Stumble Season 1 Episode 7 Review: Lorraine

Stumble Season 1 Episode 7, “Lorraine,” marks the return of the cheerleading mockumentary after its short hiatus. With the looming threat of Daytona, Courteney succumbs to her stress and anger, unleashing her alter ego, Lorraine.

Stumble Season 1 has done a solid job of carving out a space in a sea of other mockumentary-style comedies. Since the reveal of Tammy’s betrayal, Courteney has been on a warpath as her terrifying alter ego, Lorraine.

Courteney puts up with a lot, so it’s strangely satisfying to see her be a monster for a bit. At the same time, the episode goes to great lengths to make sure that something holds Lorraine back.

The episode is full of funny moments and great ideas, but suffers a bit from overcrowding.

Independently, the ideas of Courteney’s alter ego, a mandatory HR training session, and the introduction of a cutthroat choreographer in the form of Charleston “The Captain” Sergeant are great, but are brought down by the lack of time we have to spend with them.

It’s a shame because both The Captain and Beatriz Shripp, the head of human resources, are so fun and full of personality for the time we get to spend with them.

Despite missing opportunities, these elements come together in the end. The timing of the HR training clashing with The Captain’s allotted time adds fuel to the inferno of rage that is Lorraine.

The HR training also serves as the catalyst for a brief moment to build on Dimarcus’ and Madonna’s relationship, which is very sweet. It’s nice to see them communicate a bit, even if it’s just for a skit.

It would also be criminal not to acknowledge the routine the team “comes up with” since they got it from Bring It On. While yes, objectively, they kill it, Courteney immediately recognizes it and punishes the team in true Lorraine fashion.

The actual turning point for Courteney is when she lashes out at Sally after she reaches out for advice.

Sally’s character feels a bit heavy-handed with how comically sad she is, but here it works because she truly is the last person who deserves Courteney’s wrath. This eventually leads to a resolution, and Lorraine is put away for now.

Unfortunately, Courteney’s literal stalker is now in charge of planning the team’s choreography. This may or may not spell disaster for the team in upcoming episodes.

Despite being a bit all over the place at points, “Lorraine” eventually pulls itself together and serves as a great reintroduction to the series.

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Stumble airs Fridays at 8:30/7:30c on NBC.

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