The first season of All American aired on The CW from October 10, 2018 to March 20, 2019. The season consisted of 16 episodes. It was first announced in September 2017 and was ordered to series on May 11, 2018.[1]
Premise[]
Spencer James is a rising high school football player and A student at South Crenshaw High. Compton is the place he calls home. But when Beverly High School’s football coach Billy Baker recruits him to join his team in Beverly Hills, Spencer’s mother, Grace, and his best friend, Coop, convince Spencer it’s an opportunity he has to seize. Now Spencer must navigate two worlds, the south side neighborhood that he knows and the affluent Beverly Hills world that has offered him an opportunity for something bigger. When Spencer is forced to move in with Billy and his family to protect his transfer permit to Beverly, Billy’s son, Jordan (the team’s starting quarterback), is less than thrilled to be sharing his father’s attention — or the team spotlight — with Spencer. While Spencer struggles to find his footing, he makes an unlikely friend in Jordan’s sister, Olivia, who is dealing with her own demons. He also quickly develops a crush on his classmate, Layla, something her boyfriend, Asher, quickly realizes — and so, he sets out to drive Spencer off the football team and out of Beverly Hills for good. Inspired by the life of NFL player Spencer Paysinger.
Cast and Characters[]
Main Cast[]
- Daniel Ezra as Spencer James (16/16)
- Bre-Z as Tamia "Coop" Cooper (15/16)
- Greta Onieogou as Layla Keating (16/16)
- Samantha Logan as Olivia Baker (16/16)
- Michael Evans Behling as Jordan Baker (16/16)
- Cody Christian as Asher Adams (15/16)
- Karimah Westbrook as Grace James (15/16)
- Monet Mazur as Laura Baker (13/16)
- Taye Diggs as Billy Baker (16/16)
- Jalyn Hall as Dillon James (13/16)
Recurring Cast[]
Recurring Cast is defined as non main cast members who appear in 3 or more episodes
- Hunter Clowdus as JJ Parker (12/16)
- Spence Moore II as Chris (10/16)
- Demetrius Shipp Jr. as Tyrone Morris (8/16)
- Chelsea Tavares as Patience (8/16)
- Jay Reeves as Shawn Scott (7/16)
- Brent Jennings as Willy Baker (6/16)
- Emily Levine as Lucy (6/16)
- Michelle Hayden as Ripley (4/16)
- Casper Van Dien as Harold Adams (4/16)
- Mitchell Edwards as Cameron (4/16)
- Chad L. Coleman as Corey James (4/16)
- Bill Lee Brown as Alvin Washington (3/16)
- Jordan Belfi as Principal Ed Landon (3/16)
- Judith Scott as Janelle Cooper (3/16)
- James Black as Reggie Cooper (3/16)
- Kareem Grimes as Preach (3/16)
- Michael Wayne Williams as Young Spencer James (3/16)
Notable Guest Cast[]
A notable guest is a non-recurring actor who reprises their role in a later season or has reprised their role from a previous season
- Bernadette Speakes as Ruth Scott (2/16)
- Asjha Cooper as Kia Williams (2/16)
- Wolé Park as Micah Richards (2/16)
- Elvis Nolasco as JP Keating (2/16)
- Lahmard Tate as Flip Williams (2/16)
- Daryl C. Brown as Pastor Weeks (2/16)
- Antwon D. Jones as Jamal (2/16)
Episodes[]
| No. | Episode title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Pilot" | Rob Hardy | April Blair | October 10, 2018 | 0.69[2] |
| INSPIRED BY THE LIFE OF FORMER NFL PLAYER SPENCER PAYSINGER - Spencer James is a rising high school football player and an A student at South Crenshaw High who is recruited by Beverly High School’s football coach Billy Baker. Spencer is conflicted on whether or not to move to Beverly High but Spencer’s mother, Grace, and his best friend, Coop, convince Spencer it’s an opportunity he has to seize. When Spencer is forced to move in with Billy and his family, these two families and their vastly different worlds are drawn together. They will discover that the differences that divide us on the surface hide a deeper connection – the complicated, imperfect humanity that unites us all. | |||||
| 2 | "99 Problems" | David McWhirter | April Blair, Mike Herro & David Strauss | October 17, 2018 | 0.61[2] |
| THE MORE THINGS CHANGE - While trying to be all things, on and off the field, Spencer quickly discovers the rules he played by at Crenshaw no longer apply in Beverly Hills. Meanwhile, Coop is also forced to learn a new set of rules, with Spencer's protective "Halo Effect" now gone. | |||||
| 3 | "i" | Rob Hardy | Nkechi Okoro Carroll | October 24, 2018 | 0.76[2] |
| A SENSE OF SELF - Spencer and Jordan spend an unexpected day together back in Crenshaw where Beverly Hills golden boy, Jordan, gets his first taste of real life in South Central LA. Meanwhile, Billy struggles with his identity as a father as Olivia and Layla attempt to rekindle their friendship. Coop faces her own truth, coming clean to her parents about being gay. | |||||
| 4 | "Lose Yourself" | Elodie Keene | John A. Norris | November 7, 2018 | 0.75[2] |
| THE POWER OF PERSUASION - While riding the exhilarating wave of a three-game winning streak, Spencer becomes seduced by the Beverly Hills good life leading to an unexpected adventure with Asher. Meanwhile, Coop is also being seduced by a new way of life - gang life - and everything it offers her. | |||||
| 5 | "All We Got" | Rose Troche | Robert D. Doty & Lorna Osunsanmi | November 14, 2018 | 0.67[2] |
| WORLDS COLLIDE - Spencer's worlds come together to celebrate his birthday in Beverly Hills. But mixing the dysfunctional families - with the dash of an unexpected guest - ends in disaster. Olivia and Jordan, on a mission to uncover a family secret, discover a missing link to their father's past. Meanwhile, Coop and Patience struggle to define their blossoming romance. | |||||
| 6 | "The Choice Is Yours" | Benny Boom | Mike Herro & David Strauss & J. Stone Alston | November 28, 2018 | 0.75[2] |
| REVELATIONS - The return of Layla's music mogul father gives Spencer the perfect opportunity to give back to Crenshaw and reunite with an increasingly distant Coop. But Coop's deepening affiliation with Shawn's gang threatens Spencer's good intentions. Billy, Jordan and Asher take a journey to Malibu to scout their next big rival as tensions simmer between Jordan and Asher. | |||||
| 7 | "California Love" | Dawn Wilkinson | Nkechi Carroll & Michael Bhim | December 5, 2018 | 0.66[2] |
| CHANGE IS COMING - At an explosive homecoming dance, friendships in both Crenshaw and Beverly will be put to the test when decisions made by Spencer trigger an avalanche that drastically changes the course of several lives. Meanwhile, Billy finds himself forced to spend some quality time with Grace and defend his decision to marry outside of the culture. Meanwhile, Coop realizes that getting Shawn out of gang life may come at a steep price for her. | |||||
| 8 | "Homecoming" | Rob Hardy | April Blair | December 12, 2018 | 0.70[2] |
| FINDING YOUR PLACE - Beverly has their big Homecoming game and the pressure is on. Post-dance, Spencer is feeling the weight of the effects of his arrival at Beverly... as well as his departure from Crenshaw... and tries to set things right. Meanwhile, Billy tries to bring together his team for a win that will send them to the district play-offs for the first time since he became head coach... But Billy discovers doing what's right and winning aren't always the same thing. | |||||
| 9 | "Keep Ya Head Up" | Kevin Rodney Sullivan | John A. Norris | January 16, 2019 | 0.69[2] |
| ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES - Spencer should be on top of the world - his football team is headed to the playoffs and he can finally be with Layla - but he can't shake a major tragedy that occurred causing him to question everything. Meanwhile, Coop learns some disturbing information about a friend and Jordan is worried about the results of a drug test that could end his football career for good. | |||||
| 10 | "m.A.A.d. city" | Darren Grant | Natalie Abrams & Cam'ron Moore | January 23, 2019 | 0.71[2] |
| KEEP THE PEACE - As Coop gets more involved in gang life, her relationship with Patience is tested, while Spencer is determined to find a way to help his community stop the violence that keeps occurring. Jordan is developing a relationship with his grandfather, which brings up family issues for Billy. | |||||
| 11 | "All Eyez on Me" | Michael Schultz | J. Stone Alston & Robert D. Dody | January 30, 2019 | 0.77[2] |
| THE PRESSURE IS ON - At a college recruiting event, Spencer's former teammates from Crenshaw show up, which causes Spencer to lose focus. Olivia comes to Asher's aid, while Jordan struggles with the opportunities that comes with being Billy Baker's son. | |||||
| 12 | "Back in the Day" | Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum | Nkechi O. Carroll & Lorna Osunsanmi | February 6, 2019 | 0.57[2] |
| PAINFUL MEMORIES - Spencer tries not to repeat the mistakes of his past with his relationship with Layla and Olivia struggles with her sobriety. Billy reveals to Laura something he did to protect his family, while Coop has conflicted emotions about reuniting with her father. | |||||
| 13 | "Legacy" | Salli Richardson-Whitfield | John A. Norris | February 27, 2019 | 0.61[2] |
| UNDER PRESSURE - With playoffs and mid-terms looming, Spencer makes a few shocking discoveries about his father. Coop desperately wants to bring down her enemies, while Jordan makes a connection with his grandfather. | |||||
| 14 | "Regulate" | Geoff Sholtz | Jameal Turner | March 6, 2019 | 0.59[2] |
| FAMILY VALUES - Spencer wants no part of his father's return and Billy confronts him about their tumultuous past. Meanwhile, Layla forces Asher to re-evaluate his life. | |||||
| 15 | "Best Kept Secret" | Michael Schultz | Mike Herro & David Strauss | March 13, 2019 | 0.60[2] |
| THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL - Spencer learns the real reason his father left when he was growing up and is devastated by the truth. Billy must deal with the repercussions of decisions he made in the past, while Coop tries to stop a plan she set in motion, with tragic consequences. | |||||
| 16 | "Championships" | David McWhirter | Nkechi Okoro Carroll & Michael Bhim | March 20, 2019 | 0.54[2] |
| BACK TO BASICS - Spencer suffers a devastating setback and gets strength from an unlikely source. Billy, while focused on the championship game, realizes that he has to face some tough truths in order to get his family back. | |||||
Production[]
Filming[]
The pilot was filmed during the first quarter of 2018. Filming for season one began the following July.[3]
Casting[]
On February 22, 2018, Taye Diggs was cast as Billy Baker, followed a week later with Samantha Logan cast as Olivia Baker, his daughter.[4][5] The rest of the cast was filled out through mid-March with Bre-Z and Greta Onieogou cast on March 15, 2018 as characters Tamia Cooper and Layla Keating, respectively, with Monet Mazur, Michael Evans Behling, and Cody Christian cast the next day, to play Laura Fine-Baker, Olivia's mother; Jordan Baker, Olivia's brother; and Asher, respectively.[6][7][8] Karimah Westbrook was cast as Grace James on March 19, 2018 and British actor Daniel Ezra was cast in the lead role of Spencer James on March 21, 2018.[9][10] On May 31, 2018, Jalyn Hall was promoted to a series regular as Dillon, Spencer's little brother.[11]
Reception[]
Critical response[]
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds an approval rating of 92%, based on 25 reviews, and an average rating of 6.92/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "All American's ambitious attempts to tackle class struggles and classroom drama largely play thanks to its winning cast—an auspicious start to a promising new series".[12] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 63 out of 100 based on 15 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[13]
Ratings[]
| No. | Title | Airdate | 18-49 Demo | Demo Change | Viewers (millions) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Pilot" | October 10, 2018 | 0.19 | 0.685 | ||
| 2. | "99 Problems" | October 17, 2018 | 0.19 | -3.09% | 0.609 | -11.09% |
| 3. | "i" | October 24, 2018 | 0.25 | 33.51% | 0.763 | 25.29% |
| 4. | "Lose Yourself" | November 7, 2018 | 0.31 | 21.91% | 0.751 | -1.57% |
| 5. | "All We Got | November 14, 2018 | 0.27 | -13.40% | 0.668 | -11.05% |
| 6. | "The Choice Is Yours" | November 28, 2018 | 0.25 | -4.15% | 0.752 | 12.57% |
| 7. | "California Love" | December 5, 2018 | 0.24 | -4.33% | 0.661 | -12.10% |
| 8. | "Homecoming" | December 12, 2018 | 0.25 | 0.82% | 0.696 | 5.30% |
| 9. | "Keep Ya Head Up" | January 16, 2019 | 0.21 | -13.88% | 0.691 | -0.72% |
| 10. | "M.A.A.D. City" | January 23, 2019 | 0.23 | 9.00% | 0.706 | 2.17% |
| 11. | "All Eyez on Me" | January 30, 2019 | 0.22 | -4.35% | 0.769 | 8.92% |
| 12. | "Back in the Day" | February 6, 2019 | 0.18 | -18.18% | 0.574 | -25.36% |
| 13. | "Legacy" | February 27, 2019 | 0.19 | 5.56% | 0.614 | 6.97% |
| 14. | "Regulate" | March 6, 2019 | 0.18 | -5.26% | 0.588 | -4.23% |
| 15. | "Best Kept Secret" | March 13, 2019 | 0.19 | 5.56% | 0.599 | 1.87% |
| 16. | "Championships" | March 20, 2019 | 0.16 | -15.79% | 0.538 | -10.18% |
Gallery[]
Promotional[]
Videos[]
References[]
- ↑ The CW Picks Up ‘Charmed’ & ‘Roswell’ Reboots, ‘TVD’/’Originals Offshoot, ‘In The Dark’ & Greg Berlanti Pilot To Series
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 All American: Season One Ratings
- ↑ When will All American premiere on The CW?
- ↑ Taye Diggs to Star in Greg Berlanti-Produced CW Pilot (Exclusive)
- ↑ Luke Arnold Joins ‘For Love’ ABC Pilot; Samantha Logan In April Blair/Spencer Paysinger CW Pilot
- ↑ Bre-Z & Greta Onieogou Join April Blair/Spencer Paysinger CW Pilot
- ↑ Monet Mazur & Michael Evans Behling Cast In April Blair/Spencer Paysinger CW Pilot
- ↑ Cody Christian Cast In CW’s April Blair/Spencer Paysinger Pilot; Richard Esteras In ‘Skinny Dip’
- ↑ Karimah Westbrook Joins CW’s April Blair/Spencer Paysinger Pilot; Justina Adorno Books ABC’s ‘Grand Hotel’
- ↑ Daniel Ezra Lands the Lead In Spencer Paysinger CW Pilot From Greg Berlanti
- ↑ ‘All American’: Jalyn Hall Upped To Series Regular On CW Drama Series
- ↑ All American: Season 1
- ↑ All American: Season 1