Old-school ‘All American’
CW teen drama is comfortably familiar. Preview,
Watching “All American,” CW’s new teen drama, you might flash back to a bygone era when high school series treated every hookup and breakup like life and death, gossip was practically a sport and conflicts were resolved with a little teamwork on the basketball court or football field.
There haven’t been many shows in the vein of “The O.C.,” “One Tree Hill” or
“90210” in recent years; instead, “Riverdale” and “Pretty Little Liars” opted for truly life-and-death stakes, with murder mysteries and bloody cliffhangers.
But CW has recaptured that early
2000s spirit with “All American,” a good old-fashioned high school show that’s perhaps a little too reminiscent of “O.C.” but also makes that familiar formula work. It doesn’t need an ax murderer to add drama; there’s plenty already.
Created by April Blair (“Reign”), “All American” (Wednesday, 9 ET/PT, ★★★☆), based on the life of former NFL player Spencer Paysinger, follows Spencer James (Daniel Ezra), a football star living in the Crenshaw neighborhood of Los Angeles who dreams of playing for the NFL. His fairy godfather appears in the form of Billy Baker (Taye Diggs), who coaches at Beverly Hills High. He offers Spencer a spot on his team and promises that with an elite school on his resume, he’ll have a far easier time going pro.
The transition from Crenshaw to Beverly Hills isn’t all daisies and singalongs. Spencer feels disconnected from the rich, mostly white students and teammates who bring laptops to school and spend afternoons partying on the beach. They see him as a threat to the privileged status quo they’ve worked hard to achieve.
If the setup sounds familiar, “All American” quickly reveals itself as more nuanced than a standard fish-out-ofwater story. Spencer’s disdain for his teammates rises to a sense of superiority, because he had to work harder to get there. The writers refrain from painting the rich kids with the same, spoiled brush.
“American” works because the writers often push its predictable plot lines further than you’d expect. When the police pull over Spencer and Jordan, it’s not just about clashes between law enforcement and the black community; the series examines Jordan’s biracial identity and how that affects his relationship with his father.
Once the series establishes Spencer in Beverly Hills, the writers don’t depend on him for every plot, creating a rich supporting cast. Spencer’s best friend Coop (Bre-Z), an out lesbian struggling to navigate Crenshaw without Spencer’s protection, is easily the series’ most engrossing character.
Ezra is a brilliant find. Watching him is akin to seeing Michael B. Jordan in “Friday Night Lights” – it’s clear he’s a star in the making.
There’s certainly room for “American” to grow. Still, “All American” is fun and melodramatic and watchable. . Watching it is like a class reunion: comforting and nostalgic, but with surprises tucked up its sleeve. It’s easy to cheer for, even if its football team isn’t that great yet.
“American” works
because the writ
ers often push its
predictable plot
lines further than
you’d expect.