If it’s possible, Spencer’s life just got even more complicated.
Visits to a sports psychologist allowed Spencer to get to the root of his psychosomatic arm weakness of All American Season 3 Episode 4.
But things appear they were going to get worse before they get better for him.
Spencer had no choice but to follow Layla’s suggestion that he visit a therapist since his arm trouble seemed mental, not physical.
Still, he ended up learning more about himself than he bargained for.
Dr. Sears nailed what everyone but Spencer had figured out already: He’s in love with Olivia (and vice versa).
When they were living together like brother and sister, that wasn’t going to fly. But now …
Olivia and Asher are circling the drain. She subconsciously realizes it and that she’s in love with Spencer, who is dating her best friend, Layla.
Little wonder that she’s been driven to drink.
Olivia has given her rehab boyfriend Asher enough chances. He continues to do dumb things, such as steroids to enhance his football potential and a summer fling with Vanessa.
But it would really suck to take Spencer away from Layla, who is just starting to get her shit together after her rehab season.
She’s become the series’ most confident, watchable character, which Olivia used to be before getting crippled with chronic insecurity.
Maybe Layla just needed focus. She’s ceased to be the poor little, neglected rich girl by becoming manager to Coop first, and now, it appears Patience.
She’s got swagger now. That was obvious in how she pulled together that video shoot for Coop and sued J.P. to get Patience released from her contract.
J.P.’s got so much going on that I wouldn’t expect him to fight that hard for Patience since he’s on to this year’s model now.
But losing Spencer, especially to Olivia, would definitely set Layla back. Like to the point of falling off the wagon.
Since Olivia’s already got that storyline, that’s not too likely.
And since Spencer is just beginning to experience self-awareness, perhaps Layla is safe for a while, especially with Olivia heading back to rehab.
Someone among the teens has to remain stable.
Poor Spencer. Not only is his football career in jeopardy, but to get past his mental stumbling block, he has to confront his best friend, Coop.
Coop’s gang period is seriously coming back to haunt her.
It’s pretty simple. Spencer got shot by Tyrone’s crew because he was important to Coop.
Granted, she’s wasn’t a totally willing gangsta and tried to get out. But she should have given gang life a wide berth to start with, as Spencer had recommended.
She took advantage of her second chance to attempt a music career, which seems to be taking off.
But between these two career paths, her academic possibilities have been sabotaged, and she doesn’t seem to care if she graduates with her fellow seniors from South Crenshaw.
Coop was so preoccupied with her other problems that she didn’t give another thought to Mo, who didn’t appear in this episode.
Guilt laid down by best friend Spencer certainly isn’t going to help. And how is manager Layla going to react to his attacking her prized client?
Spencer has no choice but to go down this path if he’s to revive his football possibilities. Hopefully, his therapist will guide him as he does so.
Spencer wasn’t the only one facing obstacles in his football dreams.
Poor Jordan had to deal with the return of Grandpa Willie, the series’ most toxic character.
Since Billy wants nothing to do with him, Willie has sunk his claws in Jordan, his new football hope.
After declaring himself the leader of Beverly football on All American Season 3 Episode 3, Jordan was again distracted by Simone.
She felt remorse about putting her son Shea up for adoption and made the hasty decision to take him back from his adoptive parents. Only she discovered that Shea is in a happy home.
And his parents were nice enough to allow Simone to have a place in his life. Now to see if she can handle it.
Since Simone is getting her own spinoff, her relationship with Jordan doesn’t seem likely to last since there’s no way he’s leaving the mothership.
But it promises to be a messy dissolution.
Asher struggled to find a way to fit into Coach Montes’s team.
He finally determined he was going about things the wrong way. Instead of explaining what the team could do for him, he realized that it should be what can he do for the team.
Of course, focusing so much on football is hardly going to help his relationship with Olivia.
Lastly, Darnell’s departure likely marked the end of his football career at South Crenshaw.
It was heartbreaking that Darnell finally found a home, only to have to leave it again, just like many military brats.
Darnell got caught up in a numbers game. With two football teams’ worth of players this season, someone had to go. Darnell got brought in by Corey last season, then faded into the background, never properly developed.
To follow Spencer and Coop’s relationship, watch All American online.
Who will Spencer end up with, Olivia or Layla?
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Dale McGarrigle is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.