In a nod to the original Vortex fans have come to love (and without a doubt miss), All American season 7 episode 1, “Reborn,” opens up with Spencer (Daniel Ezra) doing a voiceover, introducing viewers to a new reality for the series. One that features Jordan (Michael Evans Behling) and the remaining Vortex trying to settle into adulthood. Additionally, a crop of new characters are introduced as a new dynamic takes shape. Here’s what happened in the All American season 7 premiere.
New beginnings
Jordan is leading a training session as an assistant coach of the South Crenshaw High School football team. He has a very friendly/brotherly relationship with the players, one that Head Coach Bobby Shepard (Gilbert Glenn Brown) isn’t fond of, noting the players don’t seem to take football seriously when Jordan is around.
When Jordan brings up his dynamic with his boss to Layla (Greta Onieogou), she mentions perhaps Shepard just wants Jordan to have more boundaries. She tells him it may not be the best idea to allow his high school players to follow and interact with him on social media. He shrugs off her advice.
Meanwhile, across town, new arrivals Cassius Jeremy (Osy Ikhile) and his son KJ (Nathaniel Logan McIntyre) are working out on their own, finishing up with a race, with Cassius proving to be victorious. The two men laugh and Cassius’ wife Ava (Angel Parker) joins in on the family moment. KJ interjects that with it being his last official day in LA, he wants to spend it with his friend Yasi (Elijah M. Cooper), who he met at football camp and happens to be the star quarterback for South Crenshaw.
Then there’s Preach’s (Kareem Grimes) daughter Amina (Alexis Chikaeze). She’s apparently finishing up moving into the James family home with Coop (Bre-Z) and insists she’s grown now at 16. Coop questions Amina’s rushed claim of adulthood, subsequently wondering if Amina is trying to prove she is an adult to her father or herself. Amina eventually heads out to a beach day event to meet friends.
Life doesn't get easier
At their hotel, Cassius tries to cozy up to his wife, but she isn’t receptive at all. She talks with him about putting on a front for KJ, because they both know they are getting a separation. Cassius clearly doesn’t want one, but Ava is determined to go through with it and tell KJ when they meet back up with him later.
KJ arrives at South Crenshaw to link up with Yasi. They exchange some banter before leaving for the beach. On their way out, Khalil (Antonio J Bell) bumps into KJ. Already upset, from finding out he'll have to repeat his junior year, Khalil starts to cause a scene, but Yasi steps in to put Khalil in his place. Yasi and KJ leave, which turns out to be a bad move on Yasi’s part. He’s supposed to be joining his team at an “optional” practice. When Jordan finds out the quarterback skipped it, he becomes very upset.
At the beach, KJ, Yasi and some other guys play a game of football while Amina and her friend Macy (Najah Jackson) look on in awe. Macy teases Amina for looking for Khalil, who she has a crush on. Amina tries to shrug off the comments, but Macy tells her Khalil isn’t coming because a day party at the beach is not Khalil’s type of party, adding he may not be around school for that much longer having heard about his latest trouble.
Over at the Baker house, Coop arrives to talk to Layla. The two lament about being adults and being in a rut, feeling the “New York Vortex” is doing big things. They recall Spencer is in the NFL, Olivia (Samantha Logan) is turning her best-seller into a TV show, Patience (Chelsea Tavares) is on Broadway and Asher (Cody Christian) is coaching at a school there.
Coop decides they need to have a fun day, so the two ladies go to Layla’s lounge to do some day drinking. However, once they are there and a few cocktails in, their duo becomes a trio when Cassius walks in thinking the lounge is open. Rather than turning him away, Coop invites him to drink and he opens up about his marital issues, noting he still loves his wife.
Beach Day implodes
Beach Day is interrupted when Jordan appears and confronts Yasi for leaving his teammates hanging. Yasi tries to sway Jordan not to embarrass him, but Jordan is livid and wants Yasi to head to practice now. Feeling all eyes are on him, Yasi shoots back that it’s not like Jordan never skipped a practice, and pulls up a social media video of Jordan drinking with friends. Jordan isn’t happy about the disrespect.
The beach outing becomes even more explosive thanks to Amina. Khalil eventually shows up, but is accompanied with some gang members from the neighborhood, although he himself isn’t in a gang. She approaches him and asks how he’s doing with having to repeat junior year? He erupts, telling her to go home. Tired of everyone thinking of her as a kid, she spots KJ and goes up and kisses him to prove a point. Once she leaves though, Khalil goes up to KJ and warns him to go home and not to touch one of his girls again.
KJ emphasizes that Amina kissed him and Khalil needs to chill. Khalil thinks KJ needs to learn a lesson, to but KJ says he’s not qualified to teach it as he’s “too stupid to graduate.“ Khalil punches him and before KJ can hit him back, one of Khalil’s friends pulls a gun out, convincing KJ to just leave.
When KJ arrives back at the hotel with his mom and dad, he’s hit with one more blow. His parents share they are separating. Cassius took a coaching job at Beverly High School and his parents think KJ should stay with his dad in Los Angeles while Ava returns to Oakland. KJ storms out.
Apologies and boundaries
Amina is at a bakery, turning in her resume. As she’s about to leave, she spots KJ walk in and grab a table. She apologizes for kissing him. He laughs and introduces himself officially. Amina turns to leave, but looking back, she sees something is bothering him and offers him the chance to vent.
The venting session leads to her taking him to South Crenshaw to toss a few footballs, as it typically clears his head. Jordan shows up, wondering what they’re doing there, but eventually offers to toss the ball with KJ, who is a bit star-struck by Jordan’s presence.
When Amina arrives home, she finds Khalil waiting for her. He apologizes and says Deion asked him to look out for her and stay out of trouble before he left, but is sorry if he overstepped. She in turn, regrets airing out his business at the beach.
The episode closes with Jordan listening to a voicemail from Spencer, who offers him advice as a coach. Jordan is prompted to make his social media account private going forward. KJ also joins his parents for dinner, trusting they can somehow remain a family through this trial separation and seemingly agrees to stay in town with his dad. Lastly, another assistant coach asks Coach Shepard why he’s so hard on Jordan, and Coach Shepard just notes he has his reasons, without sharing more.
New episodes of All American air on Mondays on The CW, seasons 1-6 are now on Netflix.
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