All American – Regulate

By starrymag | March 12, 2019

By:  Jessica Wolff

 

Spencer James (Daniel Ezra) faces his father, Corey James (Chad L. Coleman), who asks if they can talk. Spencer questions why he wants to talk now, and how it would make up for all of the years. Coach Billy Baker (Taye Diggs) comes into the house and notices Corey. Their greeting is intense, and Spencer walks away from the conversation. Grace James (Karimah Westbrook) tells Corey and Billy to leave as Spencer goes to his room.

 

Tamia ‘Coop’ Cooper (Bre-Z) relives Shawn’s death in her nightmares, and Patience (Chelsea Tavares) attempts to comfort her. Patience asks if there’s something she needs to tell her, and Coop downplays the nightmare. Patience persists, but Coop insists there’s nothing new that is causing the nightmares.

 

One week later, Grace congratulates Spencer on his latest playoff performance and Spencer sees that Dillon James (Jalyn Hall) is making a wish list for his birthday party. Spencer promises everything on his list despite Grace’s question of how he’s going to pay for it. Once Dillon leaves, Grace asks Spencer if he’s heard from Corey and Spencer confirms he hasn’t. She suggests they don’t tell Dillon until they know Corey’s reasons for returning, and Spencer agrees.

 

Asher Adams (Cody Christian) ignores a text from his father, and Leila Keating (Greta Onieogou) is annoyed that he drank her almond milk. She tells him they need to talk, telling him he can’t avoid the situation with his parents forever. Asher tells her not to worry, as he has a plan.

 

Coop tells Spencer she’s there if he wants to talk about Corey. He tells her there’s nothing to talk about and asks her if she’s coming to Dillon’s party. She promises to be there but doesn’t think hosting the party in the park is a good idea. Coop warns him that it will anger Tyrone Morris (Demetrius Shipp Jr.), but Spencer argues that Tyrone doesn’t care about a kid’s party.

 

Spencer meets with Flip Williams (Lahmard Tate), who shows him the supplies he can get him for Dillon’s party. Tyrone approaches them and confronts Spencer about hosting a party in the park. Flip comes between them, telling him that there will be a problem if he disrupts the party and declaring it untouchable. Tyrone walks away, and Flip assures Spencer that Tyrone isn’t stupid enough to cross him.

 

Coop finds Tyrone, Preach (Kareem Grimes) and Malik (Mikelen Walker) in her apartment. Tyrone informs her of a situation at the church. Preach comments that the pastor has secrets like the rest of them, and Tyrone asks Coop to go to talk to the pastor. Tyrone asks Coop about Dillon’s party, questioning if she thinks he would shoot up a kid’s party based on her expression. Malik makes a comment that Tyrone doesn’t want to piss off Flip, and Tyrone promises to deal with Flip and Spencer later as he grabs Malik by the throat.

 

Leila is furious to see that Asher is hosting a series of poker games in her house and threatens to call the cops if everyone isn’t out in ten minutes. Once everyone is gone, Asher explains that he was just trying to win some money and apologizes, and Leila asks why he didn’t ask for permission.

 

Asher explains he thought she would say no, and that he can now pay the first two months of rent at a new apartment. Leila suggest that Asher resolve things with his parents, and Asher confesses that his Dad already reached out to him. Asher tells her his father’s love is conditional and that he doesn’t need him.

 

On the morning of Dillon’s party, Spencer, Grace, and Coop sing a birthday song to him. Spencer answers the door and sees that it’s Corey. He goes outside and asks what he’s doing. Corey explains he wants to give Dillon a present, but Spencer tells him they don’t need his gifts and Dillon doesn’t know he’s returned. Corey admits he shouldn’t have left, but Spencer asks which time he’s referring to. Spencer declares he wouldn’t be there if he truly cared about them and tells him to leave.

 

Billy questions why Jordan Baker (Michael Evans Behling) isn’t there as he and Laura Fine-Baker (Monet Mazur) arrive at the party. She tells him he wanted to visit Grandpa Willy (Brent Jennings) first, and hands Dillon his present. Billy asks Spencer how he’s doing, and Spencer tells him that Corey stopped by earlier. Billy promises he’s there if Spencer wants somebody to talk to, and Corey watches the conversation from his car. He texts Billy a message asking to talk, and Billy replies they’ll talk after the party.

 

Willy shows Jordan the latest paper, pointing out that Spencer’s name is in the headline but not his. Jordan argues that Spencer plays on both sides of the ball, but Willy reminds him the quarterback is the most important position. Jordan reminds him there’s no “I” in team, but Willy suggests that he’s too comfortable. Willy talks about the struggles black men face, and Jordan is eager to hear more about his experience, declaring the party can wait.

 

Grace is surprised when Micah Richards (Wole Parks) shows up to the party, and he tells her that Dillon invited him. He realizes that she didn’t know, but Dillon is excited that he came and invites him to play. Patience confesses that she’s worried about Coop, telling Spencer and Leila about her nightmares. Leila suggests that Coop has PTSD, but Patience explains that the nightmares started that week.

 

Spencer approaches Micah and apologizes for what happened a week ago, and Micah is understanding. Micah questions if Grace is avoiding him as she talks to other people at the party. Spencer sees Preach watching the party from across the street and assures Micah that Grace likes him as he goes to stop Coop from leaving.

 

Spencer brings up Coop’s nightmares, but Coop insists they’re bound to happen. He questions if Preach is the reason the nightmares started, but Coop denies it. Spencer sees through the lie and tells her that they can deal with Tyrone in another way. He expresses his fear that she’ll be killed and asks if she wants that. Preach calls out to Coop, and she assures Spencer she’ll be fine.

 

Coop tells Preach that she can’t go with him, and he warns her of the consequences of not obeying Tyrone. She promises she’ll deal with Tyrone and offers Laura her help in taking down Tyrone. Later, Dillon thanks Spencer for the best birthday party and Spencer and Leila return to her house to find that she has been robbed.

 

Leila assesses what was stolen, and one of the police officers tell her that the security cameras were turned off. Asher comes in, and the officer gives them a neighbor’s description of the potential suspects Spencer tells Leila that he has to step out and tells Asher to stay by her side.

 

Billy criticizes Jordan for missing the party to talk to Willy, telling him that Willy intentionally called Corey to give Jordan his time to shine. Jordan argues that Willy didn’t intend to hurt Spencer, but Billy tells him that he’s wrong. Billy asks if he wants to get his wins in life by stepping on his friends and leaves him to think about it.

 

Billy meets with Corey and asks why he wants to talk. Corey admits that he’s not proud of leaving his kids, but that he felt he had no other option. Billy criticizes his decision and asks why he’s back now. Corey admits he misses his family and asks him to convince Spencer to sit down and talk to him. Billy tells him that he can’t force Spencer to do anything, but Corey reminds him he has the power to ruin his happy life. Billy maintains that he can’t force Spencer, telling him that it’s best to have things work out over time.

 

Laura gives Coop information on Preach, revealing that he was friends with Shawn’s brother Brandon, and he refused to take a deal to testify against him. Spencer tells Coop that Tyrone robbed Leila’s house, assessing that he’s coming after him for throwing the party in the park. Coop asks how he knows it’s Tyrone, and he gives the description the officer gave. She points out how vague the description is and accuses him of profiling his own people since he moved to Beverly. Spencer declares he’s still Crenshaw ride or die, and declares he’s going to talk to Tyrone if Coop won’t.

 

Leila asks Asher if he turned off her security cameras, and he confesses that he didn’t want the poker games caught on camera. She suggests that the robbers might have been at the game, but Asher insists he wouldn’t bring that into her house. He suggests that Spencer’s fight with the gangs could have been the cause, but Leila insists Spencer has never brought danger into her home and tells Asher he should leave her house.

 

Spencer confronts Tyrone, asking if he knows anything about Leila’s house being robbed. He takes Tyrone’s response as confirmation and tells him that they don’t handle problems like that. Tyrone points his gun at Spencer, but Corey runs over and tells Tyrone that he already called the police. Corey declares that he’ll have to kill both of them, and Tyrone tells Spencer he got lucky this time before leaving. Spencer tells Corey that he doesn’t need his help, but Corey tells him that Grace called him after Coop called her. Corey tells him that a normal person would be thankful, but Spencer declares that he must not be normal before leaving.

 

Spencer asks Billy if Leila can stay on his couch and admits that Dillon’s party caused him to let his guard down with Tyrone. Billy comments that they’re not sure that Tyrone is responsible for the break-in, and assesses that Spencer is still dealing with Corey being back. Spencer denies it, but Billy calls out his denial. Billy tells him that he needs to face his demons or else they’ll eat him alive, urging him to talk to Corey.

 

Leila gets a call from the police and tells Spencer that they caught the robbers. She identifies them as part of a bling ring, and Spencer admits he owes Coop an apology. Leila apologizes to Asher for overreacting, and tells him that he can move back in. However, Asher tells him that she gave him the kick in the ass he needed and that he’s trying to work things out with his father. He asks if she’ll be okay in the house alone, and Leila assures him she will be.

 

Jordan admits that Billy was right about Willy but tells him he can’t cut him off. He admits that it’s not just about football as Willy is his connection to his roots in Crenshaw. Billy says it’s okay, and Coop tells Preach that Tyrone had Shawn killed. Preach tells her he needs proof, and Coop tells him what she knows. She appeals to his friendship with Brandon, arguing that Shawn is family and that Preach is loyal to family. Preach promises that they’ll take care of Tyrone, assuring her that he won’t be a problem anymore.

 

Grace tells Spencer that her date with Micah was great, and Spencer admits he’s thinking of talking to Corey. He tells her that he won’t do it if she doesn’t want him to, promising he doesn’t want to hurt her. Grace gives her support but tells him there’s something she needs to tell him first about why Corey left. Leila struggles with being alone in her house, but Olivia Baker (Samantha Logan) comes over to stay with her. Billy visits Willy, asking how much money he wants to stay away from Jordan.

 

Spencer meets with Corey, telling him that he’s now the easiest conversation to have of everyone that’s betrayed him. He questions the three reasons he returned, first that he wants to repair their relationship, second that he’s seen Spencer on the news and knows he’s destined for greatness, or third that he wants to ruin Billy and Grace’s life as payback for their affair that caused him to leave in the first place. Corey confirms that the affair is the reason he left, and Spencer asks which reason caused him to come back.