S06.E05: Trust Issues

[KWalkerInc]

After having some issues with a new game strategy on the field, Spencer diverts his attention to helping a South Crenshaw High player, who has been struggling with his own issues; Layla helps Jordan find a new roommate at the beach house.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

One of the best eps in this series.

I loved the football scenes, once again.  The play in question was screwed in several ways.  First, if you're gonna send Spence past the sticks, it is not a "screen pass."  So, poor play design for the strategy the coach expressed.  Then we had the breakdown in pass protection.  Here again, questionable call.  The screen, by definition, invites the defense to penetrate the line as they rush the QB.  It requires all the blockers, several of whom must haul butt to get to a different area of the field, to allow the penetration, but not too much penetration.  It's a fine line to execute - literally. 

The play got blown up and Jordan had no chance but to just heave the ball and hope.  Spencer had little chance to get to his block because the defender on him reacted super quick to the breach his mates had created.  It is still true that Spence half-assed the block. That, is super duper bad.   But, he, and the play called, really did have no chance.  Sometimes, the other guys are better than you.

I had a moment when FINALLY, the issue of affordability entered the lexicon for our intrepid young adults.  However, it ain't so.  NIL would unquestionably be at least mid-to-high hundreds of thousands for Spencer.  Jordan would be getting some, as well.  As I was ruminating about this, what did the writers bring up in a very short period of time?  NIL!!!!!!!  So much for being poor.  So, so much fun for me. 

A problem, however, is that the issue of compensation has finally become real.  The pressures which have been blown off to a huge extent, are now central to Spencer's story.  All the equanimity he had managed was fantasy.  Now, though, it's getting real.  It's genuinely desperation time.   Finally.  

That is not to say he has not made the NFL a supreme goal.  He has.  It's the added money issue that should put him over the top with worry.  It's the standard move for Spencer to obsess and to be very anxious.  Let's see how far the show takes this.   

Which brings me to the standard suspension of disbelief the entire enterprise requires.  All of them are free to blow off any semblance of regular life responsibilities if, and when, some crisis erupts.  Did Layla spend two seconds on her music biz?  Karimah was a light, once again, but her character would have to be Superwoman to handle everything.  Spencer had time at this unbelievably intense moment in his life to go deal with Deion, and handle Olivia's betrayal of trust, annnnd the worst moment for his career, perhaps, evah?  (Of course they will all blow off serious situations next ep to go to the cabin.)

Not liking the overwrought and cliche couple who moved in to the beach house.  Unnecessary and cheapening.

 

 

 

 

[Artsda]

We're supposed to believe Liv is this amazing writer but she doesn't have the common sense to know Ashley being a boy is something she should have told Spencer?  Then him calling out her never correcting the pronouns. 

This is the thing he should have overreacted on. 

 

[KWalkerInc]

Olivia not saying anything about Ashley being a guy in over a YEAR is one of the stupidest things she has done.  I suppose it could have worse if she had told Layla or Jordan or someone and then expected them to keep it a secret from Spencer too.  She and Ashley have likely never had any romantic interest in each other, so this is going to probably turn out to be due to some subconscious thing relating to more deep issues between Olivia and Spencer.  Then it will either drag on until the end of the season before they break up, or they break up quickly and fret about it the rest of the season (even though this has already been done).

I hope the couple that moved in won't be around as supposed comic relief.  Maybe they can have them just be gone all the time as a running joke, like Jordan and Spencer aren't sure where they are but don't care as long as they pay the rent.  They don't need to ever show them again when actual cast members are gone half the time.  (Patience wants to avoid Coop, so she just vanishes to...somewhere.) 

Laura puts together a class assignment based on Patience's situation just to gauge people's reactions to Patience?  I know she wants Coop to act professional, but if she thought that she didn't about Preach's custody case, good luck with this one.  She may want to test Coop's growth, but the woman she loves was nearly killed and the culprit will probably get away with it.  The lawyers will probably claim that Patience invited Miko over and then attacked her.  And people will believe this because they are stupid.  (That could have been determined without the case study.)

I love how the show isn't allowed to mention any real colleges (aside from UCLA when Chip Kelly guest-starred because of being real Spencer's coach) in even a neutral reference.  Like they can't say that GAU needs Alabama or Washington to lose, it's "Sonoma."  Even if they mean Sonoma State, where my cousin went, that school doesn't even have a football team.  And I'm not sure what season it is, because one loss doesn't eliminate anyone in the expanded playoffs.  Even with just four teams, my alma mater kept getting chances until the second loss every year, even after opening the season losing by like a thousand to Georgia.  Of course it will come down to GAU against Coastal and Wade for the shot at the playoffs.

I liked how Dillon (who they confirmed was in high school) was helpful, but I'm not sure how he could put together an apparently good lasagna within the time frame.  It's not like Grace had already put it all together and he just heated it up.  It seemed like it all magically appeared within an hour or so.  I like that Preach is dedicated to repaying Billy's faith in him.  Poor Deion having to deal with his sister wanting a handout.  I'm surprised she doesn't expect an NIL deal right now, when he's a freshman, though I don't know if California allows this for high school kids.