All American is a CW show that is currently airing its third season. I started watching it during the beginning of quarantine and immediately fell in love. One of the main reasons that All American is such a well-known TV show is because of the real-world issues that it discusses.
The show is centered around Spencer James, a Black high school student from the town of South Crenshaw, California. He transfers to Beverly Hills High School in hopes of building a better life for himself. In doing so he meets a variety of different characters and has to navigate through the challenges of going to high school, playing football, and dealing with gangs back home. All American addresses the topic of racism and how prevalent it is in society. I especially like how for season three, they connected the plot to the Black Lives Matter movement and the unfair treatment that many people receive due to their skin color.
All American also addresses the harsh realities of living in a community with active gangs. Spencer and his best friend, Coop, have to learn how to stay away from negative influences and how to deal with different people. It is truly heart-wrenching to see even a fraction of what some people have to endure due to something as simple as skin color. Lastly, All American teaches the audience about the full extent of mental illnesses. One of the characters, Layla, suffers from severe depression and attempts suicide multiple times. Seeing Layla go on her journey in improving her mental health is inspiring to those who suffer from depression. All American also addresses PTSD and drug addictions, which are both very important topics that are not discussed enough in society.
I highly recommend All American to everyone who hasn’t watched it yet. The plot and characters are amazing and it covers issues that are very relevant in society today.