All American Season 1 | Episode 16 “Championships” Review

It’s the game we’ve all been waiting for since the series premier of All American – the state championship. I kind of figured this game would be saved for the finale, but I was hoping for a little more of a kick than what we got. Sure, it’s a good episode, but as far as finales go (especially for a show that’s still on the bubble of being renewed depending on Netflix views), it was a little lackluster, in my honest opinion. Coop proves to be the strong and amazing woman that she is. Spencer’s on the road to a good relationship with his father and has reignited his love for the game. But there’s still so much up in the air by the end of the episode. I really hope All American gets renewed, if not for how great of a show it is, then at least so we can get some answers. I hate when shows get canceled and left on cliffhangers. So, go binge watch it on Netflix, everyone!

Payback

When we last left Coop, she was cradling Preach who’d just been shot and yelling for someone to call 911. Thankfully, Preach is going to be okay, but he won’t snitch that Tyrone is the one who shot him. That’s not how they roll in Crenshaw. Laura informs Coop while Tyrone is a person of interest, they haven’t been able to find him yet. Coop gathers her guys and plan to take Tyrone out themselves. Malik questions her taking the lead and wonders what she’ll do if Tyrone runs up on her. Smoothly, she pulls out a gun and says she’ll be ready for him. Malik later comes back with info that Tyrone’s apartment’s been cleared out, he’s been laying low out of town, and wants Malik to bring him money with the heat cools off. So, Coop tells him to let her know when Tyrone reaches back out to say where to take the money.

During the championship game, Coop gets a text from Malik saying that he’s out front and Tyrone is wanting his money tonight. When Layla asks if she’s okay, she says it’s time for her to put something to bed. She texts Malik back saying that it’s time to get payback for Shawn and Preach, and she’ll be out after going to the restroom. While washing her hands alone in the bathroom, Tyrone comes out of hiding with a gun saying she put faith in the wrong people. Coop says that she put her faith in Shawn and Preach, but he took them out. “Just business. Doing what had to be done, but you was always weak. Now that’s why you all alone.” He points the gun right Coop’s face, but she tells him he’s wrong about two things – she’s never been weak and she’s not alone. Just then, undercover LAPD busts in along with Laura and Coop’s dad. After they drag Tyrone away, she gets emotional, but she’s fine because it’s all over now.

Getting Back to that Joy

You can imagine the confliction Spencer feels about playing in the state championship against his old team/friends, especially since this is the best thing to happen to Crenshaw in a long time. Feeling like a stranger in his own hometown and guilty for taking the win (and the pride, respect, and hope) away from them is messing with his head. Billy tells him to compartmentalize his personal feelings and Grace assures her son that making the playoffs with another team doesn’t diminish his accomplishments. He goes to the Crenshaw pep rally with Layla to try to talk to Chris and his old friends, but Chris says they can’t be family right now. He tells Spencer to go be with his team, the one he picked when he left Crenshaw. Ouch. ☹

Before the big game, Billy tells his team that nothing else matters until that final whistle blows, but it’s obvious that Spencer goes onto the field with a lot on his mind. He and Chris nearly get into a fight as Chris calls him soft. Then Billy tells him to pace himself because he’s burning up all his energy, but Spencer says there’s no time for that. They came to win after all. Well, Spencer goes a little too hard… literally. He smashes so hard into Chris that it knocks him out and he can’t feel his legs. Sending Chris to the hospital puts Spencer into a mental tailspin and causes him to walk off the field. Corey finds him alone in the locker room. He gives Spencer a necklace that Chris said Spencer deserves to wear before giving a heartwarming speech about seeing him pick up his first football, playing his first peewee game (yes, he was there) and the joy on his son’s face. It was pure and love at first sight and fun. He advises Spencer to somehow find his way back to that joy. As Corey starts to leave, Spencer calls for his “dad” and cries on his shoulder. Aww!

Of course, Spencer goes back out with Chris’ necklace on and convinces Billy to let him back in the game for the last minute and a half. They’re down by two scores, but Spencer manages to pull out the win in the final seconds. It’s a full-circle moment for him as he remembers his pee-wee game and then sees his family in the stands and his dad on the sidelines cheering for him. 😊

Notable Mentions

• Coop moves back in with her parents because they can’t work out their differences if she’s not alive. I’m glad her mom is putting Coop’s safety above all.
• Asher and Olivia bond over breakfast, and when I say bond, I mean he literally looks at her like she hangs the moon because she got his dad laughing again.
• Corey’s really hitting it off with Spencer and Dilon. Spencer still has his worries, but Corey’s trying to prove that he’s not going anywhere. In fact, he’s taken the coaching job at Crenshaw and asks Spencer to come back home and play for him. Interesting!
• “Don’t let anybody tell you that your destiny is to be locked up or dead. Greatness is your destiny.” I loved this speech that the pastor gave at the Crenshaw pep rally.

• Layla tries to work things out with Olivia, but Olivia just recalls how many times they’ve fought and made up and lied to each other. She says that “being best friends with someone shouldn’t be this much work.” I feel you on that, Olivia, but any kind of relationship – friendship or romantic – takes work and effort. Thankfully, by the end of the episode, Olivia seems to come to her senses and finds Layla just when she needs her most.
• “I don’t see our parents’ mistakes when I look at you. I see a teammate who became a brother to me. That ain’t ever going to change. You are my brother. Their problems ain’t ours, alright?” Spencer to Jordan before the game. This honestly melted my heart a little.
• Laura tells Billy that he’s lost sight of the man she fell in love with and said vows to, but she hopes, for his sake, that he finds him again.
• Jordan calling out his dad for being a liar and a cheat, that the victory is fake AND that he doesn’t want to be a Baker man if it means being like him. OUCH, son! And this comes just after Billy wrote a letter of resignation. He swears he’s going to try to get his family back by going back to the beginning and figuring out where he messed up. Where does this lead him? To his pop’s house, bags in hand.
• Spencer still has no idea what’s going on with Layla.
• Corey didn’t tell Grace that he came back for a couple of Spencer’s games because then he would have had to ask that question and she’d have to finally answer the question of if Dilon is his son or Billy’s. WHOMP! There it is!

You can now binge watch the entire season of All American on Netflix!