All American Review: My Mind’s Playing Tricks On Me (Season 3 Episode 4)

It’s legitimately hard to function after watching Spencer hear he’s in love with Olivia. 

I’ll press on anyway because this is one outstanding episode of television. 

All American Season 3 Episode 4, “My Mind’s Playing Tricks On Me,” is one of the series’ best episodes to date; dedicating the majority of the hour to one of the most underrepresented and highly stigmatized combinations: Black men and therapy.

It also says a (temporary) goodbye to beloved character Darnell, creates a jarring divide between two best friends, and gives everyone what they’ve been waiting for: a love confession between Olivia and Spencer.

Okay, it only kind of gives us that last thing, but it’s still oh-so-satisfying to hear.

All American routinely manages to do everything right when it comes to creating a TV show, but one of it’s biggest assets lies in its ability to ebb and flow within narrative choices.

If a storyline needs to stick around and help change a character, it threads through episodes — and even seasons — as long as it needs. What should to be wrapped up quickly, fulfills its purpose, and moves on.

Case in point: Spencer’s challenges surrounding the shooting from All American Season 2. The major elements of his physical injuries were a large part of his arc last season; All American now carries that traumatic event into Season 3, using it as a catalyst for conversation regarding the importance of men’s mental health.

It isn’t just that Spencer goes to therapy; it’s how willing he is to accept the help. Black men are notoriously stigmatized when it comes to mental illness because society tends to parallel it with some faux sense of admitting weakness.

Realistically, there’s nothing stronger than leaning into the help you need, and nothing better to help an individual grow past their trauma.  That is almost immediately clear in the case of Spencer, who grows exponentially in the short span of just a few therapy sessions. 

Spencer’s therapist is also a Black man, drilling home the importance of finding a professional who can work for you on an individualistic level. Coop’s confusion over Spencer’s refusal to talk about his problems with her, highlights how complex trauma can require the aid of someone completely removed from your everyday life.

That’s only driven home further by the reveal of Coop as Spencer’s “stuck point;” the reason he can’t move forward from his injury, and the person he blames for the shooting.

It’s a hard pill to swallow — for Spencer and the audience — but it’s a reality Spencer must deal with in order to move forward. 

All American is now becoming notorious for writing meticulous, well fleshed out mental health arcs; executing each one with a delicacy and bravery most shows surpass entirely. Down to their willingness to diagnose and use proper terminology for various mental health issues, All American is going above and beyond to erase stigma. 

Therapy also helps Spencer understand he can’t always save everyone — a moment of realization well past due for a character with such a deep-rooted savior complex. It also forces him to face the fact he’s fallen in love with Olivia Baker. 

He rejects the statement immediately — the only aspect of therapy Spencer rejects at all, actually — but his denial only reinstates how true it is. He may not be ready to face the domino effect of destruction his feelings will inevitably cause, but that doesn’t make it any less of a reality. 

Spencer might not be ready to admit his feelings, but All American is certainly determined to showcase them at every opportunity. 

The heat between Spencer and Olivia is undeniable — a total firework show on blatant display with every glance in one another’s direction.

Beyond the heat, however, is a bond the two have made over time. Spencer and Olivia are friends first, before anything else; confiding in each other, trusting each other, sharing common interests, and having a ton of fun in each other’s company.

Simply put, there’s no aspect of their dynamic that doesn’t work. They are legitimately perfect for one another, and the sparks have been there from the beginning — reaching back to the first day they shared a laptop. Now, they have a strong foundation for what could be an incredible romance. 

They’ve also suffered together; Spencer literally took a bullet for the girl! There’s really nothing more epic than that. 

Olivia and Asher still being atogether is outrageous, and All American knows it. They are determined to make us wait, though — taunting and teasing us with meta-commentary, using Jordan as an audience mouthpiece as he voices his disgust over them holding hands in the hallways. 

It’s not that Asher doesn’t have flashes of redemptive qualities, but the privilege and audacity radiating from him are repugnant. He’s done too much to receive any more get out of jail free cards, but maybe that’s the point. White affluent male– when has he ever had to pay consequences for his actions?

Asher needs to focus on growing as an individual. While everyone else moves forward, Asher stands still. Even Jordan is developing as a character; learning to be a leader while balancing a healthy relationship. Asher won’t be able to give or receive love the right way until he can figure himself out.

This is why it’s so baffling to see Olivia stick by him. We can’t understand her motives when the lens isn’t focusing on her perspective. Questions surrounding her decisions can’t be answered if the majority of her life is being lived off-screen.

Considering she holds at least one of summer’s biggest secrets, it’s no surprise All American has kept us arm’s length away from Olivia — it is only episode 4, after all. We’ll undoubtedly be seeing where her mind is at, soon enough. 

For now, I’m off to scream in the street over Spencer’s love for Olivia and cry into my pillow over Darnell’s goodbye.  

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

Critic Rating:

User Rating:

 

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

 Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!

Alicia’s Top 10 TV Comedies of 2020