All American Season 6 Episode 1 Review: Things Done Changed
Laura Nowak
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What a difference a year makes.
When All American Season 6 Episode 1 began, there had been a major time jump of a year and three months. That's only a few more months in real-time and made sense for most storylines, but there were a few moments that would have been beneficial to see.
Almost all of the vortex members have matured and moved on, so the time jump helped them.
Let's start with Spencer. The football ban allowed him to appreciate the fun of the game, and now that GAU is eligible for the championships again and he's eligible for the NFL draft, he was feeling the weight of the team on his shoulders.
Spencer has always hated media attention, so he hated having reporters, the GAU president, the Boosters, and Coach Kenny harping on how important this season was to them.
Look, Spence, contrary to what the media and the Boosters are saying, this is not all on your head. The whole team is going to lead us to the chip.
Jordan
Part of Spencer's worries were that he was stressed about seeing Olivia since he hadn't seen her in a year, and he hadn't admitted that to anyone until Jordan checked in.
I loved that Jordan and Spencer could be rivals on the football field and still act like brothers.
There was nobody besides Jordan who could understand getting all of your priorities in order. He's matured greatly and learned how to be happy.
Spence, the football pressure is what it is. This is a critical year, but for the Liv part, I suggest you figure out those answers before she gets home tomorrow. The rest will fall into place.
Jordan
Since they were apart for a year, Spencer over-compensated by wanting to throw Olivia a massive welcome home party. He even offered to bring Laura with him to the airport.
Coop was correct that Spencer seemed to be avoiding being alone with Olivia. When Olivia chose to stay in London for another year to continue finding herself, it affected him more than he thought. They were naive to assume things would stay the same.
Olivia was just as nervous as Spencer, which she admitted to Layla when she arrived back early.
While it was sweet that Olivia didn't want to miss Layla and Patience's big night, she also wanted her and Spencer's reunion to be among friends to avoid the important talk until later.
At least both of them had matured enough to discuss the elephant in the room as soon as possible. Olivia has changed. Being in London without Spencer, her friends, or her family allowed her to grow as an individual without anyone to lean on.
That was important because she's always identified as Billy Baker's daughter, Jordan's twin, or Spencer's girlfriend. She discovered who she was standing on her own two feet. It was important that she wanted to return home and be with Spencer.
I can’t speak for you, but for me, I’m sure of one thing that old me and new me share and that’s my love for you. That was clear the minute I saw you tonight.
Olivia
It's important that these two take their time getting reacquainted. Something tells me that some of Olivia still lives in London, which could be an issue.
I wish we had seen more of the last year with Layla, Patience, and Coop. While seeing every part of Patience's recovery may have been tedious, seeing how she dealt with the aftermath would have been beneficial.
It's almost like we jumped too far in this story. Suddenly, Layla was opening her own lounge, and Patience was her first act at the new club. It was her first performance since the stabbing.
Even though Patience insisted she was ready to move on and that Coop and Layla hovered too much, it was obvious that Patience was in denial. She had only recently learned that Miko was released from prison, so she feared for her life again.
That added pressure put stress on Layla as the opening neared, and I wished the two ladies had talked about what really mattered since Layla had dealt with a stalker before with Carrie.
While it wasn't the same, she would understand the fear and what it takes to start over.
With everything going on, it made total sense that Patience had a panic attack when she took the stage and thought Miko was there. It also made sense that Layla broke down in Jordan's arms, thinking it was her fault and that she pushed Patience too hard to return.
Both women needed to learn that only Miko was to blame, and I was relieved that the rest of their friends were surrounding them.
Coop saved the day by jumping on stage and getting the crowd riled up as she sang Patience's best songs. It was a shame Patience missed that part. She could have witnessed that Coop would have done anything for her.
As much as I enjoy them, Coop was correct. Patience needs to focus on healing and doesn't need any excess pressure.
Asher seemed like he finally had it all as he juggled new parenthood with his career. Coach Montes even gave him the coveted ring, even though he knew Asher would have rather earned it winning a gone than assisting in coaching a team.
Parenthood looks great on you. I bet that ring would, too.
Coach Montes
Since Asher had a tenuous relationship with his parents, he has always been close to his mentors.
He's already lost Billy Baker during All American Season 5. Since Kamar de los Reyes, who portrays Coach Montes, recently died of cancer, he won't be on-screen much longer, either.
That may be a huge storyline for Asher since Coach Montes and the other coaches provided advice and comic relief as Asher dealt with bringing his son, AJ, to work.
It takes a village to raise a child, and while I initially thought Spencer and Jordan would be jumping in, they seemed too preoccupied with their own lives.
Let's discuss the other elephant in the room: JJ left for Tibet, and Hunter Clowdus exited the series.
I suspected that at the end of last season, but that is still a disappointment, especially with Asher's storyline. JJ would have been a fun uncle.
What did you think, All American Fanatics?
Was the time jump beneficial for the vortex? Are you happy Spencer and Olivia are still together? Will you miss JJ?
We'd love to hear your thoughts, so let us know in the comments below.
Laura Nowak is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on X.
