Watching Netflix’s Cheer, a brutal, humane, transfixing docuseries.

The Netflix docuseries Cheer has gathered significant chatter for its stark portrayal of how cheerleading affects the human body, as well as the magnetic personalities of the athletes involved. On the latest episode of Slate’s sports podcast, Hang Up and Listen, co-hosts Joel Anderson and Josh Levin talked with sports writer Lindsay Gibbs about what makes it such an absorbing watch. Navarro’s kids come from really difficult backgrounds, they have to struggle, and yet Navarro wins all the time and Trinity Valley doesn’t win as much. Levin: That’s the first thing I wrote in my notes: Cheer shows what could happen if the NCAA allowed athletes to market themselves. They can do “Cheer shows what could happen if the NCAA allowed athletes to market themselves.” — Josh Levin Now, let’s talk about Monica Aldama, the coach.