Coop was cleared of Tyrone’s murder, but no one felt particularly good about it.
That’s because nobody wanted to see Tyrone’s killer arrested on All American Season 2 Episode 14.
That was just the start of the reveals in this episode.
Spencer wasn’t liking the long, hard road to recovery, so he was busy getting into Coop’s business instead.
As she forcefully pointed out.
Coop is so wise, except when it comes to her own actions.
Coop was snapping back at everyone who was trying to help her out until the end.
It wasn’t enough to know you weren’t the killer and you knew who was if you’re not willing to use that information.
Just being innocent isn’t enough to save you if you’re a black ex-gangbanger living in Crenshaw.
Coop just kept trying to live her life, while pretending that the police would give up trying to find Tyrone’s killer long before they suspected Ru, who certainly picked the wrong time to surface back in Crenshaw.
It’s a mystery why she didn’t just leave town again after committing the murder.
But then Coop did her best to be considered the prime suspect in Tyrone’s death.
First, she rapped about her thug life on her hit single.
Then she managed to get caught on tape with a gun near the scene of the crime. What are the odds of that happening?
And wasn’t Layla the personification of liberal guilt? The single which she collaborated on with Coop helped to make Coop into a suspect. So naturally, Layla insisted on paying for Coop’s attorney, which Coop ungratefully tried to resist.
Coop had a sound defense strategy: Get her gun back from Patience and turn it in, since testing it would prove that it wasn’t the weapon that killed Tyrone.
Only Patience tossed it in the river on All American Season 2 Episode 13. Oops.
Her high-priced attorney likely would have counseled against Coop’s approach, I’ll bet.
It was a bittersweet scene when Coop decided she had to turn her in, to protect Ru, who had suffered enough thanks to Tyrone.
Then Coop and Spencer swung on the swings, with a flashback showing them and Sean as kids on those same swings.
It was heartwarming to see how many friends showed up to support Coop at the police station where she went to surrender.
Sure, it was obvious that Ru, alarmed by the video of Coop, would turn herself in first. Still, it was sad as they embraced before Ru got taken away for a largely victimless crime.
Now that the specter of Tyrone is behind her, hopefully, Coop will be re-energized about her possible music career.
Also, maybe she and Patience can rekindle what they had. That hug outside the police station seemed to suggest that scenario.
Now for a football interlude. The only thing that came out of Spencer’s rehab scene was that both Chris and Darnell plan to be South Crenshaw’s quarterback next season.
But that’s a storyline that won’t be addressed to All American Season 3, set in the football regular season.
So Billy is thinking about turning Spencer into a halfback. That’s an idea with some merit.
Spencer wouldn’t have to raise his arms so often, and he could still use his speed and catch passes out of the backfield. However, a running back is going to take more punishment than a wide receiver.
So that move could work out well or badly.
It still seems likely that Spencer is going to try to discover some shortcut that will bring him back to full fitness faster, ultimately setting himself back.
There’s also a question if Billy will be coaching the Eagles come fall.
He took the rap for the steroid vial found by the janitor so that Asher could have a second chance.
You have to ask if a recovering addict who turns to drugs as a short cut deserves another opportunity.
But Billy remembered when he did something equally stupid when younger. Also, Asher is involved with Olivia, his recovering-addict daughter who tried to do the right thing for Asher.
Now the big question is if Asher will do the right thing, sacrificing his longshot football career rather than bring down Billy and his teammates. Because that’s where this is heading.
This can’t bode well for Olivia, which is a shame, since she’s the character who’s evolved most since the series began.
Just what Laura needed when she’s about to start as district attorney: headlines about her champion football coach husband being suspended for illegal steroid use when he’s actually making a noble gesture.
That and her big-hearted son turning into the father surrogate for his pregnant ex-girlfriend.
Yes, Laura offered to let Simone stay as long as she needed. But she also told Simone to make plans for after the baby arrives, preferably without having Jordan fall for her in the meantime.
Simone took the hint and left, despite not having any better options.
That just left Jordan hurt, confused, and suspicious that Laura had a hand in Simone’s departure.
But with all the drama in the Baker household, that’s the least of Laura’s problems.
Damn, this series just revs up more every week.
To catch up on the drama, watch All American online.
Was Coop in over her head?
Did Billy do the right thing?
Will Asher confess?
Comment below.
Dale McGarrigle is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.