Stumble Season 1 Episode 12 Review: Making Mat

Stumble Season 1 Episode 12, “Making Mat,” forces coach Potter to make an impossible decision and cut a member of the team.

Courteney is left with an unexpected problem with upcoming Daytona competition. She has too many people on her team, and someone needs to be cut.

This is a far cry from the struggle to cobble together a team in the first few episodes. Now, with the help of her stalker Seph, Courteney must assess the team and find the weakest competitor among them.

This episode is not only a heartbreaking blow to the team’s morale but also a great way of showcasing how far they’ve come as individuals.

Now, unfortunately, there’s a few issues with this plotline. First of all, the previous episode didn’t just add Hildebünch to the team; it also added three other cheerleaders who joined at the last second.

It feels like the fairest and most logical decision would be to cut one of these new people, but that doesn’t quite feel as tense. Given that, the decision to cut an established team member feels contrived.

With that being said, of the existing buttons, the two that might seem the most obvious to cut are Steven and Sally. But clearly, Steven is the obvious choice, so he’s almost immediately makes a move to essentially break up the team’s very short-lived union.

It doesn’t win Steven any likability points and definitely doesn’t feel fair.

Nevertheless, the assessments are fun to watch, and a great showing of Sally’s improvement.

Like previously mentioned, she is one of the team’s weaker members, but she isn’t flat-out bad or anything. She’s clearly competent but has less experience than some of the other members.

She is also a comically sad character who could use a win. Boone especially can’t stand the thought of her not making mat, which is very sweet.

So the moment she nails her basket is both a relief and incredibly satisfying. It secures her place on the mat and is proof of her growth as an athlete.

Courteney still needs to make a cut, and if it’s not Sally, Steven, or one of the new people, it has to be someone else. And for some reason, that person ends up being Madonna.

During one of her stress tests, she unexpectedly chokes. This is genuinely shocking, as Madonna has consistently been one of the team’s strongest members.

It’s not a bad twist; Courteney even says that even the best of the best can fall flat. But it does feel confusing as a viewer.

This is unusual for Madonna, who has more than proven herself prior to this incident. It’s just so brutal in a way that comes off as forced.

However, even though it’s a touch forced, it does make sense given the circumstances presented. The team is understandably upset about their friend getting the boot.

The whole team practically begs Courteney to reconsider. Steven even redeems himself a bit, sending an email offering to give Madonna his spot instead.

This is capped off with a song Madonna wrote her, which is less a direct plea to let her stay and more a heartfelt expression of how much she appreciates all the team has done for her. Her video gets to Courteney and Boone.

It’s hard to tell whether this means she’s going to reconsider her decision, but with only one episode left, that might not be feasible. Madonna isn’t off the team; she’s still an alternate, so not all hope is lost just yet.

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

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