All American brings back Patience and Laura for a big birthday bash

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In this episode of “All American“, they delved deeper into the show’s original cast by reintroducing Laura and Patience to help celebrate G.W.’s birthday. Notably, several significant developments took place, including an important advancement in Coop and Patience’s relationship, a breakthrough in the investigation concerning Billy Baker’s half-brother, and a substantial plot decision for Jordan, Layla, and Khalil. The interconnected stories of the main characters from season seven are gradually unfolding, even though it’s later than expected. Despite the delay, this episode marked one of the few instances in season seven where “All American” skillfully tied together various character storylines.

In this episode, Coop plays a significant role due to her storyline focusing on the growing emotional disconnect between her and Patience, which stemmed from living apart for several months. Currently, their relationship is more strained than ever, and it seems inevitable that they will eventually end things. Although Coop and Patience do not reach a resolution in this episode about the state of their relationship, their current situation is clearly evident. Given that Coop and Patience’s romantic storyline has been an essential part of the series for years, even when Patience wasn’t always the main focus, fans should be given the opportunity to witness their potential breakup if it is permanent.

In this episode, there’s continued ambiguity about where Cooper (Coop) resides, which seems to stem from questionable writing choices regarding the avoidance of confirming her current living arrangements. The professor sends a textbook to Layla’s Cafe, and Patience plans to surprise Coop at the Baker house, yet neither the show nor its characters ever suggest that Cooper lives with Layla and Jordan. So, it remains unclear where Cooper resides. One might wonder why her textbook wasn’t sent to her home or why Patience didn’t go to surprise her there. The lack of confirmation about Cooper’s living arrangements feels like a lazy writing choice, as simply stating that she lives in a house, apartment, or on-campus dorm would provide some clarity. This has been an ongoing issue since the beginning of the season, as it seems Cooper moves between the Baker house and Preach and Amina’s place without ever confirming where she actually lives.

Regarding Jordan, it seems like the detective mission might have concluded. Yet, if he was aiming for a deeper bond with Billy, he might have achieved it through his actions for Khalil. Though Jordan claims he’s been pushing so hard due to missing his father, G.W. suggests that Jordan standing up for Khalil mirrors something Billy would have done. However, Jordan goes a step further by welcoming Khalil into the Baker household, similar to how Billy took Spencer in, despite their circumstances differing greatly. Inviting Khalil into the Baker residence and depicting interactions among Khalil, Amina, KJ, Tori, and the original characters indicates that All American is making an effort to spend more screen time on developing relationships among its new characters as well as the established ones. This move has been crucial for several episodes in the seventh season of All American, and it has now advanced the plot by offering opportunities to create genuine connections or conflicts between the new leads.

In simpler terms, the show “All American” clarifies that Jordan’s assumption about Coach Bobby being Billy’s half-brother was incorrect, and it further debunks the theory that Cassius might have been Jordan’s secret uncle. This revelation is significant for fans who were speculating that Cassius’ frustration with the Baker family could be due to hidden familial ties.

The decision to conclude Jordan’s search for his estranged uncle can serve a dual purpose. Throughout season seven, Jordan and Layla often discussed this matter, but the series did not fully explore this mystery as much as it led viewers to believe. This underdeveloped storyline could have provided more insights into their journey for answers, but it was instead left unresolved.

Though knowing the answer to this question might be satisfying, the way the storyline was introduced and developed in a short span at the end of season six and lacked emotional depth in season seven makes it acceptable to leave it unresolved. It’s challenging to expect emotional resolution from a storyline that didn’t offer much to begin with.

As we tread into uncharted territory with an uncertain future, given the significant cast changes and no word yet on whether the show will be renewed or wrapped up, season seven has been quite a rollercoaster ride so far. Some episodes manage to strike a harmonious blend of old favorites and newcomers, while others falter in maintaining the series’ quality and momentum. Introducing Khalil into the Baker household and establishing reasons for Khalil, Amina, KJ, and Tori to bond sets the stage for what could be if season seven decides to focus on building a cohesive ensemble cast instead of feeling like three different shows at once. If All American gets another season, this bonding time can pave the way for its continued journey. However, if All American ends with season seven, it’s a shame that, despite Jordan and Layla’s delightful married storylines and Coop’s triumph in law school providing a sense of fulfillment for these characters as adults, extending the show beyond season six feels less satisfying. This is particularly true when compared to the beautiful final episodes of season six that could have served as a fitting series finale. Instead, introducing new characters only to see them underdeveloped feels like a missed opportunity.

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2025-03-12 16:14