All American – Homecoming

By starrymag | December 18, 2018

By: Jessica Wolff

 

 

Spencer James (Daniel Ezra) arrives home to find Tamia ‘Coop’ Cooler (Bre-Z) waiting for him. He asks how her thing for Shawn Scott (Jay Reeves) went, and she tells him that things don’t always work out as planned. She asks how things went with Leila Keating (Greta Onieogou), and he echoes that things don’t always work out as planned. Spencer confirms she’s okay and tells her he wants better for her.

 

The next morning, Spencer shows Dillon James (Jalyn Hall) video of Asher’s (Cody Christian) on-stage confrontation and Grace James (Karimah Westbrook) asks how many times he’s going to watch it. She takes the phone away, and Spencer blames his moving to Beverly for everything that’s happened. Grace tells him that he can’t take the blame for other people’s choices, and that moving to Beverly was the right decision for him.

 

Harold Adams (Casper Van Dien) demands that Asher’s suspension be reversed, but Coach Billy Baker (Taye Diggs) tells him that he had to punish Asher for drinking on school property. However, Harold refuses to accept the decision and promises Billy he’ll regret it. Jordan Baker (Michael Evans Behling) arrives home and Olivia Baker (Samantha Logan) demands to know where he’s been, determining that he’s high.

 

Billy catches Jordan as he and Olivia try to sneak upstairs and asks why he’s still in his suit and without shoes. Jordan tells him that he had a great night and let loose for once. He tells Billy that he’s always trying to do what he wants, and that he did something for himself for once. Billy questions Ripley’s (Michelle Hayden) intentions, but Jordan defends her. Billy reminds him he’s supposed to be leading the team and asks if he doesn’t want the responsibility. He tells him he needs to figure out what’s best for him, not for anyone else.

 

As Shawn makes breakfast for his daughter, Coop asks if he’s really going to walk away from the job. Shawn tells her that he doesn’t have the same optimistic view as her and Spencer, but Coop tells him he can’t give up on his dream. Shawn answers the door and Tyrone Morris (Demetrius Shipp Jr.) tells him he’s just stopping by. He hands Shawn’s daughter a stuffed kitten and tells Shawn that the cops are asking about the recent shooting, warning that they’re on lockdown. Tyrone reminds Coop that she and Shawn should watch their backs before leaving.

 

Spencer takes Coop to Laura Fine-Baker (Monet Mazur), telling her that Coop and Shawn need protection from Tyrone. Laura tells Spencer that he’s glad they came to her, and that the database shows that the police have been looking for Tyrone. She asks Coop for any information on Tyrone, but Coop tells her that Shawn is the one who knows him. Laura offers her help if Coop can convince Shawn to help bring in Tyrone.

 

Leila sees Olivia sitting in the restaurant and decides to approach her. She admits that they both said bad things to each other at the dance but admits she’s still mad at her. Olivia apologizes for sleeping with Asher, but Leila tells her she’s also upset about her pushing her away. Olivia admits that she thought she was protecting her, but she was really protecting herself and everything she said was true.

 

Leila admits that what Olivia said was also true and apologizes for chasing Spencer despite knowing Olivia’s feelings for him. Olivia tells her she doesn’t need to apologize, and that Spencer is good for her. Leila tells her that Spencer doesn’t want to complicate her life and to just be friends, but she isn’t happy about it. Olivia tells her she doesn’t want to lose their friendship, and Leila admits she needs time.

 

Principal Ed Landon (Jordan Belfi) tells Billy that Harold is complaining to the board about Asher’s suspension, but Billy questions the lesson Asher would learn if he let him play. Landon tells him he’s on his side, but the board will take action if they lose without Asher. Coop and Spencer try to convince Shawn to accept Laura’s help, but Shawn declares he doesn’t need any protection. Spencer argues that getting Tyrone off the streets will be good for the community, but Shawn refuses to snitch.

 

Shawn accuses Spencer of forgetting how things work in Crenshaw, but Spencer argues that Shawn chose the gang life and advises him to choose a new life. Shawn questions why Spencer cares, and Spencer tells him that he doesn’t, but Coop does. However, Shawn declares he’ll find his own way out. Outside, Spencer assures Coop she did the right thing and reminds her that she’s always telling him that he can’t save the world. He asks when she’s going to realize that she deserves better like she believes he does. Coop comments that it’s easier to see in other people, and he tells her he sees it in her.

 

Jordan rants about Billy to Ripley, and she comments that there’s more to life than football. He notices Asher and confronts him about telling the school about Olivia. Asher rants about his life being destroyed, and Jordan assures him there’s more to life than football. However, Asher declares the team won’t win without him. Billy finds Malibu’s coach (Eion Bailey) waiting for him and they meet with the referees. The coach taunts Billy about his lack of winning, and Billy argues with him about the new targeting rules. The meeting end and Malibu’s coach taunts Billy about making his job easy by benching Asher.

 

Coop finds Ruth Scott (Bernadette Speakes) in Shawn’s apartment and she explains that Shawn asked her to babysit but he’s an hour late. Shawn ignores Coop’s call and meets with Tyrone in an abandoned lot. He gives Tyrone all of the money he’s saved up, telling him he wants out and that he plans to start a new life with his daughter in Louisiana. Tyrone accepts the deal but tells Shawn that he overpaid his worth. Spencer bumps into Leila outside the restaurant, and she admits she was avoiding him. She tells him that his rejection hurt her, and he assures her he didn’t mean it as rejection. Leila wishes him luck, and Spencer kisses her cheek.

 

Shawn calls Coop and tells her she was right about there being a way out. He tells her that her belief in him helped him believe in himself, and he excitedly tells her about the life he plans to have with his daughter. However, a rival gang member (Antoine Harris) approaches Shawn and shoots him as revenge for Bonez. Later, Coop recounts the experience to Grace and Patience (Chelsea Tavares), telling them she’ll never forget the sound of the gunshots. Grace consoles her and Spencer arrives to give Coop his condolences. Spencer admits that Shawn was one of them and promises to help her through it.

 

At game time, Billy tells Asher that he’s not allowed on the sidelines while suspended and Spencer is too distraught to finish his motivational speech in the huddle. Jordan tells him that they’ve got him and finishes the speech. Spencer shares a look with Chris (Spence Moore II), and Chris explains to Olivia that Shawn was one of them. She asks if Spencer will be able to play through the grief, and Chris admits he doesn’t know. Spencer gives Beverly good field position to start the game. However, the Malibu defense completely dominates Beverly’s offense. At halftime, Beverly is down by two touchdowns and Billy declares that Malibu has their entire playbook.

 

In the locker room, Jordan questions how they’re going to beat Malibu and Billy asks Spencer how well he knows Crenshaw’s playbook. Spencer tells him it’s ingrained in him and Billy tells him to work with Jordan on his three favorite plays. Chris draws the play on a tablet for Jordan and Spencer tells him that he owes him. Chris tells him he doesn’t owe him, as they’re family. They fist bump and declare this is for Shawn as Spencer returns to the field.

 

Jordan calls an audible at the line and executes the drawn play with Spencer easily catching a touchdown pass in the end zone. Jordan and Spencer continue to work together to gain yardage and throw off the defense and the game is tied at twenty-one points apiece. Jordan sees Malibu’s player, Delgado (Javier Bolanos) share a frustrated look with Asher in the stands and Billy calls a timeout with seconds left in the game. Chris suggests a play called “River Run” and draws it for Jordan. After Jordan takes the snap, he tosses the ball to Spencer, who throws it back to him before he runs into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.

 

As Beverly celebrates on the field and in the stands, Billy tells Jordan he’s proud of him and Spencer shares a moment with Chris across the field. In the locker room, Asher compliments Jordan’s play and asks where the trick plays came from. Jordan tells him they came from the Crenshaw playbook and comments that they’ll need to create a new playbook since someone gave away theirs. He tells Asher that he knows he is responsible, and Asher asks him to explain. Asher tells Jordan that his life is falling apart, and Jordan asks how long he’s going to use the same excuse. Jordan tells him that his spot on the team will be gone once he tells Billy. Asher reminds him it’s just football, but Jordan replies it’s more than just football.

 

Leila visits Spencer and he invites her in. She asks what he was listening to and he tells her he puts on headphones sometimes to block out the noise. Leila gives his condolences for Shawn, and Spencer tells her that Shawn was trying to be better before he died. She tells him about how she felt after her mom died, and she kisses him. Things heat up and they take their clothes off. After they have sex, Leila tells Spencer that she knows that it was just to block out the noise. She tells him that she doesn’t want this to ruin their friendship, but he tells her he does.

 

Leila tells him she thought they wanted them to be just friends, and Spencer tells her that he doesn’t want to push away how he feels anymore. He tells her life is too short and asks if she still wants to be just friends. Leila says no and kisses him. As Coop looks at Shawn’s sidewalk memorial, Patience tells her that she’s glad her gang experience is over. However, Coop tells her it isn’t over before she is embraced by Tyrone and the gang. Harold tells Asher that he should stay with his mother, as there’s no reason for him to live with him if he’s off the team. Asher reminds him his mother doesn’t want him, and Harold tells him it’s for him to figure out.

 

Landon and Malibu’s coach gather Billy and the team in the locker room, and Billy explains that an anonymous tip has suggested that one of them violated the drug policy. He explains they will all be tested, and Jordan tells Billy that he’s going to fail. As everyone submits their samples, Malibu’s coach tells Spencer that he used to coach with Spencer’s dad and tells him that his dad would have succeeded him at Beverly if Billy hadn’t taken the job from them. Spencer tells him he doesn’t have to keep messing with them, but Malibu’s coach tells him that he always liked his dad. Spencer tells him that his dad abandoned their family, and Malibu’s coach tells him he wouldn’t leave without a reason. He adds that Billy would do anything to get what he wants as Billy sneaks into the unoccupied room to switch Jordan’s sample with his own.