Spring of each TV season can be a stressful time of year when it comes to the fates of network shows, and the 2026 TV schedule is no different. Stumble arrived on NBC back in the fall as a mockumentary following the exploits of a junior college cheerleading coach, paired with Happy’s Place on Friday nights. At the time of writing, Stumble is also one of NBC’s last two comedies that haven’t been renewed yet, and star Jenn Lyon opened up about waiting for news and shared some ideas for what could happen in Season 2.
Both Happy’s Place and St. Denis Medical have already been renewed for the 2026-2027 TV schedule, while Stumble and The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins are still waiting. Co-showrunner Liz Astrof shared what she loves about network TV ahead of the finale, but is there a future for Courteney (Lyon), Boon (SNL’s Taran Killam), Tammy (scene-stealer Kristin Chenoweth), and the crew of young Headltston junior college cheerleaders known as the Buttons?
We can only wait on the big news, but Jenn Lyon at least is all-in on a second season if NBC orders a renewal. Speaking with CinemaBlend, she channeled her inner Courteney and shared:
I would love nothing more than a second season. I mean, we're kind of on pins and needles over here, hoping for it. We can, we will, we must.
The thirteen episodes of Season 1 are available streaming now with a Peacock subscription, and the finale had a happy ending despite the Buttons not winning the cheer championships. That doesn’t mean Stumble is just Bringing It On 2.0, delivering plenty of running jokes and visual gags. Lyon went on to pitch a few ideas for what a Season 2 could deliver if she and the rest of the Stumble team get the renewal:
I would love to see some of Courteney's family, some of Boon's family. I'd love to meet some in-laws. I would love to delve further into the outside lives of our Buttons.
Courteney and Boon are even considered to be “couple goals” in-universe a la Coach Taylor and Tami from Friday Night Lights, so who wouldn’t be on board to see more of them with their families? Season 1 also took a bit of time to delve into the lives of the cheerleaders, but a second season could definitely expand. (Sally’s relationship status might depend on whether Sean Kaufman will be busy on For All Mankind.)
Despite a pair of CBS comedy cancellations, the last couple of years have been strong on the network TV sitcom front, including NBC with St. Denis Medical and Happy’s Place. Whether television is in for a true network comedy renaissance with weekly releases remains to me seen, but Lyon had her own take:
I hope it's having a renaissance. That's something I'm very interested in happening. Because we don't have a monoculture, we don't have appointment viewing for anything, everything is sort of individualized, and we watch it when we can. And there's something that is special, and it's why I like listening to the radio too, about knowing that you're watching it when other people are watching it, or that you're listening to a song that a bunch of people you don't know are listening to at the same time, and you get to have a communal experience together. I think that's increasingly rare, and I think it's really cool, and I'm hopeful about it.
Watercooler moments that viewers would discuss the next day after episodes air have become things of the past, largely due to streaming, with the exception of shows like The Pitt with large live viewing audiences. That could change if the traditional half-hour network sitcoms continue rising, and Stumble scoring a second season would be a good sign.
And Season 1 ended on a note that set up an even more formidable foe for Courteney than Tammy Istiny, with the arrival of her old coach Marg Hargberg, played by Katey Sagal. While Marg was fair to the Buttons as a judge in Daytona, her trouble for Courteney goes a lot further than numbing her arm and mocking her knees… if Stumble returns, anyway. Jenn Lyon shared what she thinks that Courteney vs. Marg rivalry would look like:
It's going to be a cage match, friend. There's nothing else it could be when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object.
It didn’t take long for Marg to trigger Courteney’s cheer-related PTSD when they crossed paths again, so there’s already some extra motivation to want to see the Buttons beat the Sammy Davis Sr. Junior College cheerleaders. The good news? Katey Sagal didn't have the same kind of effect on Jenn Lyon on the set of Stumble. Lyon shared:
She is so warm and loving and great to have on set. But I was totally intimidated. I've been watching her forever. She is a comedy icon. She also was a dramatic icon. I mean, Sons of Anarchy. Are you kidding me? So I was nervous, but she was an incredible scene partner. She's great to work off. She's so grounded and secure and playful. It was great.
Not many actors can boast as many hits on TV as Katey Sagal, who came to Stumble as a legend already thanks to Married… with Children, 8 Simple Rules, Sons of Anarchy, and even The Conners. If Stumble returns for Season 2, fans could see more of her as Marg Hargberg. Honestly, after Marg’s very presence resulted in the excellent gag of Taran Killam gesticulating with Jenn Lyon’s arms after Courteney’s went numb, I’d sign on for Sagal as a series regular right now.
That said, the wait is still on for news about whether or not Stumble will return for another batch of episodes. While it didn’t have the largest audience of the 2025-2026 TV schedule, the Friday night time slot might account for some of the lower numbers. Deadline reports that although it was NBC’s lowest-rated scripted series of the season, Season 1 reportedly came in under budget and had strong internal support from the network.
For now, you can always revisit the first season streaming on Peacock, and join me in crossing fingers that good news is on the way sooner rather than later for Jenn Lyon and the rest of the Stumble team.
