What to Watch: Cheer explores the impact of COVID, Jerry Harris allegations in season 2

Netflix's Cheer is returning in a very different world than the one in which its first season arrived two years ago. Since then, a pandemic has swept the globe and season 1's breakout star, Jerry Harris, has been indicted on child pornography charges and accused of exploiting and sexually abusing underage boys. (Harris pleaded not guilty to seven charges regarding five minor boys in December 2020.)

The new season addresses the accusations against Harris head-on, dealing with their impact on his teammates and coaches as well as the alleged victims. "It felt very much as though I were covering the death of a friend," director Greg Whiteley tells EW. "When something like that comes to light, it just feels as though this person you thought you knew is now dead. It was just unbelievably sad. And then you add on top of this, getting to know the twins [who accused Harris of abusing them] and how their lives were impacted by these events. It's awful."

There's more to season 2 than Harris' case, however: The nine new episodes will continue to follow Navarro College's Bulldogs Cheer Team as they struggle with the effect of their newfound stardom and COVID's impact on the 2020 cheer season, while also broadening the show's focus to Navarro's rival, Trinity Valley Community College.

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