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August 1, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
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Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Screen & Stage • Series

Hellcats

Hellcats is an American cheerleading comedy-drama television series that aired on The CW from 2010 to 2011.

Updated August 1, 20261 min readCited sources

Hellcats is an American cheerleading comedy-drama television series that aired on The CW from 2010 to 2011. It follows a pre-law student who joins her university’s competitive cheer squad to keep her scholarship.

What it is

Hellcats is a one-season, 22-episode series centered on Marti Perkins, a pre-law student at fictional Lancer University. When she loses her scholarship, she tries out for the university’s elite cheerleading team, the Hellcats. The show blends college drama, sports competition, and personal relationships.

Key details

Created by Kevin Murphy, the series is loosely based on Kate Torgovnick’s non-fiction book Cheer: Inside the Secret World of College Cheerleaders. Aly Michalka stars as Marti Perkins, with Ashley Tisdale as Savannah Monroe. It premiered on The CW on September 8, 2010, and was cancelled after one season due to low ratings.

Why it matters

Hellcats offered a dramatized look into the world of college cheerleading, inspired by real-world reporting. It aired in both the U.S. and Canada, and remains a niche example of early-2010s teen drama on network TV.

In short

  • Hellcats aired for one season (22 episodes) on The CW from 2010 to 2011.
  • It follows Marti Perkins, who joins a cheer squad to fund her education.
  • The series is based on a non-fiction book about college cheerleading.
  • It was cancelled after one season due to low ratings.
Canadian angle

The series aired in Canada as well as the United States, and Canadian viewers may still encounter it on regional streaming or broadcast catalogues depending on licensing.

Quick questions

What is Hellcats about?
Hellcats follows Marti Perkins, a pre-law student who joins her college cheerleading squad to keep her scholarship while navigating campus competition and personal drama.
How many seasons of Hellcats are there?
Hellcats ran for one season and 22 episodes.
Is Hellcats based on a true story?
Not exactly. It is based on Kate Torgovnick’s non-fiction book about college cheerleading, but the series itself is fictional.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellcats
    Supports: Premise, creator, original run, one-season status, and cancellation context.
  2. Tubi — https://tubitv.com/series/300001721/hellcats
    Supports: Streaming availability in at least some regions.
  3. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1596356/
    Supports: Cast and original release information.
  4. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/hellcats
    Supports: Synopsis, cast, network, genre, and release date.
  5. Plugged In — https://www.pluggedin.com/tv-reviews/hellcats/
    Supports: Series premise and basis in the book by Kate Torgovnick.