'All American' Season 2 Episode 5: Football takes a backseat as emotional family drama takes center stage
The latest episode of 'All American' was an emotional rollercoaster, just like the previous one. After Corey tearfully leaves his sons again without an explanation, Spencer is hurt and doesn't understand why his father would do that to him again. He also discovers Corey's paternity test that Grace had wanted him to take, to finally understand who is Dillon's father. However, Corey did not want to take the test.
Spencer is a vulnerable and broken teenager in this episode, as he struggles to understand his father's abrupt departure. Not just this, he's also had to deal with a break-up, as Layla is furious with him for trying to get her help. It was a relief to see that the Spencer-Layla drama did not take away from important issues, as Spencer barely spent time with Layla after finding out about Corey. The familial bonds are at the heart of the episode, as even Layla, who is undergoing depression, lashes out at her father for returning out of the blue and taking her to a doctor.
Yet, he tells her quietly that her mother had a depressive disorder and he did not want her to go through the same pain. Meanwhile, Jordan has a lot on his plate, as he has discovered that he just got Simone pregnant. Billy decides to step in and turns up at Laura's house and tells her that they need to reconcile their differences if they need to get their son back on track.
Football takes a backseat in this episode, and the undercurrents of family drama take center stage. This has been happening for a while now, and this does seem like a welcome change, at least for now. 'All American's strength lies in depicting the complexities of a single mother raising children, estranged father and children, the struggles of wavered children dealing with fighting parents.
The fifth episode of 'All American' aired on CW, on November 11.