Are you living in a state that doesn’t have high school football? Are you feeling the itch to fill your void? All-American has both season one and two on Netflix and could very well be the best football show on the streaming service. 

It’s one of the best football-related shows since the release of Friday Night Lights. Originally broadcasted on The CW, All-American is a drama-trauma sports genre that really knows how to get the audience hooked. 

The Overview

The story is based on the real life story of American football player Spencer Paysinger. For creative purposes, it puts the spotlight on Crenshaw football star, Spencer James. His NFL odds increase after Beverly Hills coach, Billy Baker, recruits him to his team to play for the upper class part of California. 

In this drama, Spencer must battle between his low-income area in Crenshaw, as well as meeting the status quo in Beverly. Spencer wrestles with family conflict, new teammates, status quo, his identity, and the daily struggles of an impoverished community where his mother and little brother continue to live. 

The Social Issue

All-American hits all the major social issues in our world today. It shows issues with racism, athlete drug testing, the LGBTQ community, addiction, sobriety, and mental illness. It shows how Spencer deals with childhood trauma, and creates a visual that most young to middle adults can relate. 

Granted, Paysinger has said that not all events in the show have happened in his life. The show is inspired by events that happened during his upbringing, but he felt that the show should hit on these important topics to keep the conversation going. All-American took giant leaps to address them, which is why Season 3 will be exciting to watch when it comes out next year. 

The Love Of Football

All the dramatic sequences are nice and all, but it gets the competitive juices flowing for fans because it’s like watching a high school football game. In the show, James is given an opportunity to play for Beverly Hills, which is a prestigious football school. When James comes to Beverly, he isn’t used to the attitude and lifestyle of those who live in the upper class. 

When James begins to play with his new teammates, he feels hazed and cheated. However, when the team develops chemistry, they begin to become one of the best football teams in the state. On the screen, it makes for some very nail biting games, which is perfect for someone who is missing a Friday night football game. 

Taken from Pixabay

The Cast

The cast features some top-heavy actors. Playing James is Daniel Ezra, who is blossoming into one of the best young men in the industry. Taye Diggs plays Coach Baker, who we have seen in Rent,and Private Practice. For Diggs, it’s a complete reversal from his comedic role in Scrubs. 

Cody Christian, known in Pretty Little Liars and Teen Wolf, plays Asher Adams. Bre-Z, from Empire, plays Coop, who is Spencer’s best friend. Samantha Logan (Olivia Baker), Michael Evans-Behling (Jordan Baker), and Greta Onieogou (Layla Keating) play as Spencer’s friends and are flawless in their roles as high schoolers. 
Again, for the football junkie, this is the best show to binge on Netflix until the next season.

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