All American is back with the answers we needed, but not before dragging it out and a lot of tears.
We started right out with Layla Keating (Greta Onieogou) and Carrie (Anna Lore), but it was only a glimpse of what happened, and then Layla was screaming in her bedroom, sleeping on the floor, having a nightmare about that night.
It was good to know that at least Layla was physically okay, but when her dad asked her if she was okay, she said she was “fine.” And she continued to say she was fine throughout the entire episode. This had me very worried because we know she can pretend everything is okay before she spirals out of control.
Letting things get out of control wasn’t her storyline this time around, though. Her dad was clinging on to her so tight. But, of course, it’s understandable since Carrie did leave a suicide note. Layla was doing the work in therapy and knew what she needed. She was just too afraid to tell her father. It wasn’t until Jordan Baker (Michael Evans Behling) told her what Layla had told Carrie that night, or at least a version of it, that “the pain is for a moment, the healing is for a lifetime.” Layla also asked Carrie where the last place she felt safe was. For Layla, that was the Baker’s.
It was heartbreaking to watch Layla tell her dad that she hasn’t felt safe since her mother died. She has grown so much to be able to tell her father the truth. Layla’s storyline is a good message of doing the work in therapy and asking for what you need. We need to see more of this on TV.
After seeing that Layla was physically okay, we switched to Spencer James (Daniel Ezra) in front of a grave. How dare the writers mess with our hearts like that. I seriously thought Tamia Cooper (Bre-Z) was dead. It didn’t help when Spence didn’t want to sign his commitment letter for Toledo because he didn’t want to leave his family after everything that happened. The writers really wanted to make us think Coop was not okay, especially when we didn’t have the details yet.
After the intervention for Spencer, we got to see him arriving at the hospital, and Patience (Chelsea Tavares) in a panic, not knowing or being allowed to know how Coop was. The writers made us feel the uncertainty in the hospital as more and more people came. First, Olivia Baker (Samantha Logan) came and immediately asked what she could do. Then, Jordan and some of the Crenshaw teammates arrived after the game. When everyone was there, Grace James (Karimah Westbrook) and Coop’s father came out with news, but Spence knew his mother wasn’t telling them everything. Coop was in a coma, and they didn’t know if she would wake up. God, this episode was intense. If Coop didn’t wake up, I have no idea what I would have done. Maybe never forgive the writers.
It was such a relief when Coop was awake. When she asked Spencer who he was, I knew she was joking with him. Our girl was finally back after a gutwrenching episode.
But even though Layla is healing and Coop is awake, things are not okay. Coop took the fall for shooting and killing Mo (Erica Peeples), so Preach (Kareem J. Grimes) wouldn’t go back to jail. I was actually okay with this. Preach is always looking out for Coop. He did try to save her. Yeah, Coop was out, but it made sense. But Patience is not having it. But she’s not entirely wrong. Coop’s drama is because she puts herself in it. It’s no wonder Coop and Spener are besties. They both have to save everyone, including each other.
Maybe the only thing that would get Spence to sign his commitment letter was Coach Billy Baker (Taye Diggs) telling him that he was afraid his friends and family would be okay with out him, and he has a hero complex. Even though that worked, it hurt that Billy is so angry with Spence. He holds a grudge way too long. Okay, maybe, Spence should have gone to him and Laura Baker (Monet Mazur), but Jordan would have found a way regardless.
It looks like season four will be about Jordan and Spencer trying to make amends with Billy. There’s definitely going to be a whole lot of drama. But, at least we have our Spelivia.
What part of the season four premiere made you cry the most? Tweet me @PrimetimeDrama or @MandyTTCarr or comment below.
