Lexi Brumback, and Gabi Butler return for season two.

Viewers also will get to know TVCC's charismatic head coach Vontae Johnson, assistant coach Khris Franklin, and team members like Angel Rice, described in the trailer as "the Simone Biles of cheerleading."

Who will triumph as 2021 champion? Are are there even any other competitors? And will we finally learn what the team motto "FIOFMU" means?

Spoilers like this are easy to find, but why ruin the suspense?

Texas cheerleading is a hot TV topic right now. Cheerleaders in the small DFW town of River Oaks who were targeted by an attacker will be featured in a new crime series on Investigation Discovery TV, starting January 4.

The eyes of Hollywood also seem to be focused on Corsicana. Fruitcake Fraud, a documentary about an embezzlement at Corsicana fruitcake maker Collin Street Bakery, is streaming now on Discovery+.

The new season of Cheer begins streaming Wednesday, January 12 on Netflix. You can watch the official trailer below:

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Drone News

Watch top drone company break a record at North Richland Hills show

Sky Elements Drones

Sky Elements Drones holiday show.

Dallas-Fort Worth's most famous drone name is aiming to break a world record: Sky Elements Drone Shows, the Coppell-based company known for its ground-breaking light shows rendered via drones, will attempt to break a Guinness World Record for “Longest animation performed by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles”.

In cooperation with the City of North Richland Hills, the company will fly its annual flagship Christmas drone show, this year featuring 2,500 drones orchestrated to create holiday images and themes such as Santa Clauses and "Merry Christmas."

The current record to beat is 26:26 minutes in the air and was set by a Chinese company in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.

Sky Elements is no stranger to Guinness World Records; they are already an 11-time Guiness World Record holder. Mere days ago, they set a new Guinness World Record title for "largest aerial display of a gingerbread village made out of drones" — a festive display that was part of a holiday drone show in Mansfield on November 27.

They are nothing if not dedicated. In September, they were a finalist on national TV show America’s Got Talent, and came in at third place.

They've produced drone shows for the MLB, NFL, NCAA sports, film premieres, the State Fair of Texas, and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. They are also on the forefront of an admirable transition away from fireworks being deployed during holidays and events, to be replaced by drones. Fireworks are harmful to wildlife as well as people with sensory issues, and terrifying for pets, who frequently bolt.

The big show will take place on December 20 at 7 pm, at Birdville ISD Fine Arts/Athletics Complex at 9200 Mid Cities Blvd, North Richland Hills. The lot opens at 5 pm, and the flight time is 7 pm.

Michael Empric, a Guinness World Records adjudicator, will be on-site to confirm the record.

Spectators are invited to arrive in their cars to witness this incredible drone show from the comfort of their vehicles. Guests will be parked on a first-come, first-served basis.

The audience can tune their radio stations to 88.9 FM and listen along as they tell a story in the sky. Many liken the event to a drive-in movie experience, and spectators are encouraged to bring snacks.

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