The CW’s ALL AMERICAN Isn’t Necessarily the Show Parents Want Their Teens Watching
By Allyson Vannatta, Senior Writer
Though it may be in Netflix’s list of top streaming shows, the CW’s teen drama ALL AMERICAN focuses on gang violence, racism, addiction, and a slew of other issues that aren’t appropriate for teenagers.
Instead of another show about the supernatural or teenagers solving mysteries, the CW decided to try to return to its roots with ALL AMERICAN. The show gives audiences similar vibes to FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS and THE O.C.
The series protagonist, Spencer James, is Crenshaw’s standout football player with high hopes of playing in the NFL. When the coach of Beverly High, Billy Baker, approaches him about playing for his team instead, Spencer takes him up on the offer deciding it would give Spencer a better chance to make his dreams come true.
Spencer leaves his home, which is plagued with gang violence, for the luxuries of Beverly Hills and moves in with Coach Baker and his interracial family.
Coach Baker’s son, Jordan, is faced with the realities of being a half-back man and the stereotypes that come with it. His twin sister, Olivia, has an ongoing struggle with drugs and alcohol, and the temptation is always lurking when life gets hard.
As the series continues, violence gets worse and worse with several characters getting shot and some even dying from gang violence.
While most of the series contains lewd content, there are some moral aspects. All of the parents in the series love, care and would do anything to protect their children. One mother even raised her daughter in the church and is seen leading a church choir practice.
Friends are seen sticking up for friends when life gets hard and try to give good counsel when they aren’t making good decisions.
With that being said, over the course of the first two seasons characters deal with growing racism, dysfunctional families, mental health issues, violence, homosexuality, teen pregnancies, and adultery.
For these reasons, Movieguide® finds ALL AMERICAN excessive.
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