All American “I” Review

Three episodes in and All American is already getting into some important topics. The third episode alone hits on police brutality, coming out to your parents, acceptance, the importance of teamwork, and friendships. That’s what I dig about this show. It’s just a normal teen drama that deals with real issues. It’s not over-dramatized or outrageously unrealistic. These topics and issues are all very relatable to anyone who watches.

Let’s break down how All American portrayed these topics.

There’s No “I” in Team

It’s been clear since the Pilot episode that Spencer doesn’t exactly fit in with the Beverly Hills Eagles. Miscommunication, judgment and lack of acceptance (from Spencer and the team) being the biggest contributors to the constant tension on (and off) the field. Said tension is essentially what cost them the last game. Spencer blames it on the team not accepting him, but most of the team blames it on him trying to be the center of attention – the star player.

Coach Baker isn’t blind to any of this. After they lose the game, he has the team running brutal two-a-days. After practice, Jordan – the QB and team captain – calls for a mandatory team hangout to hash everything out. The team knows the deal, but Spencer isn’t joining. He has to catch a bus to Crenshaw. After all, the weekends are the only days he really gets to spend with his family. Can’t really blame him for that.When he discusses the issues with the team with Coop, she tells him straight up that “acceptance goes both ways.” He’s still hanging on to the family of his old team rather than accepting his new team. He has to let that go and show respect and acceptance of his new teammates.

Spencer comes home from hanging out with Coop and his old teammates surprised to find Jordan there waiting on him. Being the team leader, Jordan wants to rally his team together by any means necessary. And when Spencer called him out for not really knowing anything about him, Jordan decided to change that by making a trip to Crenshaw. At first, it was just to talk to Spencer, but then Spencer’s mom, Grace, invited him to stay for her BBQ party.

Throughout the day, Jordan gets insight into Spencer’s life. He bonds with, not only Spencer, but his friends and old teammates as well. However, things come to a head when a few of Spencer’s old teammates stir up some drama by saying Spencer bailed on them and doesn’t belong there anymore. When things start to get a little heated, Spencer challenges his old team to a scrimmage, even wagering his Crenshaw ring. So, standing beside Spencer, Jordan calls up their teammates, and guess what… they show up. More than that, they play as a team. They probably would have won too if the cops hadn’t showed up and killed the game.

Oh well. The important thing is that the Beverly Hills Eagles showed up for each other.Realizing he was just as at fault for the tension within the team as the others are, Spencer calls them together again the next morning. He thanks them for showing up to the meeting and the scrimmage and takes accountability for his own actions. He tries to take the blame for the loss of the last game, but the rest of the team starts owning up to their own mistakes during the game as well. Now this is what I call a team, and I can’t wait to see how this pivotal moment affects their game play.

The Burden of a Secret

Asher and Olivia’s secret hookup was revealed in episode two. We also learned that their secret is the reason why Olivia distanced herself from her best friend, Layla – aka Asher’s girlfriend. As much as I understand the reasoning, I hate when boys/significant others come between best friends. The same goes for secrets. Now, we have a ruined friendship because of one drug-induced hookup.

It becomes clear in this episode just how much of a toll it’s taken on Olivia and Layla. So much so that Layla goes out of her way to convince their English teacher to pair them up for a project in attempt to repair their broken friendship. She tries really hard to get Olivia to remember the good times – times that were merely last fall. But Olivia pushes her away by claiming she doesn’t remember much from that time due to the drugs. Then, when Asher shows up at one of their study sessions with his project partner, it only makes things more awkward for Olivia because Asher admits that she’s one of the three people he cares about most.So, while Layla keeps trying to revive their friendship, Olivia feels the pressure to keep her distance. It’s not until Layla finally gets tired of fighting for someone who clearly doesn’t want to be in her life anymore that Olivia finally gets tired of running from her best friend. She meets Layla at a spot where they remember Layla’s late mother, and Olivia apologizes for being so distant. She doesn’t confess to the secret, but this is a start. I have a feeling that secret will come out eventually, though, and it might just be detrimental to this rekindling.

Coming Out

Coop has been seemingly openly gay since the pilot episode. As far as I knew, everyone knew that she was. She hadn’t hidden or denied it nor been ashamed of it. However, she’s never said the words out loud. It’s just who she is. I love this thinking because why should she have to? It’s like when the movie Love, Simon has a montage of teenagers admitting to their parents that they’re straight. At the end of the day, we are who we are. We’re all human and we all bleed the same. I like to believe that was/is Coop’s mindset.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand there is probably a sort of weight lifted once you do say it. I just also believe there’s too much pressure to, and Coop probably felt that, which is why she decided to finally tell her mom. Unfortunately, the outcome isn’t what she’d hoped.It all starts when Coop meets Patience, a girl in Coop’s mom’s church choir. Yup, you read that right. They instantly connected and bonded at Grace’s BBQ. Afterwards, Coop invited her back to her house. Her parents were out of town for the day and her mom had strictly told her no boys. Well, the next morning, after Coop and Patience talked and kissed and fell asleep on the floor, Coop’s mom is there. Patience leaves, then Coop’s mom tells her daughter that she shouldn’t hang out with Patience anymore because she’s a bad influence.

This is when things get real. Coop tries to get her mother to open her eyes, but her mom says Coop is just confused. It’s then that Coop finally says the words, “I’m gay.” Being a woman that is strong in her religious beliefs (this does not excuse her actions), Coop’s mom gives the old spiel of “if you live under my roof, you live under my rules.” Meaning: if you live in this house, you are not gay.

Heartbroken, but not willing to give up who she is, Coop goes to Spencer’s house with her bags. She’s welcomed with open arms.

Harsh Reality

After their team bonding, Spencer and Jordan are driving back to Beverly Hills at night in Jordan’s red, convertible sports car. They get pulled over by two white police officers asking what they’re doing on this side of town (Crenshaw). The officers ask for Jordan’s license and registration. Jordan gets defensive and argumentative, wondering why they pulled them over. Spencer, on the other hand, seems to know the drill – hands in front of him on the dash so they’re visible to the officers and he keeps quiet. Jordan, clearly, was never taught not to argue with police officers. Things get heated and, soon enough, Jordan and Spencer (even though he didn’t say or do anything) get thrown on the sidewalk with their hands behind their backs and get arrested.

Once back at the Baker house, Coach Baker asks Jordan why he argued with the police. Jordan says he did what he was taught to do: stand up for himself. Once Jordan goes to his room, Spencer asks Coach Baker why Jordan never got “the talk.” He explains that he got it when he was a kid. He was told that the color of his skin is viewed as a weapon by the police and that he should always keep his hands visible and never argue with them.

Coach Baker confesses that he’s never given Jordan or Olivia the talk because he thought he had more time since they lived in Beverly Hills and not Crenshaw. He thought he escaped that harsh reality.

The next day, Coach Baker sits Jordan down and explains that he should have had the talk with him sooner. Jordan asks that if he looked like Spencer would he have talked to him sooner. Coach Backer confesses that he probably would have. Jordan also wonders why his dad has never taken him to Crenshaw, asking if he’s ashamed. His father insists that’s not the reason. It’s more because of his past. Still, later that night, he takes Jordan to a barber shop in Crenshaw. One of the barbers reveals some secrets about Coach – like the fact that he loved to get into trouble. More importantly, though, he reveals to Jordan that his father once dated Spencer’s mom, Grace. He even has pictures. “It’s funny how things work out – her son living with you all.”

WHOMP THERE IT IS.

All American airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on The CW!

GIF credit: cuddlybitch and All American‘s Twitter