By Sydney Simpson – Staff Reporter 

The CW series “All-American” starring Daniel Ezra is now one of the top three most streamed shows on Netflix due to the release of its second season on March 7. Loosely based on the story of former NFL star Spencer Paysinger, Season 1 of the show follows main character Spencer James (Daniel Ezra) who is a junior in high school and who also happens to be one of the top 100 football players in the country. 

James was originally from South Crenshaw, a tight, loving community and a town that suffers massive amounts of gang violence. After being recruited by Beverly Hills High School’s football coach Billy Baker (Taye Diggs), James left South Crenshaw to play for Baker in hopes of more opportunities. In order to meet the requirement to be a student at Beverly, James had to move in with coach Baker and his family, further separating him from his friends, family, and community. The first season of the show focused more on James’s football career, how he acclimated to life in Beverly Hills, and how he led his new team to the state championship, while season two focuses more on his home life, and the heartbreaking issues occurring in his community. 

Season 2 of the show was inspiring, heart wrenching, and frustrating all in one. With multiple plots occurring at once, the show really keeps the watcher on their toes. There are a multitude of characters, all with their own complex emotions, backgrounds, and problems that add to the interesting and exciting storyline. It was inspiring by showing that anyone, no matter where they come from, can overcome even their biggest obstacles. Almost every character in this show had at least one struggle during season two, either external or internal, and the ways that each individual dealt with those struggles were different. Some needed more help than others, but in the end, almost all of them were resolved. 

Season 2 of the show focuses more on the home lives of the characters rather than just on football, and it really goes in depth with the struggles of being a teenager and the pressures that kids put on themselves to make people proud or to be the best. It has heartwarming moments, such as the teenagers of both communities coming together at points throughout the season to fight for what’s important to them, and the multiple times that James and his friends stood up for each other no matter what happened. Family values were instilled throughout the season as well, by showing how Spencer remains close with his Mom and his brother while living in Beverly, and how he deals with the issues he has with his father. On the downside,  there is a lot going on through the season and it could be hard to keep track of, which makes the show slightly confusing. It also discusses many mature topics, such as depression, drugs, violence, and more that could be unsuitable for younger viewers. 

All in all, the show “All-American” is an incredible view into the struggles of teenage life while at the same time being an entertaining and realistic show about American high school football. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars