Bill C

At first glance, I thought this series was going to be another high school football cliché. However, the series began to grow on me quickly only after the first twenty minutes of Episode 1. The show really does have it all: different worlds colliding with several entertaining plot lines, a talented group of actors and an interesting cast of characters. You really begin to feel like you are there watching all the drama unfold. The writers do a good job of weaving together complex issues without looking like they are trying too hard such as: racism, poverty and a lack of opportunity, gangs/gang violence, high school and high school football culture, navigating adolescence, socio economic status, big money culture, friends, family, love, relationships, moving/change, drugs and alcohol, etc. The aerial video footage of the LA area is beautiful, and the hip hop sound track is cool too. The football games are realistic too. Spencer James (played by Daniel Erza) is a good kid/young man and a rising star athlete, and we are all pulling for him to succeed for himself, his family, his team, his friends, and his community. He is the All American.