'America's Sweethearts': Why we can't look away from the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders docuseries

There's something sweet and sour about "America's Sweethearts," Netflix's documentary series about the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.

In seven episodes, the show gives a glimpse behind the scenes of the iconic team from auditions for the 2023 team through training camp through the football season performances. The docuseries has been among the top-watched on the streamer since its release in late June.

Why is the series so engaging, and why is it surprising that it is? Also, does the series inadvertently spark unrealistic expectations of perfection while aiming to show how multitalented these stunning women are?

Why the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Netflix series is such a hit

In general, it makes sense that people would want a behind-the-scenes look into what it takes to be a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. This isn't the first series about the team, either. The organization was the focus of a CMT reality series, "Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team" (2006-2021), and it's not surprising longtime fans and unfamiliar newcomers would want to see more.

The organization is well known for its strict rules, difficult performances and revealing uniforms, requiring a fit, toned physique. Each year, those who wish to be on the team must audition, whether they've been a part of the organization before or not. There's a very specific aesthetic they're going for, and it's overall a rather exclusive group of very talented – and thin – women.

"(The Dallas cheerleaders) are beautiful, they're sexy, all of their dancing is amazing," says Judy Ho, a neuropsychologist, associate professor and author. "It's very, very hard to get in. I think people just want to be a fly on the wall."

But it's more than being curious about the day-to-day lives of these elite women, Ho says. Some viewers could be drawn in for more negative reasons, such as looking for nefarious behavior or something wrong with these seemingly perfect women.

"I don't think this is conscious on many people's parts," Ho says, "but it makes them feel a little better about their own lives."

Is 'the halo effect' at play?

Some of our apparent fascination may be the halo effect, a term in social psychology used to describe when a person has an overall positive impression of someone or something based on a characteristic, such as beauty. For example, with an attractive man, some may attribute other positive qualities, such as good humor or intelligence without knowing anything about him besides how he looks.

"However, I don't think it's quite the same when we look at females," Ho says. "The effect is actually the opposite. When a female is attractive, that's kind of all people see. They tend to think that females who are attractive must not be very smart, must not actually be very skilled, or maybe they're not very nice. And it's just part of a cultural construction of different stereotypes that have gone on throughout the years."

Mixed messages about beauty and perfection

The docuseries spends quite a bit of time with a few women on and around the team, such as the tough and organized director Kelli Finglass; exacting head choreographer Judy Trammell; first group leader Kelcey, who is in her fifth year with the organization and also a nurse; rookie Reece, navigating newness while maintaining her deep faith; and Victoria, in her fourth year and struggling with her goals.

It's great seeing the varied backgrounds and interests of the women, many of whom have degrees and other jobs outside of the organization. The women are also supportive of each other and talk in the series about their close friendships. They're often seen hyping each other up. The women are balancing their families, work, training and more, all with a smile and a full face of makeup. Because perfection is expected, not suggested.

But is it all a bit paradoxical?

"We live in an appearance-obsessed world," says Jennifer Harriger, a developmental psychologist and professor of psychology at Pepperdine University. "Yes, these women have these amazing degrees and they've done amazing things, but the message – not just on the show, but everywhere – is that your value is still higher if you're beautiful. So it's great if you have a doctorate or a master's or you're a surgeon or you do all these things, but you are better if you're beautiful."

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So even as they present scenes of inspiration, being gracious and kind, self-improvement and sisterhood, it's still couched in a curated package of perfection.

In one episode, a tour guide takes a group of men to the cheerleaders' locker room, and he speaks about the great work some of the women have done. But ultimately, they talk about how hot the women are and how much they'd like to date them.

There's no crime in being beautiful, this sentiment is not the fault of the women who are out there being their best selves. It's more about the juxtaposition of the messaging – that anything we learn about these women is almost undermined by the perpetuation of things that are skin deep.

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What viewers need to keep in mind

And this mixed messaging can actually be a problem not only for those on the team but for viewers, too.

"I just think anytime the focus is on weight or body size or appearance, it becomes really dangerous," Harriger says.

Beauty can be fleeting. And for viewers, especially younger viewers, what's presented as inspiration can be a slippery slope into something more negative.

"It sends the message to young viewers that someone's appearance is central to their value or their worth," Harriger says, "and that it's important to do whatever it takes to achieve and maintain these very unrealistic beauty standards."

But there's still mostly sweetness at the core of the docuseries.

Getting to know the women that make up the organization and give it its elite status, to see all the hard work that goes into even one performance and to hear about the charity work they participate in is eye-opening. And that's a big part of why we're hooked.