S03.E19: Surviving the Times

[jewel21]

Quote

Things in Spencer's life seem to be going right, but everything changes when Billy learns what he has been keeping from him. Jordan and Asher get some unexpected news.

Airdate: 07/19/2021

[tvwatchergordis]

What a finale! 

1. Jordan really got on my nerves this episode. His nastiness and ugliness really came out. The way he treats JJ because he is the starting quarterback is a no go for me. Also his petty jealousy over Spencer was back full force. Maybe Spencer telling everything to Billy was not the right choice I get it: he wanted to be honest but just bringing out in the open like that was not wise. It made Jordan angry but he forgot that he was also to blame for that hot mess, practically forced/manipulated Spencer into training him in secret. 

which brings me to:

2. Ok I get that Billy was upset but going bonkers on Spencer for trying to help Jordan was not fair. He was letting his own frustrations of being a bad father out on Spencer:AGAIN. Maybe he should ask himself why his son didn't come to him and ask for help instead of going behind his back the way he did. Sure Billy was gonna say no but the thing is Jordan doesn't trust him and that's very telling IMO. Also yes Spencer may have put Jordan in jeopardy but he wasn't the only one who made that choice. And man does Liv have some bad timing LOL.

3. Asher, Asher, Asher: yes he was supposedly trying to help his team after finding out that Crenshaw had been helping Beverly so to speak. Meaning both teams probably knew the others secrets. He didn't have to be a snitch and cause all the trouble he did. But karma bit him in the behind now with that heart condition he won't be able to play football. 

4. That fight between Crenshaw and Beverly hurt esp because what it did to Spencer and Jordan's relationship. I guess Spencer regains Coop's friendship but loses Jordan's(for now). Or, maybe not, it looked like Jordan saw what his anger did when he looked at Spencer before going in for the game. I hope that its resolved fast in S4. 

5. Run Layla! Run! She realizes that Carrie is dangerous but still goes with her to her "parents" nope! Not a wise move Layla. That psycho is definitely gonna kidnap Layla or something

5. Spelivia is so cute. It was nice seeing them so happy before all hell broke lose.

6. Coop! NOOOOOOO! it was kinda predictable that something was gonna happen to her. I guess the big neon sign was that Spencer and her made up before it all went down. Man, if she dies: it's gonna destroy Spencer. He's lost so much already I can just imagine if he loses Coop too someone he loves so much. 

and final thought LOL

7. I wish we would have seen that Championship game but I have a theory that the game will be inturrepted but what happened to Coop at the end of the episode. 

All in all an ok finale. Good thing the wait isn't that long this time. 

[KWalkerInc]

This episode really depressed me a bunch (not that this was very hard at the moment).  It just frustrates me that they are one of the CW's more popular shows so clearly people enjoy the characters and (most of) the storylines, so people are likely to come back and watch the next season, yet they insist on piling so much misery into the finale.  There can be cliffhangers (if they insist, it's not like these are the days of Dallas) without having every character be on the verge of death or losing a lot of people they care about.  Well, maybe Laura got off easy because she wasn't in the episode, but other than that...  (Oh, and Dillon.  He disappears most of the time so I forgot about him.)  I just don't like that Coop and Layla have to possibly die because they tried to see the good in people (though maybe didn't handle it too intelligently).  I think that Layla will probably make it out okay, as the danger for her hadn't escalated quite yet (and Kelly Taylor survived the 90210 storyline they seem to have copied this from).  Her dad is influential and can probably get the cops to track down Layla's car before anything happens.  But sadly, I don't know where they would go with Coop because they wouldn't dare let her survive and be successful and she already got her GED, leaving no reason for her to hang around the school next year. 

I was also annoyed that they decided to push the championship game off into next season, if they even show it at all.  Maybe they hadn't decided who will win yet.  They probably like the idea of "Spencer comes in the locker room at halftime and finds out Coop is dead" or "Spencer comes in to celebrate after the game and finds out Coop is dead" because they are sickos!  He would definitely have even more weight on his shoulders if he loses her and has to be the last one standing from his group of childhood friends.  Plus he was among those trying to get her to accept Saint Mo.  Jordan is getting on my nerves with his self-importance and whining, and though there were definitely tensions between the teams and players on their own teams, he really set it off.  He shouldn't have blamed Spencer when he was the one who blurted out the secret first just to whine that J.J. shouldn't be playing.  Billy often puts too much pressure on Spencer and expects him to be perfect when he is still just a teenager even though he usually does the right thing.  It was pretty melodramatic to pile on with Asher's heart condition at the last minute, maybe he could have just had an injury end his career.  The coach's reaction was more moving than Asher's.  She seems very attached to him, but she also can probably relate as a parent of a teenager, not wanting their life to be at risk.

I'm guessing the All-American game will be a big part of next season, so maybe Spencer and Jordan can try to mend fences as they are teammates there.

[mojoween]

I did not like that preview at the top of the episode because all it did was make me anxious for the next fifty five minutes.

If Coop is dead I swear I will never watch this show again.  (Ok we all know that is a lie but I will put some strongly worded comments on the shows Twitter feed).

Preach almost saved her!  Goddammit.

[Guy Incognito]

The producers of this show REALLY want to milk the high school years out of these actors.  This is by far the oldest cast ever to do a High School show, making even the 90210 cast look like babies.  And they are going for a 4th season covering 2 years of High School?  They are probably killing Coop off because she is seriously going to be 34 in July.  Either that or she is old enough to retire as an actor now.  Layla is 30 years old, Spencer will be 30 this year!  Jordan and Olivia are practically the babies of the group and they are 25!  Get these kids out of High School for God's sake!  

What kills me about this show is the budget must be peanuts and it kills the continuity.  Players on the teams are there one week, gone the next, then back, then gone.  What happened to that female kicker for Crenshaw?  She just disappeared.  What happened to Coach Montez's daughter?  She just disappeared.  Crenshaw has two starting QBs to start the season, then one moves away, then the other has to go to Atlanta for a few weeks, then he is back for the Championship Game.  Players are just dropped and brought back when the budget allows.

After the fight scene where they showed the two teams getting lectured by the coaches, there was an overhead shot and I counted the players on each team and there were like 20 guys on each team.  For two state championship teams?  LOL, that's bad.  That's not even enough for an Offense and a Defense.  There would be like 60-80 guys on those teams each.  No budget for extras though.

I liked the original premise of this show as I knew the story of Spencer Paysinger.  I remembered him playing at Oregon.  But man, they are struggling with storylines and just keeping these kids in High School too long.

[KWalkerInc]

16 hours ago, mojoween said:

I did not like that preview at the top of the episode because all it did was make me anxious for the next fifty five minutes.

I really don't like it when shows do that either.  It's like they're afraid people won't watch if they don't know that something dramatic is going to happen--even though it clearly will because it's the finale.  I think they used it multiple times on Star, they definitely did in the last episode before it got cancelled.

10 hours ago, Guy Incognito said:

What kills me about this show is the budget must be peanuts and it kills the continuity.  Players on the teams are there one week, gone the next, then back, then gone.  What happened to that female kicker for Crenshaw?  She just disappeared. 

I don't know why they even bothered with the kicker storyline if she's not even going to be shown for the state championship.  (Maybe she'll reappear for the actual game.)  If she had been there for the fight I would have liked to see her mom's reaction after she had said her daughter could play because Billy would keep her safe.  At least with Crenshaw the lack of players was a storyline throughout the season; it makes no sense for Beverly other than the budget/safety regulations of the show.  They even made it a point that Asher had to choose between offense and defense, and J.J. didn't seem to play defense anymore after becoming the quarterback even though linebacker was his best position.  (Although I think J.J. had played offense and defense both in previous seasons, probably to avoid having to hire another actor with lines for Beverly.)

[Kristi800]

On 7/20/2021 at 5:51 AM, KWalkerInc said:

It was pretty melodramatic to pile on with Asher's heart condition at the last minute, maybe he could have just had an injury end his career.  The coach's reaction was more moving than Asher's.  She seems very attached to him, but she also can probably relate as a parent of a teenager, not wanting their life to be at risk.

I missed the heart condition. When did that happen? I just thought it was about his ribs. 

[KWalkerInc]

Asher is about to go out to the field when his dad stops him and tearfully tells him he can't play.  Asher is confused because have ribs have healed.  His dad explains that tests they did after that injury showed that he has a heart condition that won't allow him to play anymore.  He cries and throws down his helmet as Coach Montes watches from around the corner and starts to tear up.

[Kristi800]

Quote

Asher is about to go out to the field when his dad stops him and tearfully tells him he can't play.  Asher is confused because have ribs have healed.  His dad explains that tests they did after that injury showed that he has a heart condition that won't allow him to play anymore.  He cries and throws down his helmet as Coach Montes watches from around the corner and starts to tear up.

I must have turned away for a second and not heard the part about his heart because I heard the ribs part and saw him throwing the helmet down. Thanks!

[Lonesome Rhodes]

When, exactly, did Coop offload the drug cartons?  Where?  Any chance Andre would not have driven in contact with the bus to ensure the bust happened?  

Preach is in heap big trouble for having a gun.  Killing someone with it?  Hello, prison.  

I enjoyed the fight when it devolved into sucker punches from one teammate to another.  That was not a usual TV deal.  

Whatever goes down with Layla, the GPS in her vehicle would most definitely aid in others to come to her rescue.  

The uneven reactions by Billy to Spence's choices and actions was just ridiculous this time (working out with Jordan).  I loved Fausto's incredulity when he realized that Spence had the playbook and did not disclose any of it during Crenshaw's prep for the title game.  That, was completely in character and the passion was totally legit.

Jordan's invite to the Platinum game was absurd.  He deserves credit for the strides he made, no question.  He and dad should be proud.  Of course that is not enough in TV land.