Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders S2: Still The Most Toxic Series on Netflix

Netflix has recently released the second season of America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, a documentary showcasing the professional dance troupe that supports the iconic NFL football team. However, a darker undertone pervades this show.

Each year, the team undergoes a refresh with returning group members (veterans) and new cheerleaders (rookies) vying for a spot on the squad. While factors like technique, performance skills, and choreography memorization are considered, outdated criteria are also closely scrutinized.

Trigger warning for discussions on weight, body image, and eating disorders below.

I watched last year, unaware of how these superficial aspects were exaggerated by the management, and unfortunately, this issue has not been addressed in the latest installment of one of Netflix’s most popular documentary series.

Director Kelli Finglass claimed last year to E! that the company had “really moved away” from discussing the body types of women on the team. However, episode 2 of the second season contradicts that statement, with her commenting on rookie Abby, “She… She has… shoulders.”

Abby then admits that she realized she “didn’t need the weight room anymore,” so she stopped lifting. When questioned if someone had advised her to do so, she initially claimed it was her decision, but under further probing, she nervously laughed, hesitated to answer, and eventually nodded when asked again if someone had influenced her choice.

Kelli later remarked on another individual that “tiny shoulders and tiny torsos always look good.” While meant as a compliment, it seemed like a jab at Abby, who likely began weight training to enhance her athletic fitness in the first place.

These comments are not as egregious as the body criticisms during uniform fittings in season 1, where dancers were faulted for factors beyond their control, such as their torso length or the shape of their thighs.

© 2025 Netflix, Inc.

During the interviews, one of the team contenders, Dayton, openly discusses how her body image struggles began after high school when she considered auditioning for the Cowboys. She previously shared her past eating disorder, a topic also explored in depth by prominent dancer Victoria from season 1.

Victoria was confronted by the bosses about her weight earlier in her DCC career, likely during the airing of the reality show Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team (2006-2021). Many of Kelli’s comments to the cheerleaders are distressing to watch today. Victoria revealed in season 1: “I think it’s harder for girls not to just want to starve themselves.”

During the final audition round, we witness each competitor evaluated by a panel of judges, some of whom are not from dance or styling backgrounds. This year’s panel includes a country music singer and a broadcast meteorologist.

© 2025 Netflix, Inc.

Some of the comments from these men made me cringe, as they are not in a position to give beauty advice based on their own questionable fashion sense. Additionally, their age and comments about the cheerleaders being “so cute” come off as lecherous and creepy.

At one point, the meteorologist notes that a girl “needs a makeover,” and the male singer adds that “the back part of her head was too big.”

Are they proud of themselves for dissecting these women’s appearances on a global streaming platform? It’s incredibly cruel and reinforces why many cheerleaders end up stressed, depressed, or worse, which undoubtedly impacts viewers at home.

While season 2 has been commended for the dancers receiving a much-needed 400% pay increase to earn a livable wage, it took nearly the entire team uniting to demand it.

None of the negative feedback on salaries from season 1 was enough to sway the directing board, a trend that seems to apply to body image within the Cowboys Cheerleading squad as well.

It’s even more disheartening considering the normalization of ‘thinness’ trends, like the rise of SkinnyTok. The focus on appearances in America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders only contributes to this problematic narrative.

View season 2 at your discretion, but the initial episodes have left a sour taste in my mouth.

America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is now available for streaming on Netflix.