“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,” Spencer James said to his teammate Jordan Baker during the season one finale of the show “All American.”
“All American” is a drama television show based on the life of pro football player, Spencer Paysinger. It follows Spencer James, a rising high school football player from South L.A. who is recruited to play for Beverly Hills. Because of the differences between the two schools, Beverly Hills High and Crenshaw, Spencer has to deal with his new friends, the old friends he left behind and family drama that appears as he continues his high school football career.
“All American” premiered on Oct. 10, 2018, and caught the attention of viewers as they waited in anticipation every week for the new episode to follow the characters’ storylines. A year later, season two is getting ready to air and viewers can’t wait. Unfortunately, the television show that everyone has been waiting for isn’t as great as they think.
“All American” has the potential to be a great show based on the plot, the drama that unfolds and the character development; however, the acting and writing of the show cause it to be less than fulfilling. The plot of the show remains interesting because of all of the drama that continues to happen between the characters.
In order for Spencer to play for Beverly Hills High, he must live in the district of the town and is forced to live with the football coach, Billy Baker, his wife, Laura and their two teenage kids, Jordan and Olivia. As the story goes on, there are subtle hints dropped that Billy and Spencer’s mother has a history, and it causes the viewers to wonder what exactly happened and even if Billy is Spencer’s real father.
With each character, there is a backstory that makes the viewer want to know more. For example, Asher Adams, the wide receiver for Beverly Hills High, is known for being the obnoxious jerk with a lot of money until he starts to act differently. His character development keeps the viewer’s attention as you want to know what exactly happened to him.
Watching the characters go through their lives, their problems and interact with each other can be slightly annoying because the writing for the show is mediocre. The way the characters speak doesn’t sound natural and it’s almost as if you’re watching a play instead of a television show. The writing is forced as if the characters have to say everything they are feeling at that exact moment. They hardly give the viewers a chance to feel everything as well.
“All American” is a show that can be either loved or hated, depending on the genre of television shows you like to watch and if you care about bad acting.
The plot and the character backstories are the only reasons why this show is worth watching and can be viewed on the television network The CW.
The entire first season is on Netflix and the second season premiered on Oct. 7 and new episodes premiere every Monday.
