Jeremy Wong

In the series premiere of this coming-of-age drama featuring more than a little fancy footwork, Marti Perkins, a pre-law student at Lancer University in Memphis, Tennessee, discovers that her scholarship has been cancelled and her well-meaning but irresponsible mother, Wanda has neglected to inform her. Marti realizes the only way she can stay in school is to win a place on the Hellcats Lancer's legendary cheer squad and the scholarship that comes with it. Despite a confrontation with the Hellcats' peppy team captain, Savannah, Marti wins over coach Vanessa Lodge, makes the squad and is thrust into a competitive world unlike anything she has ever known. With her best friend, Dan, by her side, Marti navigates her new world as a cheerleader and Savannah's new roommate, while trying to avoid any interaction with squad member Alice Verdura , who is instantly jealous when she realizes that Marti has caught the eye of fellow cheerleader and Alice's ex-boyfriend, Lewis Flynn.

Marti is horrified when she discovers her mom, Wanda, in the audience at qualifiers and banishes her from the stadium. Also at qualifiers is Charlotte (guest star Emma Lahana - Power Rangers DinoThunder), Savannah's sister and captain of the Hellcats' rival team from Memphis Christian College, who falls and suffers a serious injury. Savannah is torn between going with her sister to the hospital and staying to compete. After Savannah tells Marti her parents stopped talking to her when she decided to transfer from Memphis Christian to the secular Lancer University, Marti re-thinks her stance on having Wanda attend qualifiers in support of her daughter. Meanwhile, Lewis blasts Alice for putting all of their scholarships at risk, and Dan takes an interest in Savannah.

Savannah is nervous about her first date with Dan, so Marti, Lewis and the rest of the Hellcats team accompany her on the date ... which ends in disaster. Meanwhile, Marti tries to impress her law professor, Julian (recurring guest star Gale Harold), in the hopes of joining his legal team, but he doubts she can balance both her studies and cheerleading. Desperate to get her spot back, Alice turns to pills to kill the pain so she can get medically approved to re-join the team. Vanessa decides to come clean with Derrick (recurring guest star D.B. Woodside - 24, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) about her affair with Red (recurring guest star Jeff Hephner - The O.C., The 19th Wife).

Lewis asks Marti out but she turns him down. Alice tells Lewis she will stop taking drugs if he helps her get back in shape as a flier; then, after a sweaty workout, the two end up having sex. Meanwhile, Savannah takes Dan to her parents' house for dinner and a fight erupts after Savannah's mom (guest star Teryl Rothery - Stargate SG-I, Kyle XY, The Guard) demands that she stop seeing Dan. Wanda convinces Marti to give Lewis a chance so she tells him she's ready to date - but he has second thoughts.

Savannah talks the team into letting Dan direct their bid video against Alice's wishes, but when things don't go as planned, Savannah may have to forfeit her role as captain. Meanwhile, Marti decides to investigate further into Julian's (recurring guest star Gale Harold) case, and Red (recurring guest star Jeff Hephner) tells Derrick (recurring guest star D.B. Woodside) he plans to win Vanessa back, prompting a fight between the two men.