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Last year, looking over previews for the 2010-11 TV season, I stumbled upon the 2-minute video preview to Hellcats: a scene from the first episode of them rehearsing a (mildly sexualised) routine, with Ashley Tisdale being told to loosen her hips. At the time I wrote: “it needs to include more depth than just cheerleading…to have any sense of a future”. Mentally, I wrote it off as yet another shallow Gossip Girl-esque series, but out of sheer curiosity I decided to watch the first episode, if for nothing other than to confirm my suspicions. But I found myself drawn in and my interest piqued with a spark I wasn’t expecting.
Marti Perkins (Disney alumnus Aly Michalka), a sarcastic pre-law college student at the fictional Lancer University in Memphis, loses her scholarship due to university cuts (how topical!) and to regain it – much to her chagrin – signs up for the ‘Hellcats’ cheerleading squad, which she sails into with her superb gymnastic background and innovative audition. She moves into ‘Cheertown’, an exclusive cheerleading community full of pep and team spirit. For someone whose eye is very much on a high-powered law career in the North, Marti grits her teeth through the change in scenery with her effortlessly cool best friend, Dan Patch (Matt Barr, One Tree Hill, Harper’s Island). It’s commendable to note that Hellcats seems so self-aware of potential prejudgement that its leads are cynical enough to make its cheerleading world accessible to any viewer.
My initial concern for lack of depth was quickly dispelled with the diverse and multi-faceted supporting cast. The most notable is Savannah Monroe (Ashley Tisdale, High School Musical), a hopelessly optimistic yet fiercely protective and spunky team captain – she especially shines in an argument with Marti defending the athletic virtues of cheerleading (and after seeing the intensely rigorous Hellcats auditions, I 100% believe her). We’re also introduced to easy-going and flirty male cheerleader Lewis Flynn (Robbie Jones, One Tree Hill) and Marti’s flaky irresponsible mother – who we find out towards the end of the episode is a source of trauma for Marti. As always, there’s the obligatory ‘adult’ subplot surrounding cheerleading coach Vanessa and what appears to be a love triangle between her current boyfriend Derrick, a sports doctor (DB Woodside, 24, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and potential new football coach/ex-boyfriend Red (yes, that’s his real name…I know, I can’t get past it either).
With an at-times formulaic structure, there were plenty of moments Hellcats stepped outside the box – I expected Savannah and Marti to be at permanent loggerheads after their first argumentative encounter, but was pleasantly surprised to see them get past their initial spat with a mature true-to-life “let’s start over”, and end up bonding as Cheertown roommates. (Don’t fret though; the role of bitchy manipulatress is reserved for Alice, the injured cheerleader Marti’s temporarily replacing.) I also enjoyed the unconventional setting of Memphis as a Deep South town, subconsciously complementing Hellcats’ kicky soundtrack with its musical history (despite, I should say, being entirely shot in Canada). I also must give credit where it’s due to a razor-sharp script that’s both clever and had me smiling to myself at its refreshing wit within minutes.
Hellcats isn’t revolutionary, that’s for sure. But its pilot episode not only swiftly wiped away any doubts I had for it to be shallow and one-dimensional; its dynamic storytelling and extremely likeable characters helped it enshrine itself as – believe it or not – probably my favourite new US show this season. Who would’ve thought it?
If you missed it, catch the first episode of Hellcats on MTV, Sunday at 7pm or Monday at 8pm. Hellcats continues Thursdays at 9pm on MTV.
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