Amina and Preach step into action when injustice comes to South Crenshaw high school. Here’s our All American Season 8 Episode 6 recap.
Before getting into the recap, we need to take some time to give All American its well deserved flowers. This episode, aptly named “Rebel Without A Pause”, is emotionally charged, tackling the issue of immigration in America. I can’t think of another show on television right now that tackles societal issues in the way All American does. The fact that this is the final season of the show will leave a big hole in the TV landscape. The writers and produces don’t hold back when approaching sensitive topics, and for that, they need to be commended.
There’s TV that exists only for entertainment. There’s TV that informs. And there’s TV that has impact. All American does all of the above, especially the latter. It’s a shame that All American will never get the praise, accolades, awards, and nominations that it should, but this show’s legacy in providing a space to highlight important issue is undeniable and will be sorely missed. Now, let’s get into the recap.
Intro
We’re two days before the showcase and the episode opens and closes with a voiceover of Amina reading her article. Nice touch.
KJ is unsuccessful in trying to reach Tori who doesn’t seem to be answering his phone calls.
Jordan and Cassius’ beef
Jordan notices Khalil isn’t at home when Cassius invites him to the showcase press conference. Khalil was at school working out with KJ as they put aside their differences.
Jordan is upset that Cassius waited until the last minute to tell him about the press conference. Cassius has an ulterior motive. Jordan sees West Beverly booster Cliff Mosley’s fingerprints all over it.
Meanwhile, when Jordan lets his players know he’s heading over to West Beverly for the press conference, Khalil gently pushes him to tell the team about Beverly’s head coach offer. Actually, he kind of outed him. Jordan, in turn, outs Khalil, letting the team know he’s been training with KJ.
Cassius’ secret
Cliff is starting to overstep, wanting Cassius to make roster changes. Cassius encourages him to focus on the business side of things while he focuses on the players. Later, KJ meets Cliff for the first time and lets it slip that he and Cassius are Jordan’s cousins. What does this mean for their alliance with the Bakers’ sworn enemy, Cliff?
At the showcase press conference, Cliff reveals to the press that Jordan and Cassius are cousins. The press conference is cut short when news of the ICE raid at South Crenshaw reaches the press conference. But it’s clear that a now worried Cassius doesn’t have Cliff in check like he thought. Cassius tries to check Cliff about revealing a family secret, but Cliff lets him know that he runs the show.
Based on Cliff’s advice, Cassius tries to get KJ and the team to not stage a walk out in support of what’s going on at South Crenshaw (see below). KJ reminds him that he and his mother raised him to stand up for what he believes in.
Crenshaw on lockdown
Preach reaches out to Dinsburg to try and get Amina back in school to finish the school year, but until then, she’ll be spending some time at South Crenshaw as a teacher’s assistant with her dad. This leads to an awkward hallway run in between Amina and KJ. She hopes KJ and Toru can work things out, until he reveals that he and Tori broke up. Still in the hallways, Mrs. Perez encourages Amina to try and get back into Dinsburg, but she isn’t sure.
In class, Amina is trying to talk to Khalil but he isn’t having it. Their back and forth is cut short when ICE officers show up. Preach and Amina, who is channeling both Spencer and Liv in this episode, step into action and stand up to the officers. Between students and teachers, no one is safe. Now that Preach sees Amina in action first hand, he’s proud of her standing up for others.
Amina gets those involved to safety while reminds the officers they need the right warrant, buying everyone some time. Amina tries to reach Coop to get some help, but she isn’t answering her phone.
Later, after the students and teachers are ready to come out peacefully, things get very out of hand.
Final thoughts
This right here is an example of great writing, great acting, and great overall television. This episode is a tear jerker that needs to be seen by a lot of people. It really makes the stories we see and read about in the news even more personal. I really hope the writers and producers on this series are able to take this approach to television into their future roles because we need a lot more of this.
Also, we need to give Alexis Chikaeze (Amina) her flowers as well. She’s been doing some heavy lifting this season and has proven that she has what it takes to be a lead actor. She’s so talented and deserves all the roles she can get. We also need to talk about Kareem J. Grimes (Preach) who is a great talent in his own right. The father-daughter dynamic between the two is so special. Hopefully, we’ll be seeing them both on our screens for years to come.
Kevin Bourne is SHIFTER’s editor-in-chief and Senior Arts & Entertainment Reporter focusing on film & TV, music, and fashion. He was named one of 340 international voters for the Golden Globe Awards and a Tomatometer-Approved Critic by Rotten Tomatoes.
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