All American Review: Decisions (Season 2 Episode 16)

That’s how you do a season finale!

All American Season 2 Episode 16, “Decisions,” does everything a successful season finale should. Wrapping up long-standing arcs while laying the foundation for completely new conflicts ahead, it allows the series to go out on its highest note. 

It’s going to be one hell of an exciting — and dramatic — third season.

Liberties like guaranteed future seasons give shows opportunities to take chances, and enhance their finales for extra dramatic effect. Being greenlit for Season 3 allows All American to serve hefty cliffhangers, knowing it will eventually provide payoffs. 

It doesn’t, however, leave everyone in disarray. Instead, it picks and chooses which characters should be left dangling on the metaphysical cliff, while providing softer finishes for others.

Theatrics are always entertaining, but sometimes a character has earned a break from the heaviness. All American is smart enough to recognize those cues.

Layla and Coop have faced an endless amount of adversity on All American this season, so gifting them quiet endings feels well earned and appreciated.

Coop has constantly fought to stay alive, and Layla has been haunted by her own inner demons. It’s time for both of them to win for once; spending time with Patience and JP is exactly what both of them deserves (and needs).

Billy also earns his moment of triumph, after displaying such immense growth throughout the season. 

He ends the season as twice the man he was when he started it, and even if he did make questionable decisions, he’s clearly repented for them. The amount of good he’s done for both his family and his team graciously surmounts any selfish missteps he’s made in years prior.

Billy’s move to Crenshaw isn’t solely victory for Billy himself, but a beautiful way to honor Corey James, as well. The character may be gone, but his essence lives on within All American. There’s no better way to showcase that sentiment than by allowing his oldest friend to take the reigns of a team he once coached.

A team that now has two of Corey’s sons playing for it.

All American even decides to give Jordan his own storybook ending, with the girl he’s so desperately chased after. It’s clear the two care about each other, but even with their mutual pining and grand gestures, the relationship feels rushed at times.

This could very easily be purposeful. While Jordan and Simone may be happy for the time being, she’s still pregnant with another man’s child. There’s certainly plenty more story left to explore when it comes to that journey. They’ve earned the gift of a summer romance. 

Of course, it wouldn’t be All American if absolutely everything ended in kittens and rainbows. 

Someone has to suffer, and suffer they do. Spencer and Olivia are both facing potentially rocky roads ahead in the coming season. 

How deep those conflicts will run is hard to tell. Olivia’s desire to drink stems from feeling alone, and Spencer seems to fix that problem in the final moments of the episode. That doesn’t make Olivia any less of an addict though, and one sip can lead to two, and so on. 

While regression isn’t a universally adored route for characters to go down, there’s an exception here. Addiction (much like mental illness) isn’t a quick fix problem. Slip-ups are both possible and common. Allowing Olivia to make flawed and regressive steps in her recovery only makes her more relatable, and realistic. 

Spencer’s injury returning is probably the biggest high stakes turn of the finale, as it puts everything he plans for Crenshaw in major jeopardy.

It’s also a devastatingly perfect twist for a character like his.

Spencer James is a phenomenal protagonist, but his persistent desire to always save the day works as an underlying character flaw that has yet to be addressed. 

Football is Spencer’s answer to every problem. Without it, he’d be pushed into finding new ways to support the people, and town, he loves.

He’d also be forced to look at a future without the game. It’s a heartbreaking outcome for such a lovable character, but letting others take the reigns may be what he needs to move forward. 

At least Spencer and Olivia will have each other during the long, confusing summer, while everyone else is away. It will just be the two of them, facing tribulations head-on, together. Alone. As in, no one else will be around. They’ll be spending every day together, falling in lo–

Anyway. 

“Decisions” gives its audience everything they want to see before a long dry hiatus. Those who deserve happy endings get them, those who need conflict find it, and new villains plant controversial seeds for an undoubtedly outstanding third season. 

It’s been a delight and absolute pleasure getting to review All American, and I can’t wait to come back next year and jump back on this crazy ride!

Cheers to binging All American Season 1 and All American Season 2 all summer long on Netflix.

Random Thoughts:

• I’m not a huge Simone fan, but making a highlight reel of Jordan’s best plays is a Lucas Scott, One Tree Hill, “your art matters” level romantic gesture.
• There needs to be a ton of Jordan/JJ senior year antics when we come back for Season 3. I miss those two and all the shenanigans they create together.
• It’s very important JP continues to be a presence in Layla’s life. It’s admirable the show continuously weaves him into her story, giving Layla the best possible chance at maintaining a healthy life. 
• Spencer cleaning Corey’s grave makes your entire body ache. 
• They are setting up the most beautiful and iconic slow burn between Olivia and Spencer and no one can say otherwise.
• Spencer being in Crenshaw means way more Kia and Darnell, two characters deserving of much more screen time. Also, I could ship it.
• Daniel Ezra is such an incredible actor. The drama, the comedy, the subtle moments or the big explosive scenes–he nails it every time. 

What did you think of this episode of All American? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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All American airs Mondays at 8/7c on The CW. 

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