All American Season 3 Episode 12 Review: Fight The Power

Considering all that's going on lately, is it any wonder that social justice took priority over football?

One character after another took on police brutality on All American Season 3 Episode 12.

It's a shame that South Crenshaw's season got cut short but at least it was for the right reason.

Bottom line: A change in policing practices is going to be much more beneficial in those students' lives than their likely short-lived football careers.

It's likely the South Crenshaw players recognized that. From what we've seen so far this season, Spencer was the most likely Charger to be heading to a college program. 

Strangely, I felt the worst for the only white woman in the cast.

Olivia should have accepted Laura's explanation that these things are complicated. Instead, self-righteous Olivia leaked the police body-cam footage, torpedoing Laura's prosecution of the cops in question and her short-lived career as district attorney.

Laura rightfully grounded Olivia for doing something that was borderline illegal and definitely made Laura's effort to get justice for Tamika all that much harder. 

On the bright side, this didn't cause Olivia to relapse.

And in the end, Olivia used her weapon of choice -- the podcast -- to apologize to Laura and to attempt to make things right.

Poor Laura not only had to deal with a career and a city in turmoil but also had to be largely a single mom to two moody teenagers (perhaps that phrase is redundant).

No wonder she broke down in Billy's office. Fortunately, Mama Grace stopped by at just the right moment and was able to give Laura a much-needed pep talk.

It didn't help Laura that Billy was MIA for much of this crisis. Still, it was hard to blame him for seeking the medical advice he obviously needed from a neurologist.

The apparent choice would be some kind of brain injury after all the hits he'd taken throughout his football career.

Unfortunately, his neurologist couldn't definitely rule out a CTE without an autopsy. But grief over his mother's lingering illness causing him to block out that period of time made sense.

Billy also got just what he didn't need, a couple of disagreements with the cantankerous Willy, who just popped back into the life of his golden-boy grandson Jordan.

Props to Billy for not shooting down Spencer's desire to protest, even though it may ultimately mean the end of South Crenshaw as we know it.

Spencer has definitely seen both sides of how the police handle blacks. He's been face down in the dirt with the D.A.'s son and been let off with a warning while with the D.A.'s daughter.

He's an idealist who means well and is sincere in his efforts to get justice for Tamika.

Grace warned him to enjoy football while he could and to balance living his life with his desire for social justice.

It's easier to make a grand gesture when your future is secured.

You just knew an impassioned speech was coming from Spencer as he stood in front of the mural of Tommie Smith and John Carlos's black-power salute at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.

And his speech was an inspiring one, one that the trailer shows going public next episode.

However, at least Spencer was still showing some fire, unlike Jordan.

Negotiations were underway between the two sets of parents for the annulment of his marriage to Simone and he didn't make a peep like it was a done deal. (And wasn't Simone's mother a snooty bitch?)

Jordan did have a lot on his plate: The end of his football season (career?), his ill-advised marriage on the rocks, tension at home between Laura and Olivia.

Simone had reason to be concerned about him being depressed. He certainly acted that way.

Asher tried to be helpful to Simone, up until the time he found out he was one of the few who didn't know about the wedding. It was understandable why Asher was upset by that.

It took Spencer essentially saying, "Dude, I gave up my season for the greater good" to snap Jordan out of his funk.

Unfortunately, Jordan still doesn't understand the severity of a concussion. Spencer did the only thing he could: offer to train Jordan in exchange for Jordan seeing Spencer's therapist.

Jordan desperately needs an outsider to speak some truth to him and Dr. Spears is the one to do it.

Layla followed Simone's advice and went to see Olivia when Olivia needed a friend most and was able to get Olivia to see a way out of the mess she had made for her mother.

Layla helped Olivia get the word out to clear Laura's name via Olivia's podcast.

Mo's true colors finally showed through as she seduced Preach to further her scheme to ruin Coop's future.

Will Preach see through her in time to warn Coop?

To renew this season's social-justice storylines, watch All American online.

Was Spencer right to ask his team to give up their season?

Is Jordan on the right path?

Did Olivia learn from this experience?

Comment below.