The Vortex helps JJ face his demons and Liv gets the opportunity of a lifetime. Here’s our All American season 5 episode 19 recap.
The episode opens with Asher and Spencer at the beach house as Asher practices being a plant dad. He questions Spencer’s singleness and his not wanting to hurt someone he cares about. Asher then asks about JJ who they haven’t heard from in weeks. The boys agree to visit him and do a mental health check.
Olivia is unsure of her next move
Grandma Wendy is visiting and she is loving Spencer and Liv’s photos from the fashion show. Liv gets the news that she was accepted for the internship and will be travelling abroad. She doesn’t want to share the news with her mom because she’s finally headed back to work and senses that her mom isn’t quite ready.
Later, Liv and Grandma Wendy have a talk because grandma knows Liv is worried about something. She shares that she wonders about Spencer and where they stand. Wendy encourages her to not worry but to follow fate which is leading her to go abroad. She tells her she doesn’t seem ready to get back with Spencer and she needs to be whole before she can give all of herself. Later, Liv visits Laura and shares the news about her trip. Laura is so proud but Liv is clearly still worried. Laura pushes her to go and admits she’s also struggling to get through work.
Grace embraces change
The James house is full with new activity. Dillon shares he has a date with his new girlfriend and Grace didn’t know. Dillon had shared the news with Carter but he kept it to himself. Grace is a little taken aback and Spencer catches it. Spencer talks to Grace about embracing change but she swears she’s fine. It’s clear Dillon is creating a bond with D’Angelo but Spencer reminds Dillon to keep their mom in the loop, considering it was always just the three of them and this change may be hard on her. Later, Grace offers Dillon advice about dating that he would never receive from Spencer or D’Angelo and she feels more included in his life.
Patience is rid of the super fan
Patience and Coop are at odds because of the video footage of her and Skye kissing. Later, Patience apologizes to Coop and the two are cool again. Layla finally sees the video and her and Patience guess that spyware was involved linking it to Miko. Layla feels she can’t trust Patience to deal with Miko herself.
Later, Layla confronts Miko and serves her with a restraining order against Patience. When Miko thinks Patience is her girl and loves her, Layla threatens her with being arrested. Layla reiterates to Patience how unwell Miko is and Patience is troubled by that. During her live stream, Patience puts Miko on blast with the fans.
Coop finds her voice
While at the law office, Coop checks on Laura who’s not acting like herself. They chat about Coop’s experience in school and her professor. Laura pins their interactions as retaliation and states he can’t do that to her. As a result of receiving the cold shoulder from her professor, Coop doubts herself and the class. Laura shows up at Coop’s class and asks to sit in. Laura encourages Coop to hold her professor accountable and to enlighten him on his bullying. Coop finally holds her own and Laura backs her up. Laura truly felt at home in the classroom and Coop encourages her to give becoming a professor some thought.
The Vortex helps JJ find his way
The main storyline this episode revolves around JJ. Back at Coastal, practice for the new season is set to begin the following day with Asher taking the lead. JJ is still nowhere to be found and will be off the team if he doesn’t show up for practice. When the boys find JJ, he says he’s been doing well, even though he’s been ignoring Asher’s texts. The boys are skeptical of how well their friend is actually doing. JJ shares that he didn’t go to therapy but felt he needed space. He tells them that before he can think about football, he has to finish an assignment where he makes a video about who he is. The boys offer to help and they agree to talk about their freshman year. Spencer sees right through his act and says JJ is free falling, so they decide to use the assignment to speak the truth hoping he’ll follow their lead and admit he needs help.
After Spencer and Jordan’s attempts fall on deaf ears, Asher tries a tough approach with JJ, calling him out on all his behaviour. JJ yells he doesn’t need anyone’s help and he owes no one anything. In walks Olivia who challenges that idea and offers him a chance to make things right after he showed up drunk at Billy’s memorial.
JJ finally apologizes to Olivia and has a real conversation for his project. He admits he doesn’t know who he is. He fell right into fun JJ to get attention from family. When he lost everything, including Coach Baker, he thought he lost himself. Each friend reminds JJ of how inspirational he is and that the Vortex isn’t the Vortex without the real JJ. He decides to step away from the team for his mental health, but returns home to the beach house. Olivia accompanies him and takes the opportunity to share the news with Spencer that she’s going abroad. He’s so happy for her but quickly realizes she’s leaving.
The season finale of All American airs next Monday at 8pm on The CW.
Tweets of the night
All American choosing London for Olivia is a Daniel Ezra reference
You can’t convince me otherwise
#AllAmerican #AllAmericanCW pic.twitter.com/XNQHJwV4Qd— 2023 ♡ (@dojabins) May 9, 2023
I’m loving how Spencer and Dillon have a relationship with Carter 🥰 #AllAmerican
— Donna Boo (@chocolateluvn86) May 9, 2023
You know what? Asher really came through this episode!#AllAmerican
— Bazimya Brian (@BrianBazimya) May 9, 2023
Spencer: I’m not ready to lose another baker#allamerican #spelivia pic.twitter.com/NcfUyh0SqT
— spelivia gifs (@speliviavault) May 9, 2023
Dillon: “You know I love you right? But ain’t way I’m asking you for girl advice. That vortex you got going on is messy bruh”. Spencer: “Yeah it is kinda messy”. 🤣🤣 #AllAmerican #AllAmericanCW
— Donna Boo (@chocolateluvn86) May 9, 2023
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