All American Review: Walk This Way (Season 4 Episode 8)

Alexa, play “Graduation (Friends Forever)” by Vitamin C. The kids are officially grown.

All American Season 4 Episode 8, “Walk This Way,” kicks off its midseason with graduation, as the characters say “goodbye” to high school life, and “hello” to their next chapters.

Premiering with a graduation episode should land as an awkward pacing move, but for All American, it works. While the decision to graduate during midseason is undoubtedly due to Homecoming’s timeline, it still feels like the right time for the story to move forward.

For the kids of All American, the days of high school are clearly behind them. The show has done an impeccable job of progressing each character into a more grown version of themselves.

Keeping them from moving on — just to wring out as much teen angst as possible– feels like a waste of energy, and would require too much regression. 

It’s fun to watch how a show will twist its narrative in order to make sure all its characters end up at the same college. Those twists are always a little too convenient, but All American does give relatively seamless reasons; ones that will propel each person forward in their already developing storylines.

It’s also extremely emotional watching a group of beloved characters evolve, and take their first steps into the new world in front of them. All American uses that to its advantage, playing on every bit of sentimentality possible in “Walk This Way.”

The series has worked hard not only at developing individual storylines of growth, but making sure to craft real friendships that read as believable. All American’s core characters have been through the wringer, but their trials and tribulations have manifested in relationships that have bloomed beautifully.

That consistency culminates in some of the series most heartwarming moments yet, where promises of “we’ll always be this close” are mixed with rose-colored, nostalgic trips down memory lane in the episode’s final scene.

Just not before one, last, expulsion-ridden conflict.

Spencer James should be past his hero complex. Watching his determination to once again take the fall for someone else’s mistake is infuriating, if not unbelievably repetitive. 

The interesting part is All American knows that. The show addresses Spencer’s flaw almost immediately through a tense moment with Grace, who vocalizes the audience’s frustration — he’s in therapy, he’s done the work, and he should be given the space to grow. 

The situation is also complex enough that it’s hard to do anything but commend Spencer for his actions.

There is a solid foundation behind Spencer’s anger with the school not recognizing the potential in all its student’s futures’ — not just their star athletes — and it’s an important conversation to present before the show leaves high school for good.

That conflict also gives Ezra and Westbrook two incredible scenes together — one combustible, one compassionate — where the range of both actors is wonderfully showcased, as well as the authentic on-screen relationship they’ve crafted over the years as mother and son.

By “Walk This Way’s” final act, it’s clear Spencer hasn’t regressed at all. He’s just spent four seasons saving everyone, and now it’s time for everyone to save him. Not only does he allow it, he welcomes it, resulting in the ultimate, multi-layered payoff.

He has to be presented with a similar scenario, in order to choose a different path.

“Walk This Way” takes every opportunity to highlight how far All American has come. Daniel Ezra uses the episode to show how far Spencer James has come.

From learning when to be the hero, to his ongoing, nonlinear journey with grief — Ezra knows exactly how to add in a million different layers to the character he’s played over the past four years.

I can’t wait to see where Spencer James goes next.

Random Thoughts: 

• The Laura and GW relationship is surprisingly moving. It gives Mazur an opportunity to show how lovable she is. 
• Taye Diggs’s infamous dance moves being integrated into the show is everything to me. 
• Asher being surrounded by people who push him to be the best version of himself is refreshing. 
• Why are Patience and Coop still together? All they do is argue. 
• I am struggling with the Preach/Coop/Mo storyline. 
• Jojo is stunning. Make her a series regular. 
• Quote the night: “My valedictorian speech is currently the ‘We’re All In This Together’ song from High School Musical.”
• Who would have thought Carter would come so far, so quickly?

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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