It’s been a bloodbath on the 2026 TV schedule in recent weeks. Not only have some major network cancelations from Law & Order: Organized Crime to NBC’s critical favorite Stumble gotten canceled in recent weeks, a ton of these TV shows have also gotten shortened orders for next season. There are a lot of real people and real feelings involved with these shows, and it’s always hard when the fans have to say goodbye to a series they’ve stuck with and fallen in love with. Imagine what it feels like to be the cast or the showrunner, though?
Stumble''s stars had been waiting on pins and needles for NBC's decision in the weeks before it came down the pipeline. Once the bombshell news dropped, Liz Astrof, ½ of the Astrof sibling duo that created NBC’s cheerleading-based TV series, took to social media after the Peacock network dropped the axe.
Her post, which was also shared by her brother and co-creator Jeff, had me at its caption: ‘Love You, Buttons.” However, the video as a whole is even more heartbreaking, as Astrof shared a bunch of footage of the cast getting cheer ready and having the most fun behind the scenes on set.
Article continues belowAstrof mentioned in the post the entire Stumble “family” had a blast and was one of those sets where there was “so much support.” We’d gotten those vibes when we spoke to Liz and series lead Jenn Lyon earlier in the TV season. Astrof had been clear with CinemaBlend that she wanted to make the set as “non-toxic” as possible, and Lyon confirmed that’s exactly what happened when the sitcom was filming, sharing the details with us:
It was the most loving, warm, great place to go to work. Every one of those Buttons are the kindest, weirdest, most beautiful little souls, and they are so game, and they are brave and they are funny and I'm crazy about them. Taran Killam is an entire dreamboat of a person. He is a cruise ship of loveliness. He has so many great qualities. I'm looking for the bad ones as we speak, and I'll find 'em. Kristin Chenoweth is the best, our directors, our writers. We really giggled so much, and we had to do it really fast. We had a very short window with which to make the show. And I'm so glad that this was the crew that we made it with, because it was exciting and scary, but I think we always felt like we were doing it with love and support and trying to make the best of it.
Honestly, this whole thing really just kind of blows. Killam and Lyon were the perfect pairing for a sitcom, the cheerleader arc in Season 1 was compelling, and the show had brought in a bunch of young talent that was just finding its footing. Plus, Season 1 ended on a Katey Sagal cliffhanger that would have set up positively perfectly for Season 2.
Add in the many, many Parks & Rec comparisons from fans, and I really though Stumble would get a chance to find its footing. As we well know, the Amy Poehler starrer had kind of a brutal first season, but one with a lot of potential. NBC gave it the time to find an audience and it eventually thrived. Stumble honestly didn’t have some of the character personality problems Parks & Rec had early on, but drew comparisons due to its mockumentary format and similar struggles with landing eyeballs.
I get it. It’s a different TV landscape now, and if heavy hitters like the Christopher Meloni Law & Order series can’t make it, what can? Still, I’m very sad Stumble is done. I always thought of it as kind of a weird stepsister companion to The Fall and Rise of Reggie Deakins (which NBC has not weighed in on yet). I wish it would have gotten a chance to graduate its first class of cheerleaders.
Honestly, the sweet video from Liz Astrof did help, but if I leave today with one final feeling, it’s that NBC can go suck **** in a parade.
