Season 5 episode 12 of All American left viewers in tears as everyone mourned the death of Billy Baker. The episode covered his funeral and paid homage to the character.
In last week's episode, the beloved character tragically died in a bus accident. Even though his body was not clearly visible, it was implied that he didn't survive the crash. Showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll spoke to The Hollywood Reporter regarding the actor's departure from the show, sharing,
"It has been an honor to work with Taye over these last five seasons and to watch him bring such incredible life to the role of Billy Baker. It has truly been a gift for me and my fellow writers to write a character that was equally flawed and heroic."She continued,
"Billy was all of us and what a joy it was to watch this character grow as he raised his kids and his football players as one big family. We wish Taye the very best in this next chapter of his life and he remains a beloved member of the All American family, so you haven’t seen the last of Billy Baker."Fans are torn over how things ended for Billy, who could have survived but chose to save Jabari, which proved to be fatal for him. Needless to say, viewers did not see this coming and were left extremely shocked by this departure.
All American season 5 episode 12 recap: Billy Baker's unexpected death shatters everyone
The latest episode of the popular series saw Grandpa Willie showing up at Billy's funeral and Spencer listening to the voicemails left by the deceased coach on loop. Meanwhile, Dillon and Grace arrive from Oakland, and Layla helps Jordan recover Billy's blue suit from the closet. Laura announces that the funeral would be held the next day, and only family and close friends were invited.
JJ checks in on Asher, while Coop urges Spencer to take some time off to heal. Olivia struggles with her eulogy, but Jordan comes to her rescue. Spencer, however, does not speak. Everyone visits Billy's home to relive old memories. Willie explains to Jordan that everyone has their own way of coping with this loss. He, for one, imagined Billy reuniting with his wife in heaven.
Jordan even tells Jabari not to blame himself for what happened, and conveys to the players how much they mean to Billy. Olivia thanks Spencer for all his help since Billy's death. On the other hand, Laura returns to her empty house and is surprised to find Willie waiting for her. Layla lines up Shawn to play and then speaks to the gathered crowd.
What is All American about?
All American is inspired by the true story of a former American football linebacker named Spencer Paysinger who played for New York Giants, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, and Carolina Panthers.
The official synopsis of All American reads as:
"When a rising high school football player from South L.A. is recruited to play for Beverly Hills High, the wins, losses and struggles of two families from vastly different worlds — Crenshaw and Beverly Hills — begin to collide. Inspired by the life of U.S. pro football player Spencer Paysinger."All American was created by April Blair. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Rob Hardy, Nkechi Okoro Carroll, John A. Norris, and Jameal Turner. Mike Herro and David Strauss serve as executive producers of the series.
On January 11, 2023, The CW renewed the series for a sixth season.
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