All American – The Choice Is Yours

By starrymag | December 4, 2018

By: Jessica Wolff

 

 

As Beverly is on the verge of losing, Spencer James (Daniel Ezra) returns the kickoff to the twenty-yard line. Spencer looks out at the crowd and Olivia Baker (Samantha Logan) explains to Leila Keating (Greta Onieogou) that he’s looking for Tamia ‘Coop’ Cooper (Bre-Z). Leila comments that Spencer is looking good, but Olivia reminds her that she thought he was her brother and JP Keating (Elvis Nolasco) and his girlfriend, Chynna (Niatia ‘Lil Mama’ Kirkland) sit next to them.

 

Asher (Cody Christian) confronts Jordan Baker (Michael Evans Behling) about not throwing to him, but Jordan tells him to run the correct routes. Spencer breaks up the argument, and Asher is unable to catch Jordan’s pass on the next snap. Asher and Jordan continue arguing and Coach Billy Baker (Taye Diggs) calls a timeout. JP and Chynna leave to take a call, and Leila tells Olivia that they’re in town for only a few days to promote Chynna’s new album. Olivia senses that Leila doesn’t like Chynna, and Leila admits that she’s nothing like her mom.

 

Billy stresses there are two seconds left on the clock and urges them to stop playing around and win the game. After Spencer talks to Jordan, Jordan calls an audible. The ball is snapped, and Jordan runs the ball in for the touchdown. As the team celebrates, the Malibu coach (Eion Bailey) approaches Billy and tells him that he took his former team and ran it into the ground. The coach tells Billy he’ll be happy when Malibu ends Beverly’s season next week, but Billy tells him that he’s not going to get inside his head.

 

The team continues their celebration in the locker room, and Asher asks Jordan what that was about. Jordan tells Asher that he whines whether he gets the ball or not and urges him to stop whining. Billy gets the team’s attention and asks why they’re celebrating a narrow victory against a last-place team. He warns them that Malibu will crush them if they continue playing like that, declaring there’s no reason to celebrate. JJ (Hunter Clowdus) restarts the celebration once he’s gone, and Spencer gets a text from Coop explaining that she was busy.

 

Asher attempts to impress JP, telling him that his father plans to take him snorkeling and makes a comment about their private jet. Leila excuses herself from the conversation and JP compliments Spencer’s game. JP tells Spencer that Chynna is also from Crenshaw and makes a comment that people from there are more authentic. JP informs Chynna that their planned venue fell through and invites Spencer to the release party once they find a new venue. Asher storms off, and Spencer tells them that he’s helping out with Alvin Washington’s (Bill Lee Brown) block party this weekend.

 

Asher complains that JP doesn’t like him, and Leila assures him that he doesn’t have to lie to impress him. However, Asher is frustrated by the day and leaves. Spencer tells Leila that JP seems cool, but senses that Leila isn’t a fan of Chynna. Leila speculates that Chynna is using JP, but Olivia suggests that JP is too smart for that. Spencer goes to Crenshaw and Coop is surprised to see him. He tells her he was worried about her, and Coop tells her she needed some time with Patience (Chelsea Royse Tavares). Shawn Scott (Jay Reeves) tells Coop they need to go and tells Spencer they have business. Spencer is suspicious, but Coop assures him she’ll be okay. Patience doesn’t know anything about Shawn’s business, and Spencer declares he needs to get Coop away from him.

 

Bonez (Patrick Cage) comes into the barbershop and asks for a haircut, flashing Coop his gun. Coop sends a text about the situation before beginning the haircut. Leila comes in the studio while Chynna is recording and asks JP if he wants to have lunch. JP tells her to invite Spencer and goes into the recording booth. As JP’s phone rings, Leila finds a ring box in his bag and takes it as JP and Chynna walk out. Billy asks Jordan and Asher what’s going on with them, but they just blame each other. Billy explains that his coach would make them walk together to work out their problems but tells them he’s taking them on a field trip instead.

 

Leila shows Spencer the ring, and Spencer jokes that they’re not even holding hands yet. She explains that she is unsure of Chynna’s intentions with JP and asks Spencer to read her at lunch. Shawn comes into the barbershop and Bonez confronts him about encroaching on neutral territory. Shawn warns him to get his haircut somewhere else, but Bonez warns him to remove his business from the barbershop and leaves with his gang. Coop advises him to take his money out of the shop, but Shawn declares that nobody will tells him how to run his business.

 

At lunch, JP suggests to Spencer that they use Alvin’s block party to help promote Chynna’s new album. Leila is not a fan of the idea, but Spencer agrees to talk to Alvin about it and asks for a favor in return. Coop is surprised that Spencer wants her to emcee the event, but Spencer compliments her talents and suggests she could get an opportunity to be heard by JP. Patience thinks Coop’s music should be heard, and Coop agrees to do it. Alvin agrees to use the block party as a release party for Chynna and a kid (Mica’h Dumas) shows them Bonez’s graffiti outside the barbershop.

 

Coop goes to Shawn’s apartment and demands he remove the money from the barbershop. Shawn opens the door and introduces his daughter to Coop, explaining that the money is to help her find a better life. Coop suggests a new way to earn money, but Shawn reminds her he doesn’t have the same opportunities as most. Jordan, Asher, and Billy drive to Malibu to scope out their team, and Jordan flirts with Ripley (Michelle Hayden) as he observes. Jordan gives Billy his observations, and Asher admits that he considered going to Malibu. Jordan sarcastically comments how lucky they are, and Asher asks what his problem is. Billy reminds them that the Malibu team is their enemy.

 

At the block party, Chris (Spence Moore II) approaches Olivia and offers to help her with volunteer work. Leila asks Spencer about his assessment of Chynna, but Spencer advises her to give Chynna a chance and assures JP that Coop will be there. Chris tells Olivia about his history with Spencer and flirts with her. Spencer asks Patience if she’s heard from Coop, and they see Coop walk up with Shawn. Spencer asks Shawn what he’s doing there, and Shawn tells him that Coop asked him to be there. Coop suggests that JP can help Shawn as well, but Spencer tells her the offer was only for her. She argues that Shawn should get an opportunity as well, but Spencer tells her that Shawn is standing in his own way. Coop gets angry and tells Spencer that she’ll leave if Shawn leaves.

 

Coop hypes the crowd up, and Shawn introduces himself to JP, asking for a selfie with him. Spencer congratulates Coop on her performance but is unhappy to see Shawn taking a photo with JP. Coop tells him the block party is supposed to be for the whole community, and Leila compliments Coop on her performance. Chynna suggests that she take Coop on tour with her, and Coop makes a comment about Alvin’s barbershop. Chynna is surprised to hear that Alvin owns a barbershop, which makes Spencer and Coop suspicious of her claim that she’s from Crenshaw.

 

Malibu’s coach approaches Billy and taunts him about his need to adopt Spencer to win. Asher tells Jordan they need to be on the same page to play Malibu and adds that the passive-aggressiveness is getting old. Jordan tells him it’s better than the alternative, and Asher tells him he’s done trying to talk to him. Jordan threatens to tell Leila about his hookup with Olivia, and punches Asher. As they start fighting, Malibu’s coach questions how Billy plans to beat him if he can’t control his players and Billy runs to break up the fight.

 

Shawn compliments Coop and tells her that JP might have a job for him. He tells her he’s going to take the money out of the barbershop and rejects her offer to go with him. Leila asks Chynna where she’s really from, and she tells Leila that she moved from Crenshaw when she was young. Leila accuses her of using the community and JP, but Chynna denies using anybody and tells her that the promotion through Crenshaw was JP’s idea. Coop gets the crowd going before Chynna comes out to perform.

 

Bonez approaches the barbershop as Shawn brings the money out, points a gun at him, and tells him he wants part of the money. Bonez’s associate tells him the money is theirs now and Shawn pulls out his gun. Chynna and the crowd panic upon hearing gunshots and Coop runs away. Coop goes to the barbershop and finds Bonez’ body. Spencer chases after Coop, who tells him she needs to make sure Shawn is okay. She defends Shawn, and Spencer asks why she’s doing this.

 

Coop tells him he has no idea what’s been going on in Crenshaw, and Spencer reminds her that she encouraged him to go to Beverly. She tells him she looks after her people, and Spencer yells at her that Shawn is a thug. Spencer warns her that she is in danger and that will put his family in danger. Coop tells him she’ll move out of his house, and Spencer is upset she’s choosing Shawn over him. She tells him that he doesn’t need her like Shawn does and that she doesn’t turn her back on people.

 

Asher can’t believe Billy is making him and Jordan walk home and asks if he can explain what happened. Jordan asks if Olivia was sober, and Asher tells him they were both going through a rough time. Jordan asks how his life is rough and Asher confesses that his family lost all their money. Asher admits he didn’t tell him because he’s embarrassed and swears he didn’t take advantage of Olivia. He apologizes, and they laugh about the party Asher threw in a stranger’s house. Billy pulls up and asks if they’ve worked things out. They confirm they did, and Billy tells them to get in the car.

 

Leila overhears JP tell Chynna that a reporter wants to interview her about her ties to Crenshaw and declare that publicity that good can’t be bought. She confronts him about being happy that someone was shot, hands him the ring box, and tells them they deserve each other. Spencer visits Shawn’s apartment, warning him that it’s his responsibility to look after Coop now that she is involved in his business and telling him that he hopes Coop is right about him as Coop overhears from inside the apartment.

 

Chris walks Olivia to her car, and they continue to flirt. She admits she had a good time with him and he asks for her number. Olivia admits that she’s trying to figure her life out, and Chris gives her his number for when she does. Leila rants about JP and Chynna’s selfishness, and Spencer suggests that she’s being too hard on JP. Leila points out that he used the community, but Spencer suggests there’s more to her anger and suggests she take the opportunity to talk to JP. She admits she doesn’t want to lose him, and JP arrives at the restaurant.

 

Outside, Leila tells JP that it feels like she said goodbye to him after mom died and JP tells her that he’s always been selfish, but her mother filled his darkness with light. JP apologizes for Leila seeing his true nature and hands her the ring box, telling her he intended to give it to her and explaining that he had been planning to give the upgraded engagement ring to her mother before she died. JP tells Leila that he loves her despite not being the father she needs. Leila tells him she loves him too and embraces him. Inside, Leila thanks Spencer for helping her have an honest conversation with JP and tells him that he’s been the only guy that’s been honest with her. She kisses him, and he kisses her back as Olivia watches from outside the restaurant.