All American

Back in the Day

As Olivia so wisely pointed out, addicts never stop being addicts.  That became increasingly evident on All American Season 1 Episode 12 as Olivia struggled mightily to maintain her sobriety. In the end, she succeeded, but she couldn't have done it alone.  Olivia's struggles with drugs and alcohol began because she felt invisible in her own family. Her mom always had a new campaign, and her dad and Jordan were always preparing for the next game. ... more

All Eyez on Me

Illegal recruitment, nepotism, and addiction -- All American Season 1 Episode 11 gave us a break from the gang violence to focus on a few other issues.  While Coop was missed, it was refreshing to spend more time on the football field. It also gave other characters a chance to shine.  Olivia's determination to help Asher was hard for everyone else to understand, but it made perfect sense.  He's going through an incredibly hard time. He's hit roc... more

m.A.A.d city

So Coop is essentially undercover in Tyronne's gang, which feels even more dangerous than if she was actually involved with him. On All American Season 1 Episode 10, we learned Coop's plan to bring Tyronne down from the inside, and let's just say -- we're no less concerned than we were before.  Will Coop's plan be successful?  The good news is, Coop hasn't lost herself. She's playing the part, but she knows who she is and what she wants to accompl... more

All American Fall Finale Recap: Coop and the Gang — Plus: Grade the Episode

All American went into its winter hiatus with one very big win and one very big loss. Wednesday’s fall finale brought a number of simmering storylines to a boil, resulting in major life changes for Spencer — and everyone in his orbit, for that matter. Let’s recap what went down in the eventful hour: THE GANG’S ALL HERE | Much of this week’s episode focuses on Shawn and Coop’s continued ... more

The CW's All American: Grade It!

The CW on Wednesday set out to fill all of those gaps with the debut of All American, its football-centric series that has echoes of multiple circa-2000s teen dramas. But did the first episode score enough points with you? Before you give us your thoughts on the premiere, let’s recap what went down in Episode 1: The drama centers on Spencer James (played by Daniel Ezra, The Missing), a straight-A student at South Crenshaw High School who’s also a natural on the fo... more