All American Season 2 | Episode 1 “Hussle & Motivate” Review

Season one of All American finished with a lot of things up in the air, especially since we weren’t sure if there’d be a season 2 until a few weeks after the finale. Coach Baker left his letter of resignation on his desk and moved in with his pops after his affair with Grace came out. Speaking of Grace, who is Dillon’s father, Cory or Billy? Meanwhile, Layla trashed her house because her father is never around, but I feel like something more is going on with her. Coop helped take down a dangerous gang leader only for a target to be put on her back for snitching. Spencer lead Beverly to victory against Crenshaw in the state championship, but Cory asked him to come play for him at Crenshaw next season. Will he leave behind this new family to go back to his roots?

Fight for your family

Season 2 picks up after winter break, and the Baker fam, sans Billy, are back from a Tahoe trip. Billy hasn’t talked to anyone, instead choosing to hide at his pop’s house and a bar in Crenshaw. He hasn’t made any progress in fighting to get his family back. He hasn’t even tried. Laura’s putting on a brave face but crying over her wedding photos when she’s alone. Jordan’s playing the avoidance game… except when it comes to girls. And Olivia stole her dad’s resignation letter and told the Beverly principal that her father is just on vacation because she’s been waiting for Billy to be a man and fight for his family. It’s not until she gives up and he hears an impassioned speech at Nipsey Hussle’s tribute that Billy finally decides to get his act together. Better wear some knee pads, Billy boy. You’ve got a lot of groveling to do.

Dillon’s Paternity

The season 1 finale left with Cory questioning Grace about Dillon’s paternity. Still, she hasn’t given him an answer, instead giving the excuse that she won’t discuss it with Dillon or Spencer in the house. When Cory says times up by taking Dillon to a play date, she rips him a new one for having the audacity to come back with such concerns after being gone for 8 years. I mean, I get her point, but she can’t act like she’s a saint either. She’s the one that screwed up and left him with this question. Finally, she comes clean that she doesn’t even know. She never had a paternity test done because no one was around to question it. However, she’s willing to get one done, only for Cory to be okay with not knowing. He came to terms with the possibility a while ago, and there’s no need to put Dillon through that trauma just when he’s got the only father he knows back. Well then, why the heck make such a big deal about it in the first place??? I don’t see this storyline dying anytime soon.

Masking the Pain

We last saw Layla as she trashed her home because her dad is never around. Well, she’s been keeping a low profile, avoiding Olivia’s calls and texts and telling Spencer that she’s been hanging out with her father. Well that’s a big fat lie and Olivia can tell something’s up because, duh, that’s a best friend’s job. She calls Layla out for playing the role of happy cheerleader on crack, but Layla still denies it, claiming that things have just been crazy with the house since she told her dad there was another break in. At the end of the premier, though, she walks into a hotel room that she’s obviously been living in for a while and ignores her dad’s calls. Girl, you need to get your mental health in check. Let someone in!

“You’re free.”

Since Coop played a major role in getting Tyrone, a dangerous gang leader, off Crenshaw’s streets, a target has been put on her back. Seems illogical. Come on! He was super dangerous, people! But what do I know? I guess the whole “snitches get stitches” (which apparently no one says anymore, according to Coop) is taken seriously in the gang world. Even Preach, whose life she basically saved, is against her. Patience, Coop’s girlfriend, and Spencer (once he finds out) are really worried about her, but Coop isn’t worried at all. However, she and Patience almost get jumped by her own crew while walking home after the Nipsey Hussle tribute. Thankfully, Preach shows up and sets her free because of Flipp’s words at the tribute. I guess this means she’s free from the gang now?

The Big Decision

Cory had a lot of questions for his family in the season 1 finale, one being if Spencer would come play ball for him back at Crenshaw in the fall. Spencer’s been stewing over his answer all winter break. He hasn’t told anyone, but he knows his answer is yes. How could he say no to his own father, right? However, a sudden and necessary move back into the Baker household may have him changing his mind.

You see, Spencer hasn’t gone back to the Baker house because he doesn’t want to be Laura’s constant reminder of his mom and Billy’s affair. So, he’s just been commuting from Crenshaw to Beverly. It’s not football season anymore, so what could go wrong? Well, a recent Beverly graduate and football expert, whose father also happens to be one of Beverly’s biggest boosters, warns him that the school was tipped off about him not living with the Bakers anymore. If the school finds that Spencer isn’t living there, then not only will he be kicked out of Beverly, but all the football wins since being on the team, including the state championship, will be taken away.

Obviously, that’s not good for him or the team, but he still can’t bring himself to ask Laura to save her estranged husband’s team. So, Grace takes matters into her own hands. She womans up and apologizes to Laura face to face. Let me tell you, Laura has quite the forgiving and strong heart. She puts the mess with Grace and Billy aside and personally reminds Spencer that he is still family and he’s more than welcome to his room.

In the middle of dinner with Laura, Olivia and Jordan, Spencer texts his dad saying that he needs more time for an answer. As Cory gets this text, we see him waiting at a bus stop. Now, I’m going to be honest, I thought he was going to bail. I don’t trust him. And for good reason, too! Because guess what he’s doing there… picking up his other son who looks the same age as Spencer! He certainly isn’t 8 years old, which begs the question… did Cory have an affair before Grace did?

Hopefully we’ll find out the answers soon, and thanks to such high ratings for this premier, The CW added three more episodes to the season!

Catch All American on Monday’s at 8/7c on The CW!

Featured Image: IMDb