All American Season Two | Episode Two “Speak Ya Clout” Review

It’s safe to say the teenagers of Beverly and Crenshaw are stressed the heck out. First, there’s Coop’s mom still not accepting Coop for who she is, which is threatening her relationship with Patience. Then, there’s Layla, Jordan and Spencer with all their daddy issues. Surprisingly enough, Asher and Olivia seem to be the only ones who are semi-okay. If we’re only two episodes into the season and there’s already this much drama, how much more can these poor kids take?

“Not My Style”

We all thought Coop’s mom was slowly becoming the accepting mother that she should be when she finally let Coop move back in, but… one step forward, two steps back, I guess. When Patience loses her patience (LOL) with Coop not inviting her over anymore and not standing up to her mom, Coop tries to argue that she’s just trying to give her mom more time. Patience doesn’t buy it and questions if she’s moved back into the closet too. Ouch, Patience! She calls Coop out for not standing up to anyone, including her mom, ever since people got mad at her for snitching. Even Spencer agrees with that, telling his best friend that she doesn’t seem like the girl who always speaks her mind anymore. I can’t help but agree with both, but I think they’re pushing a little too hard.

Later, while Coop is trying to find the right lyrics to a new beat she’s mixes, her mom comes out and they talk about how she’s always had a love for music. Coop admits to her that she’s struggling to find the right words, but her mom argues that the lyrics don’t really matter… it’s how the music makes you feel. Coop then tries to use the moment to suggest Patience come over to help the following night, but her mom says it’s not a good idea because her church group is coming over. Even though the church knows Coop is gay, her mom doesn’t think they “need to go flaunting it in their faces.” Like I said, one step forward, two steps back.

Coop later tells Patience that she tried talking to her mom, but Patience doesn’t feel she tried hard enough. She pushes Coop even harder by saying that being silent is only hurting her in the long run. Coop’s mom is still trying to hide who her daughter is. Still though, Coop argues that her mom isn’t going to hear her no matter what she says because “words don’t matter” to her mom.

The next morning, Patience leaves a voicemail for Coop apologizing for the argument, but saying she loves her too much to watch her live like this. She knows hiding isn’t Coop’s “style” and only wants her to stand up for herself again. The voicemail hits a chord with Coop and inspires her to finally get some new lyrics written. At the end of the episode, she shares the song – her story – with her mom, which finally causes her to really listen and understand now. Words do matter, and so does her daughter.

Daddy Issues

Remember happy cheerleader Barbie on crack Layla? Well, she’s certainly not like that this week. In fact, her first scene of the episode is her under bathwater, seemingly like she’s trying to drown herself as Spencer worries about where she is because she’s never late to school. Well, Spencer, not only is she late to school, but she also decides to not care about any of it anymore. She’s late to and bails on the student council fundraiser at the scrimmage where she also gets an attitude with the principal. Then, she quits student council. Then, she finally, nonchalantly, tells Spencer that she’s been staying in a hotel and has no idea where her dad is. Spencer isn’t too thrilled about the lying and expresses his concern for her, but she gets up and leaves, clearly not in the mood for a heart-to-heart. It also doesn’t help that she had to find out about his possible move back to Crenshaw from Olivia. By the end of the episode, as Coop’s song is playing over the scene, Layla is rocking back and forth – knees to chest – on her hotel room bed, mumbling “I’m fine” repeatedly. Oh, Layla, please talk to someone.

Meanwhile, Jordan’s also spiraling because he’s unwilling to deal with his issues with his father. Instead, he’d rather hide behind girls (some who look like his mom!), skip practice, day drink, fight in public places and be an all-around jerk. He’s certainly not being quarterback material, that’s for sure. Even when he gets grounded, he still can’t adjust his attitude. Billy watches as Jordan, really the whole team, gets destroyed during a scrimmage. He’s not pleased, and he lets the team know in the locker room. He really has no room to talk, though, because he’s the one that left them high and dry, and Jordan doesn’t hesitate to let the team know where he’s really been. He’s still in no mood to hear anything his father has to say. By the end of the episode, Billy manages to convince Jordan to meet with him and he apologizes for what he’s done. Still, I don’t see Jordan changing his ways so quickly.

Then there’s Spencer and Corey. The season premiere left us – well me, at least – wondering if he’d cheated on Grace and secretly had a son because of this new kid he brought back to Crenshaw. Apparently, that’s not the case. According to what Corey tells Spencer, the new kid is his ex-girlfriend’s son who lived with him… for seven years. So, you could say that he is like a son to Corey. He’s certainly treating him like one, and Spencer notices it. As to be expected, he’s not happy about it and neither is his mom. Can you blame them? Spencer was so close to letting Corey fully in only for the rug to be pulled out from under him once again. Poor kid.

Stepping Up

While the rest of the Beverly team is distracted and still on a high from the state championship win, Asher’s got his priorities straight and his head in the game. He’s the only one pushing his teammates to go to practice for a scrimmage, the only one putting in extra time at the gym, the only one showing up and the only one not sucking on the field. It’s clear that he wants this. Not for his parents’ approval like last season, but for himself. He’s pushing himself to be better, to do better. And guess who’s noticing? Olivia. She makes it a point to tell him that she’s proud of him for stepping up and being who she knows he could be. Y’all. The look on his face at her words. It’s like he’s never heard them before, and to hear them from her was that much more meaningful to him. She’s his inspiration, and I am totally here for it, especially since she and Chris broke up. What do y’all think? Is this ship going to sail this season?

All American airs Mondays at 8/7c on The CW!

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