Summary
- All American
‘s divisive Season 6 finale was rushed due to a reduced episode count compared to previous seasons. - The rushed two-part finale struggled to wrap up multiple storylines, leading to polarizing fan reactions.
- With the lead actor’s exit and uncertain future, potential budget cuts and new casting are on the horizon for Season 7.
As a long-time fan of All American, I must say that the Season 6 finale left me feeling somewhat bewildered and disappointed. It felt like the creative team bit off more than they could chew, attempting to tie up too many loose ends in one episode, leaving some plotlines feeling rushed and underdeveloped.
Although saying goodbye to the cherished main character in the final episode of Season 6, the popular sports drama All American has been renewed for Season 7 on The CW. As of now, a specific 2025 release date hasn’t been set, but the writers will need to brainstorm new ideas to move the story forward since lead actor Daniel Ezra is no longer part of the series. With Spencer James no longer at the helm of the drama both on and off the field, it may be a challenge to keep fans engaged following the divisive ending of Season 6.
The final episode of All American, titled “I Do,” in its most recent season received a lower rating of 7.2 on IMDb, which is significantly lower than the high 8’s typically given to other seasons. Fans found the ending to be excessively rushed and somewhat distracting, feeling it didn’t live up to a positive recommendation. The episode struggled to wrap up lingering plotlines and unresolved story arcs in a way that seemed forced and unsatisfying. Despite some fans being unable to forgive Ezra’s sudden departure, understanding why “I Do” disappointed fans might help explain the mixed reactions to All American‘s controversial Season 6 finale.
What Is All American About?
As a passionate movie buff, I’d rephrase it like this:
The TV series “All American” revolves around the experiences of high school football standout Spencer James (Daniel Ezra), who is modeled after real-life athlete Spencer Paysinger. As a top wide receiver at his South Central school, Spencer’s life takes an unexpected turn when he is offered a spot on the team at Beverly Hills High. This move thrusts him into a world of privilege and wealth, in stark contrast to his humble upbringing, creating a significant cultural divide among his new teammates. Beyond the football field, “All American” delves into Spencer’s struggle to maintain his family’s values while pursuing success, with these competing priorities providing the foundation for gripping drama on the popular CW network.
Helping Spencer navigate his personal and professional drama include his mother Grace (Karimah Westbrook), younger brother Dillon (Jalyn Hall), head coach Billy (Taye Diggs), Billy’s children Olivia (Samantha Logan) and Jordan (Michael Evans Behling), best friend Coop (Bre-Z), former fling Layla (Greta Onieogou), teammates Asher (Cody Christian), and JJ (Hunter Clowdus). As Spencer works to realize his dream of becoming a professional football player, his friends and family play key roles in helping him shape his character.
What Happens in All American Season 6 & Why It’s So Divisive
Reducing the number of episodes in The All American’s Season 6 was its initial mistake. Fans had grown accustomed to savoring 20 intense episodes across Seasons 4 and 5, but were disappointed when they received only 15 episodes in Season 6 – the lowest episode count ever for the show. To make up for this, the writers presented the finale as a two-part event, which seemed to forcefully incorporate numerous character arcs and unresolved storylines that felt hasty and rushed towards their conclusions.
The season begins with Spencer and Jordan entering the NFL draft as the new school year starts. Spencer becomes distracted by the media spotlight on him and his high draft stock. An on-field rift between Spencer and Jordan ensues as the draft nears. Meanwhile, Spencer and Olivia plan their wedding day, which takes place in the two-part finale.
Spencer gets selected by The New York Giants, causing him to relocate from Los Angeles to New York City to embark on a fresh chapter and chase his ambitions. Overwhelmed with the possibility of her wedding being postponed because of a flooded venue, Spencer’s fiancee Olivia experiences a sudden change of plans when he sets up an impromptu ceremony at their Los Angeles residence instead. While fans were delighted to witness Spencer and Olivia’s long-awaited union, the rest of the finale left several viewers with unfulfilled expectations.
Although Spencer’s exit from the series stirred up most of the controversy, the Season 6 finale of All American seemed to rush through its conclusion, resulting in an unsatisfying wrap-up. Instead of focusing on important events like Spencer and Olivia’s wedding or resolving key plot points, the episode was filled with unnecessary scenes, such as a school play and lengthy court case discussions that never materialized on screen. The storylines involving Jordan and Kayla living in his childhood home and contemplating their future, as well as Coop doubting himself after getting accepted to Yale Law School, felt overly drawn out and took away from the main narrative momentum. Ultimately, the show tried to handle too many plotlines at once and delivered a poorly executed finale.
A discerning Reddit user commented that the pace of Season 6, Episode 13, titled “Victory Lap,” seemed to resemble a finale, suggesting that it was hurriedly produced.
“This latest episode seemed to suggest it was wrapping up the entire series, with everyone happy and all desired events unfolding. Yet, despite the time constraints per episode, it felt incredibly hurried. With two episodes left in this season, I can’t help but wonder if they couldn’t have stretched some parts of this episode out more? Truly, so much occurred in a single installment. The wedding also appeared to be rushed.”
Originally, I believed the finale was intended to wrap up the series. However, it turned out that they had added two extra episodes towards the end of the season after learning about the renewal for season 7, which might be why it sparked such divided opinions among viewers.
After learning that the series was renewed for a seventh season, two additional episodes were hastily added to the final episode of Season 6, “Victory Lap,” to wrap up the season and establish Spencer’s future storylines. With most of the compelling plotlines being hurriedly concluded in just two episodes earlier, the two-part “I Do” seemed almost superfluous.
Where Does The CW Take All American From Here?
After the controversial ending of Season 6 (“Victory Lap”) and the unexpected changes in Season 6 finale (“I Do”), and Ezra’s sudden departure, All American needs to go back to its original strategy for future prosperity. The fans of this football underdog series were shocked when they learned that Spencer would no longer be part of the show’s upcoming season, leaving many questioning where the story goes next. The contentious choice to let the main character leave is hard to swallow, and with all that happened in the crammed finale, there’s more doubt than ever before. Plausible strategies for All American Season 7 might involve cost-cutting measures and new cast members. As reported by Deadline:
As a die-hard fan, I’m left guessing if the renewal of All American for Season 7 included budget cuts, a rumor that’s been floating around. What we know for sure is that there are casting changes on the horizon. This means that some of the current cast members might be saying their goodbyes, paving the way for new talents to join the show. However, not all of our beloved characters will be leaving, thank goodness!
Deadline added:
After seven seasons, American television series has been working towards telling a comprehensive narrative creatively by concluding the storyline for its primary character, Spencer James, portrayed by Daniel Ezra. Having recently clinched the championship, Spencer is poised to declare his entry into the NFL draft following his third year in college.
Additional episodes, acquired by the CW in April, have increased Season 6 from 13 to 15 episodes. These extra installments will help conclude the current story arc of All American and lay the groundwork for what’s to come. Interestingly, the number of episodes for Season 7, which is also 13, aligns with the new CW leadership’s objectives for their scripted shows.
If “All American” spans 13 episodes or more this season, I think it’s essential for us creators to implement clever strategies to prevent the same issues that surfaced in the controversial Season 6 finale from recurring in the final episode. By the way, you can catch “All American” on Netflix and The CW.
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2024-08-25 03:01