S03.E03: High Expectations

[paulvdb]

Quote

With the first game of the season coming up, Spencer starts to feel the pressure on and off the field. Spencer decides to confide in Layla who might have a helpful suggestion. Now that Spencer and Billy are gone, Jordan realizes he needs to step up. Asher keeps trying to talk to Olivia about the summer, but she does everything she can to avoid the issue. Meanwhile, Coop is unconvinced that Tyrone's sister, Mo has good intentions, and maybe she is just paranoid, especially when she learns of some key information pertaining to Spencer.

Airdate: February 1, 2021

[KWalkerInc]

I totally agree with Coop that something is up.  Mo is scary as hell!  I think it's how eerily calm she is all the time.  And if she badgered/threatened a guy into taking the fall for Spencer's shooting, I highly doubt it was the person who actually did it.  It's very ominous that two different people said, "Tell Spence the neighborhood is looking out for him."  The first guy was fine, but from Mo it seems like a threat/warning.  At least this is more interesting than when they just decided to let Tyrone out of prison because Preach didn't testify, completely ignoring the fact that Coop got his confession to Sean's murder and Preach's shooting.  But sometimes they could take a break from Coop's life being in danger.

I wonder if they could have possibly telegraphed the ending of South Crenshaw's game more than having Billy randomly tell his ex-QB friend, "I wish we had a kicker."  But making three of four isn't that bad for a high school kicker.  (Our school's kicker when I was a senior only missed three all season, but he was All-State.)  It would have made more sense to have him maybe miss an earlier one and then they went for two and made it to get to 21.  Of course, with the way Darnell and Spencer were going, they probably could have gone for two at the end and won, but it wouldn't have fit what they wanted to do with this episode.  I was cringing the whole time they were walking home at the end because, being the end of the episode, I knew something bad would happen.  I hope that Darnell's mom won't die.  They will likely have him help care for her, because if she did die, Darnell would probably need a place to go and be back at South Crenshaw.  It will be tough for Chris on the field when he was already struggling and now had been benched.  Although they're a small team, I'm glad SC seems to have more than 8 players now!

So now it turns out Olivia DID go to Vegas (but Layla doesn't know this) and left in a hurry, likely out of guilt.  At least they drop a few crumbs as hints as they drag this out.  When Olivia is already secretly drinking, it doesn't help that Asher seems more interested in Vanessa than her now.  She wasn't super-impressed with J.J. and his rib-eating ability?  I liked Layla and Simone with their "bad idea" to reunite Jordan and Spencer, even though that didn't happen.  Their dialogue was funny. 

Edited February 2, 2021 by KWalkerInc
Added reference to what they kept telling Coop to tell Spencer.

[Artsda]

I hope Darnell isn't going anywhere.  

I think Chris needs to get over his mentality of Spencer James show and be willing to throw to him if he's open.  Darnell and Spencer work together like Jordan and Spencer.

I hope we actually see a flashback episode of all that happened on this Vegas trip. Would be different than the highschool sets all the time. 

[Xander]

Based on the latest trailer, we're getting lots of flashbacks to Vegas.

Like I mentioned in the previous thread, the actor playing Darnell is a series regular on another show so I think he will be written out in a way that he can occasionally return. 

[topanga]

On 2/2/2021 at 5:30 AM, KWalkerInc said:

wonder if they could have possibly telegraphed the ending of South Crenshaw's game more than having Billy randomly tell his ex-QB friend, "I wish we had a kicker."  But making three of four isn't that bad for a high school kicker.  (Our school's kicker when I was a senior only missed three all season, but he was All-State.)  It would have made more sense to have him maybe miss an earlier one and then they went for two and made it to get to 21.  Of course, with the way Darnell and Spencer were going, they probably could have gone for two at the end and won, but it wouldn't have fit what they wanted to do with this episode.  I was cringing the whole time they were walking home at the end because, being the end of the episode, I knew something bad would happen.  I hope that Darnell's mom won't die.  They will likely have him help care for her, because if she did die, Darnell would probably need a place to go and be back at South Crenshaw.  It will be tough for Chris on the field when he was already struggling and now had been benched.  Although they're a small team, I'm glad SC seems to have more than 8 players now!

I watch this show with my football-playing teenage sons, and they agree with you 100%. They love yelling football commentary at the TV. Why didn't they go for two? Did the kicker make the other PATs (or did they go for 2 on other touchdowns)? 

 

19 hours ago, Artsda said:

I hope Darnell isn't going anywhere.  

I think Chris needs to get over his mentality of Spencer James show and be willing to throw to him if he's open.  Darnell and Spencer work together like Jordan and Spencer.

I hope we actually see a flashback episode of all that happened on this Vegas trip. Would be different than the highschool sets all the time. 

Same here. I like Darnell as a character, and, the gentleman playing him is one of the stronger actors in the cast. 

I feel sad that Olivia is drinking again. And I also want to know what happened in Vegas. She and Spencer remain awkward around each other--I don't think it's just because of his arm or because he might have witnessed her drinking. If it was just the drinking, he would have brought it up already. I still think they might have hooked up, which makes me ask why. Spencer never seemed to have romantic feelings toward Olivia. 

I laughed at the Beverly coach yelling at the team when it turns out they won the game. I do understand a team not playing well, even in a victory. But most teams or fans don't get embarrassed if the team eked out a win.

[mojoween]

On 2/2/2021 at 5:30 AM, KWalkerInc said:

But sometimes they could take a break from Coop's life being in danger.

SERIOUSLY.  It won’t kill you to have Coop happy for a minute, show.

I’m leaning more towards it was not Spencer and and Olivia hooking up, just because of some of the things they have said to each other.

I made sure to check last season before I mentioned that the gentleman playing Darnell is fine as hell, because I had to make sure he was of an age it would not be criminal to notice.  It’s still a bit creepy, but not illegal!

The body double playing Spencer in football scenes is comically shorter than Daniel.

[KWalkerInc]

When Entertainment Tonight had some interviews and preview stuff before the season premiere, Taye Diggs joked that he was actually Daniel Ezra's stunt double.

[marshmallows]

I really hope Darnell sticks around. I actually really enjoy his character and he and Spencer have good football and friendship chemistry. Also he is so nice to look at.

Am I the only one who ships Layla and Spencer? I think they are so sweet together but I feel like the show has been setting up a slow burn for Olivia and Spencer since the s1ep1. I really hope they didn't hook up in Vegas, not just bc that storyline is tired but then it makes Olivia a colossally terrible friend to sleep with her bestfriend's (Layla) bf not once but twice. That would be hard for any character to come back from. Not to mention on tv shows the main actors have to have some sort of connection or it doesn't work. And if Olivia did sleep with Spencer that would basically push Layla out since most of her scenes revolve around her relationships with Spencer and Olivia. And I like Layla so I don't want to lose her as a character either.

Edited February 16, 2021 by marshmallows