All American Season 4 Episode 5 Review: Can It All Be So Simple

Spoilers

That’s how you tie things up before the holidays.

Everyone, even Asher, firmed up their football futures on All American Season 4 Episode 5.

Now they can get back to the personal drama for which the series is best known.

Contingency Plan -- Tall - All American Season 4 Episode 5

Since, as the title suggests, football is a big part of this series, it’s appropriate that that sport dominated much of this episode.

Was it shocking that Spencer’s little commitment problem got cleared up so quickly? Not really. But the suspense held up for almost the whole 60 minutes.

New Plan - All American Season 4 Episode 5

Please leave it to Billy to develop a creative solution for all his former players searching for a scholarship offer.

Let’s face it. Other than Spencer, were any of the others scholarship players?

Jordan looked good in, granted, the biggest game of his life, the state championship but was a medical liability for much of his career. J.J. won some meaningless midseason games as quarterback his senior year and was a legend in his own mind. To his chagrin, Asher was declared medically unfit.

Unwelcomed Advice - All American Season 4 Episode 5

Still, let’s give Asher, who is best poised for a long career in football as a coach, some credit. His cardiac condition has forced him to become an observer and an armchair philosopher who can pump up his former teammates.

As Layla pointed out, it was human for him to snap when J.J., the personification of the non-scholar athlete, got Asher’s scholarship at his dream school.

J.J. took it all pretty well, as he should have, giving Asher credit. If Asher hadn’t forcefully suggested that J.J. switch back to his natural position of linebacker, J.J. still might be seeking that scholarship.

For any South Crenshaw players, such as Chris, it was reflected glory from playing with Spencer. Didn’t he make Jordan and Chris look better than their abilities at that combine?

Help From Asher - All American Season 4 Episode 5

It would have been nice to find out if Chris or Frosto or any other Chargers got a bite. I’m guessing not because Billy would have mentioned it.

It was apparent that Coach Kenny would play a role in Spencer’s future when they ran into each other at the cafe. Let’s see: Corey’s friend, a local guy, is coaching at a nearby school. He ticked off all the boxes.

Plus, he was willing to wait for Spencer if he had to sit out a year to be free of Toledo State.

I was looking forward to Laura breaking down Coach Hudson on the stand. But Billy did that instead in his office, pointing out that the old white coach keeping the black player enslaved on his plantation wasn’t going to fly in cancel culture.

Big Step - All American Season 4 Episode 5

It all came down to the right fit for Spencer. Toledo State playing for Coach Dante felt right while being Coach Hudson’s star player didn’t. Coach Kenny offered Spencer everything he wanted, even Jordan as a potential teammate.

Phew, that’s over. Just as well, since recruiting isn’t a fascinating storyline for a good chunk of the audience.

Olivia continued to grow as a character, considering taking on a new role at Narcotics Anonymous.

What Olivia was saying during her share resonated with one young meeting goer, much to her surprise.

Different Role - All American Season 4 Episode 5

That led to her sponsor, the never subtle Nurse Joy, essentially urging her to “pay it forward, bitch,” suggesting that she become a sponsor for a particular problem child, Jen.

Once they got together, Olivia and Jen discovered they had quite a few common interests. Olivia saw parts of herself in Jen, especially her denial that she was an addict.

When Jen asked her to be her sponsor, Olivia fumbled, deciding that Jen wasn’t ready to be helped. Only after Spencer urged her to give in to her natural tendency to help people did she channel her inner Joy, dishing up some tough love to Jen at the next meeting.

Yes, Olivia was probably right that she has too much going on to take on another activity. But she’s got to be at the meetings anyway, so why not?

Overdue Talk - All American Season 4 Episode 5

Coop continued her season-long string of bad choices as she floundered about looking for a new direction in life.

All warning signs to the contrary, she has decided to become a surrogate big sister to Preach’s daughter Amina since Coop feels responsible for the death of Amina’s mother, Mo.

Really, Mo and her elaborate scheme to ruin Coop’s life (which pretty much succeeded) were responsible for her death. But there’s little doubt that Coop was a contributing factor.

Not content to have lost her music career, Coop was accidentally ruining Patience’s career as well.

Unexpected Offer - All American Season 4 Episode 5

Patience has the finished product for Layla to promote. Layla needed someone to headline what was to have been Coop’s tour.

These developments should have been a win-win situation. But unlike Layla, who has overhead to pay, Patience felt she had to continue to indulge Coop, to her detriment.

Coop did a rare right thing, encouraging Patience to go on tour, then spoiled that by refusing to go with her, choosing to stay and care for Amina instead.

So Coop has managed to piss off her benefactor and her lover, opting to remain in the sites of a mini-gangster who has painted a target on her. Now that he’s got a new scholarship, maybe Spencer can point out the idiocy of these moves to Coop.

Making Offer - All American Season 4 Episode 5

To revisit Spencer’s recruitment travails, watch All American online.

Were you at all surprised that J.J. and Jordan got opportunities?

Will Olivia be an effective sponsor?

When will Coop wake up?

Comment below.

Dale McGarrigle is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.

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