The main cast also includes Ashley Tisdale, Robbie Jones, Heather Hemmens, Matt Barr, Gail O'Grady, and Sharon Leal.

The pilot episode aired on September 8, 2010, and became the first-ever premiere to match or build on an America's Next Top Model lead-in since The CW began in 2006.

There she meets her new roommate and team captain Savannah Monroe, the injured flyer Alice Verdura, her new partner Lewis Flynn and the Hellcats coach Vanessa Lodge who hopes to win nationals, otherwise the cheer leading program will be cut.

Hellcats is based on the book Cheer: Inside the Secret World of College Cheerleaders by journalist Kate Torgovnick and the series has been described as "Election meets Bring It On".

[4] While presenting its 2010–11 season schedule on May 21, 2010, The CW officially confirmed the pick up of the series and announced its intention to air Hellcats after America's Next Top Model on Wednesday nights.

[20] During the 2010 Television Critics Association press tour in Los Angeles on July 29, 2010, producer Murphy said the series "was inspired by aspirational sports movies of the 1980s like Breaking Away, Vision Quest, and Pittsburgh-set Flashdance", and also added that "Hellcats is a show either for optimists or for people who are interested in learning the trade".

[29][30] The site later announced that actress Ashley Tisdale was cast as Savannah Monroe (then known as Sierra Sloane), the fiercely intense captain of the Hellcats.

[39] On July 13, one day before the beginning of filming, D. B. Woodside was cast as Derrick Altman, a "handsome young physician who takes care of the Hellcats cheerleaders".

[41] In late November 2010, AJ Michalka was cast in a recurring role as a girl who works at a record store near Lancer University and befriends Marti.

[44] During the 2010 Television Critics Association press tour held in Los Angeles on July 29, 2010, lead actresses Michalka and Tisdale were asked about the idea of singing on the show.

"[46] Songs covered for the series include "The Letter"[47] originally by The Box Tops, Sting's "Brand New Day",[48] Squeeze's "Tempted" and The Go-Go's hit "We Got the Beat".

[49] Canadian singer Fefe Dobson recorded "Rockstar", an exclusive song for the series that was played during the "A World Full of Strangers" episode.

Los Angeles Times had a good first impression of the pilot episode, saying Hellcats has a predictable story but, on the other hand, Michalka and Tisdale seem perfect for their roles.

[82] The journal later gave a complete review of the series, comparing it to 1983's film Flashdance aimed squarely at audiences too young for Gossip Girl but too old for Hannah Montana.

[86] ABC News listed Hellcats as one of the ten best new shows of 2010's fall season and described the series as "almost laughably formulaic" and added it "works like a charm".

[91] The pilot episode "A World Full of Strangers" averaged a total of 3.0 million viewers and scored a 2.0 rating in the network's target audience of women 18–34, which marks the first premiere to ever match or build on an America's Next Top Model lead-in since The CW began.

Hellcats also delivered the largest non-Top Model performance in The CW's Wednesday 9–10 pm time period in 3 years since the Gossip Girl series premiere.

[96] While presenting its 2010–11 season schedule on May 21, 2010, The CW announced its intention to air Hellcats in the United States after America's Next Top Model on Wednesday nights starting September 8, 2010, at 9 pm.

[58] Hellcats has been syndicated for broadcast in several countries worldwide, including Australia,[99][100] Canada,[101] Greece,[102] Ireland,[103] Israel,[104] United Kingdom,[105] Brazil,[106] Spain,[107] the Arab World,[108] Latin-America,[109] New Zealand,[110] and Denmark.

According to the producer, Tom Welling, he states that the reason of cancellation was due to the change of CW president of entertainment from Dawn Ostroff to Mark Pedowitz.