Season 1 Discussion

[Meredith Quill]

Your Season 1 Topic!

[paulvdb]

The CW fall TV 2018 schedule

All American will air Wednesdays at 9 pm.

[paulvdb]

The CW Network Announces New Six-Night Primetime Schedule for 2018-19
 

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9:00-10:00 PM ALL AMERICAN (@CWAllAmerican #AllAmerican)

Spencer James is a rising high school football player and A student at South Crenshaw High. Compton is the place he calls home. But when Beverly High School's football coach Billy Baker recruits him to join his team in Beverly Hills, Spencer's mother, Grace, and his best friend, Coop, convince Spencer it's an opportunity he has to seize. Now Spencer must navigate two worlds, the south side neighborhood that he knows and the affluent Beverly Hills world that has offered him an opportunity for something bigger. When Spencer is forced to move in with Billy and his family to protect his transfer permit to Beverly, Billy's son, Jordan (the team's starting quarterback), is less than thrilled to be sharing his father's attention - or the team spotlight - with Spencer. While Spencer struggles to find his footing, he makes an unlikely friend in Jordan's sister, Olivia, who is dealing with her own demons. He also quickly develops a crush on his classmate, Layla, something her boyfriend, Asher, quickly realizes - and so, he sets out to drive Spencer off the football team and out of Beverly Hills for good. Inspired by the life of NFL player Spencer Paysinger. ALL AMERICAN stars Daniel Ezra, Taye Diggs, Samantha Logan, Bre-Z, Greta Onieogou, Monet Mazur, Michael Evans Behling, Cody Christian and Karimah Westbrook. ALL AMERICAN is from Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios in association with Berlanti Productions, with executive producers April Blair ("Reign"), Greg Berlanti ("The Flash," "Riverdale"), Sarah Schechter ("The Flash," "Riverdale") and Rob Hardy ("Power").

 

[Lady Calypso]

First trailer:

[paulvdb]

The CW Network to Roll Out New Six-Night Schedule Starting in October

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10
8:00-9:00pm RIVERDALE (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00pm ALL AMERICAN (Series Premiere)

[paulvdb]

‘All American’ To Split Time Between Bev Hills And Compton, Reflecting Vastly Changed Times
 

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“What makes this different is it’s a tale of two cities, unlike the OC where [Ryan Atwood] left and never went back to Chino. We go back every week, writer/EP April Blair said.

“We try to maintain the two worlds. It’s not The OC model where we take him out” of South Central. “This is about a boy straddling two worlds…He does not leave his family behind. He struggles to maintain his life in both places,” she said, saying it will be a 60-40 split in terms of time in each community.

[paulvdb]

‘All American’: Nkechi Okoro Carroll Tapped As New Showrunner As Creator April Blair Exits CW Series

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“Nkechi Okoro Carroll has been elevated from co-executive producer to executive producer of All American and will work alongside Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter,” Warner Bros. TV said in a statement to Deadline. “Carroll will now serve as the new showrunner for the series. April Blair has left her position as executive producer/showrunner for personal reasons.”

[paulvdb]

The CW’s ‘All American’, ‘Charmed’ & ‘Legacies’ Get Backup Script Orders Ahead Of Premieres

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The CW is giving a major vote of confidence to its fall 2018 freshman class, handing additional script orders to all three of its new series on the eve of their debuts. Berlanti Productions’ All American and Jennie Snyder Urman’s Charmed reboot have been picked up for five additional scripts, while Julie Plec’s the Vampire Diaries./The Originals universe follow-up Legacies is getting three additional scripts.

[mojoween]

Holy crap, Coach.  Pay attention to your damn kid.

As a 30+ year fan of the New York Football Giants I was always going to watch this, so I’m super glad that it’s also a good show.

I love Spencer’s Crenshaw friend and hope they keep her even while he’s at Beverly.

[twoods]

One of the strongest pilots this season. The women on this show are stunning (the guys aren’t bad either), and I like that the guy is smart along with being a great football player. I’m glad they didn’t go the usual cliche trope of poor football player who struggles with high school.

Wish the other football players weren’t so douchey, but maybe they will grow on me.

I’m definitely in for the long haul.

[galax-arena]

I liked it, although I'm already tired of the love triangle (love square?). 

One review I read called this a "race conscious" version of the OC, but if the cliffhanger is alluding to what I think it is - it feels too obvious/telegraphed, but this IS the CW, after all - then it's more like a race conscious version of the OC blended with One Tree Hill lmao. 

I agree with liking how they made Spencer a good student in addition to being a good athlete. 

Edited October 11, 2018 by galax-arena

[Minneapple]

I love

1. Football

2. Cheesy teen dramas 

So mash 'em up and here we are.

This was pretty good for a pilot. The other football players were quite douchey but the coach's son has Depth because his dad loves Spencer more than him, and I'm sure others have Teen Drama Reasons For Their Douchiness. And, I look forward to season two when Rehab Girl (what's her name?) goes down the Dark Path of falling off the wagon. I COULD WRITE A TEEN DRAMA, PEOPLE.

Love the diversity. Hate the built-in love triangle. Someone smash the love triangle to smithereens.

25 minutes ago, galax-arena said:

then it's more like a race conscious version of the OC blended with One Tree Hill lmao. 

I kept thinking that this felt like old-school CW a bit, a fish out of water story like One Tree Hill or The OC.

[biakbiak]

This made me want to rewatch FNL because the football scenes were so painfully cheaply done. At one point there was a dude short white dude that looked like he was dressed from the 1930s.

Also, the son looked to be in his 30s. He and Taye could be fast as coworkers.

Edited October 11, 2018 by biakbiak

[mojoween]

I hope Spencer’s mom and Coach saying they need to tell him the truth isn’t alluding to Coach as Spencer’s dad, because how shitty would that be that Coach’s family lives over-comfortably in BH while Spencer’s mom can’t pay the gas bill?

Edited October 11, 2018 by mojoween

[AnimeMania]

I liked it. I am kind of glad it is not about how inspirational the coach is.

[twoods]

1 hour ago, mojoween said:

I hope Spencer’s mom and Coach saying they need to tell him the truth isn’t alluding to Coach as Spencer’s dad, because how shitty would that be that Coach’s family lives over-comfortably is BH while Spencer’s mom can’t pay the gas bill?

I don’t know what else it would be since he lived in Crenshaw when he was growing up, and maybe came back to have an affair with his high school girlfriend. Unless they (Mom and coach) are siblings, which would be much better. There doesn’t need to be any angst between the adults when the kids have enough to go around. I’m waiting for douchey wide receiver to be an ass because he has a jerk for a dad.

Edited October 11, 2018 by twoods

[UNOSEZ]

I set this on my DVR but wasn't really expecting to really love it.. But I did.. Sure some of the fish outta water tropes are there.. But it was still engaging.. Of course the mixed race light skin dude gotta pull some douche move( when are WE ever gonna not play the douche when there are  darker skinned brothas around.. Smh)  till tho I can feel his pain a lil bit.. Looking fwd to more

[Trini]

I'm not into football, or teen dramas, so I'm not going to stick around; although I did want to check out the pilot because of the cast. I thought it was solid, though you can see the tropes coming a mile away.

I think the "truth" at the end there might be about where Spencer's father really is.
 

18 hours ago, twoods said:

One of the strongest pilots this season. The women on this show are stunning (the guys aren’t bad either), ..

I was pleasantly surprised at the number of hot guys present. Or maybe I shouldn't have been, since it's CW.
 

18 hours ago, galax-arena said:

I liked it, although I'm already tired of the love triangle (love square?).

Oh yeah - it's totally a square.

[UNOSEZ]

13 minutes ago, Trini said:

yeah - it's totally a square.

I think.. Unless we find out that Cody Christians character likes the coach's daughter  I'd say the shape is more like a  "Z" Cody likes the popular girl who likes him back but off to the side out the way she may also be feeling the new kid and he's def sending vibes her way.. But next to him is the coach's daughter 

[AnimeMania]

15 hours ago, mojoween said:

I hope Spencer’s mom and Coach saying they need to tell him the truth isn’t alluding to Coach as Spencer’s dad, because how shitty would that be that Coach’s family lives over-comfortably in BH while Spencer’s mom can’t pay the gas bill?

I don't know it that is it, all the kids are around the same age, that would be pretty hard to pull off, 3 kids all born around the same time.

[Anela]

I didn’t think I’d like this, because it was on the CW, and I’m also not into football. You’re all making me feel old, because at first it felt like the football version of 90210. Until the douche factor went way up.  I only watched a tiny bit of one tree hill and the OC, although I was more in the age range they were going for at the time. 

I also like that he’s smart, too.  Not just good at a game.  

I like his friend, and the two girls at Beverly. I don’t like the guys.  I hope he gets some backup, instead of jealousy from the others. 

[portfino]

Eh, I wish I liked it.

Bre-Z was very good, and Greta Onieogou was charming, but to be blunt, I'm not sure I find Spencer or his story that compelling. A more charismatic actor could have worked. As others have said the love [geometric shape] is already boring.

[Raja]

As a local when I see "South" Crenshaw my first thought is that Crenshaw is already south and if you keep going south you get to a relatively affluent Crenshaw and break the premise of the series. They might as well have angered city hall, long ago the media and politicians re-branded the area as South Los Angeles,, and named it South Central High.

[Dee]

Nice to see the CW sticking to its usual casting choices for Black actresses.

[UNOSEZ]

13 hours ago, Dee said:

Nice to see the CW sticking to its usual casting choices for Black actresses.

At least this time they aren't playing the best friend of the main white girl who never seems to have  anything going on in their life besides what they can do to further the main girls life and story... So some progress?? 

[Dee]

2 hours ago, UNOSEZ said:

At least this time they aren't playing the best friend of the main white girl who never seems to have  anything going on in their life besides what they can do to further the main girls life and story

Give it time.

[UNOSEZ]

4 minutes ago, Dee said:

Give it time.

I'm still waiting for one young light skin mixed dude to not be a douche bag on a show with other darker black men... I was hype thinking my kind was about to get some non stereotypical characterization... But nope old buddy dry snitched about black Ben Mackenzie being recruited.. So I'm still waiting and putting all my eggs in the Quincy combs character on Star and Jesse Williams on Greys

[Lady Calypso]

So, I finally got to watch the pilot and I thought it was quite good. It DOES give me some early The O.C vibes, but it's not like it's entirely a carbon copy of The O.C, or even has the same premise. It was really just more of the feel and the idea of someone from a different side of town moving to a richer part and finds out he doesn't really fit in. It's still different enough, which is good. Spencer did feel a little like Ryan Atwood a bit, but also distinguished himself from that comparison, not just with Spencer being a football player. Plus, Spencer has a much better home life than Ryan ever did, so no need for adoption from the rich family. 

Now that I got that comparison out of the way...

The characters were all pretty strong in terms of being written. I enjoyed Spencer's introduction. I really, really found myself liking Olivia. I like that they gave her some personality right off the bat. I also didn't mind Leila and thought she had some really strong moments. Sometimes, these types of CW shows, the ones that are more male-oriented, seem to focus more on progressing the guys than the girls. So for me to like most of the girls right off the bat is huge. Asher's going to be a jackass, for sure, but I'll bet him and Spencer become somewhat friends by the end of this season, which is going to annoy me with Asher's racist comments due to his jealousy right off the bat. 

I didn't mind Spencer's friend Coop, and I guess Coop is around to push the whole us vs them, poor vs rich thing going on, to push Spencer's straddling of two worlds. 

Yes, there are cliches which will get on my nerves sooner rather than later, but I liked a good chunk of the characters enough where I will keep watching.

[MoreCoffeePlease]

Actors are gorgeous ... and so are the houses!  Love me some real-estate eye candy. Spencer's mom's house is gorgeous as well.

Totally in. I love having a new "guilty pleasure show".

[topanga]

On 10/11/2018 at 1:58 AM, Minneapple said:

 

I love

1. Football

2. Cheesy teen dramas 

So mash 'em up and here we are.

This was pretty good for a pilot. The other football players were quite douchey but the coach's son has Depth because his dad loves Spencer more than him, and I'm sure others have Teen Drama Reasons For Their Douchiness. And, I look forward to season two when Rehab Girl (what's her name?) goes down the Dark Path of falling off the wagon. I COULD WRITE A TEEN DRAMA, PEOPLE.

Love the diversity. Hate the built-in love triangle. Someone smash the love triangle to smithereens.

 

Agree with your entire post. 

I thought Spencer would’ve been savvy enough to realize that his teammates were setting him up at the party. But he’s young. And I guess the other boys must be regular drinkers if all of that alcohol didn’t affect them at all at Saturday’s practice. 

On 10/13/2018 at 10:55 PM, Lady Calypso said:

I didn't mind Spencer's friend Coop, and I guess Coop is around to push the whole us vs them, poor vs rich thing going on, to push Spencer's straddling of two worlds. 

Yes, there are cliches which will get on my nerves sooner rather than later, but I liked a good chunk of the characters enough where I will keep watching.

I like Coop, too. But wasn’t she hanging out with the gang leader at the end of the episode?

Yes, there are cliches. Spencer’s mother is the tough, no-nonsense single mother. But I like that she was also gentle and caring, which you don’t always see in portrayals of Black mothers. 

I think I like Jordan—the Coach’s son. He did start off being friendly with Spencer. Things started to take a turn when Spencer insisted on showboating at practice instead of learning the play book. Jordan has indeed made some dickish moves—such as lying to Spencer about Saturday’s practice. But I think he’s right to be concerned about how much the coach is fawning over Spencer. His dad didn’t even congratulate him for running in the winning touchdown before hugging it out with Spencer. Sure, Spencer made a great block, but Jordan still had to score. And for the dad to say on the telephone that everyone on the team is trash except for Spencer—that was just wrong. 

Edited October 16, 2018 by topanga

[mojoween]

1 hour ago, topanga said:

And I guess the other boys must be regular drinkers if all of that alcohol didn’t affect them at all at Saturday’s practice. 

They dumped some of it out when Spencer wasn’t looking.

[topanga]

On 10/11/2018 at 6:31 AM, biakbiak said:

This made me want to rewatch FNL because the football scenes were so painfully cheaply done.

That’s what my teenaged sons said. They both enjoyed the show but laughed at the football scenes. Defenders were randomly falling down whenever the offense was making plays. 

[shouldbedancing]

I want to like this show more than I currently do. I do like it but each ep has felt kind of long and I find my attention wandering towards the last 4th of the hour. I want to know who's true story this is inspired on. It's just "inspired by a true story." Okay??? Also, it should be set at West Beverly High, let's just keep it real.

But this week we got to see the casual racism of the rich. It was probably more overt than it should have been. I'm sure they could have written some more clever microagressions. It's obvious that the coach is Spencer's dad, but how? Spencer looked to be like... 10 years old when Dad left? Something like that? Old enough to remember the man. So was another man pretending to be Daddy?

I really like Spencer's friend. The "thugs" are the prettiest thugs on TV but I thought they pulled it off well enough, that scene in the park. Spencer didn't even flinch with that gun in his face. One thing that also needs to be explained is how is Spencer getting back and forth to Crenshaw so easily. I thought it took 2 hours on the bus? Is he getting Lyft money? Even with Lyft, he's at his house over there in time for homework with little bro after football practice? That was taking me out of it. I don't know anything about LA but I thought that leaving your own neighborhood is at least an hour journey in traffic.

Another thing that takes me out of it is that these two extremely pretty teens are supposed to be rivals. One is the "outcast" and one is the "Queen bee." I just have trouble buying into that... and that Spencer would drool so much over one than the other. But some of that was explained tonight because apparently Rehab Girl hooked up with Queen Bee's boyfriend. It makes a little more sense now, but not much.

I'll continue watching but I think this show needs a bit more of a spark...

[twoods]

Figured douche wife receicer had an even bigger douche of a Dad, who happens to be racist as well. Saw that coming a mile away. 

Still liking this show. I’m glad that Leila isn’t a typical mean girl and has some baggage, but I prefer the coach’s daughter. I liked her calling out her dad. Spencer needs to realize that it’s not about him. He needed to figure out that it was his fault they lost since he called out a gang member instead of learning the playbook. 

Im worried that Dillon is going to get sucked into that gang. I feel bad for Spencer’s friend and am afraid she’s going to get hurt soon since she’s no longer protected from Shawn. 

Just realized that the main booster guy was in one of my favorite Hallmark movies Snow Bride. Wish he got rid of that awful haircut.

Damn it.  I guess that coach is Spencer’s real Dad, and I guess his stepdad who left them was assumed to be his father.  Wish they didn’t go this route because then he had an affair with Spencer’s mom while he was married to his wife.

Edited October 18, 2018 by twoods

[Raja]

9 hours ago, shouldbedancing said:

I really like Spencer's friend. The "thugs" are the prettiest thugs on TV but I thought they pulled it off well enough, that scene in the park. Spencer didn't even flinch with that gun in his face. One thing that also needs to be explained is how is Spencer getting back and forth to Crenshaw so easily. I thought it took 2 hours on the bus? Is he getting Lyft money? Even with Lyft, he's at his house over there in time for homework with little bro after football practice? That was taking me out of it. I don't know anything about LA but I thought that leaving your own neighborhood is at least an hour journey in traffic.
 

The description says South Crenshaw, where ever that might be. If we just place it where Crenshaw is then construction of train tracks since the actual "inspired by" figure Spencer Paysinger was a high school student has made the end traffic even worse. It is obvious that he must have the Jack Bauer car.

 

Going back to the pilot where he teased the quarterback about wearing all that red, while the violence a whole lot better than the mid 80's to early 2000's gang wars a mentally disabled kid did get killed a few years ago for red shoe strings.

[Dee]

The ratings for this show are terrible.

[KWalkerInc]

I'm really hoping that Coach Baker isn't really Spencer's dad, because this would make Spencer and Olivia half-siblings!  EWW.  Maybe it's just a misdirection and the secret is something like Spencer's mom and the coach had an affair and Spencer's dad found out and left her (and he would still be a jerk to never see the kids again).

[martha21]

As someone who is not at all into football but loved FNL, I thought this was pretty good! I'm in.

[Dee]

Daniel Ezra is fine.

[shouldbedancing]

I liked this episode a lot. I'm happy they have a butch, dark-skinned lesbian on a mainstream TV show. I feel like we only see that on Catfish and that's not good. It was heartbreaking to see her get kicked out for saying what was very obvious and owning up to her own truth.

I'm surprised that the truth that Taye Diggs is Spencer's dad will be coming out sooner than I thought. Certainly thought they'd stretch that secret but ol Carlton is going to figure it out. Perhaps the cops scene was overdone, but I was honestly emotionally rattled. I was scared for them. I liked the conversation about why Taye didn't give Carlton (okay, okay, I'll call him Jordan) "the talk", especially when Taye admitted he held off because Jordan is lightskinned.

Jordan's sister has really huge eyes and they were freaking me out this episode. That storyline was okay.

The football team bonding felt very afterschool special, especially the speeches at the end. But I do appreciate the fact that Spencer decided he was going to be more present at Not West Beverly High. I was thinking about how someone was comparing this show to the OC, so I was watching that in that context. If only they had the guts to make Ryan black back in 2004. The main thing that's missing from All-American is that there isn't an Event every episode. That's what really tied the OC together. The was always something Important going on. They need to make football the Event. It's there but the focus goes all over the place.

I think the show will continue to get better (if it doesn't get canceled).

 

[Raja]

9 minutes ago, shouldbedancing said:

I liked this episode a lot. I'm happy they have a butch, dark-skinned lesbian on a mainstream TV show. I feel like we only see that on Catfish and that's not good. It was heartbreaking to see her get kicked out for saying what was very obvious and owning up to her own truth.

I'm surprised that the truth that Taye Diggs is Spencer's dad will be coming out sooner than I thought. Certainly thought they'd stretch that secret but ol Carlton is going to figure it out. Perhaps the cops scene was overdone, but I was honestly emotionally rattled. I was scared for them. I liked the conversation about why Taye didn't give Carlton (okay, okay, I'll call him Jordan) "the talk", especially when Taye admitted he held off because Jordan is lightskinned.

Jordan's sister has really huge eyes and they were freaking me out this episode. That storyline was okay.

The football team bonding felt very afterschool special, especially the speeches at the end. But I do appreciate the fact that Spencer decided he was going to be more present at Not West Beverly High. I was thinking about how someone was comparing this show to the OC, so I was watching that in that context. If only they had the guts to make Ryan black back in 2004. The main thing that's missing from All-American is that there isn't an Event every episode. That's what really tied the OC together. The was always something Important going on. They need to make football the Event. It's there but the focus goes all over the place.

I think the show will continue to get better (if it doesn't get canceled).

 

I would be more impressed if they had a darker sister as a potential love interest for Spencer instead of the two relatively lighter ones. Do both of them have a white parent or just the drug addict?

[shouldbedancing]

1 minute ago, Raja said:

I would be more impressed if they had a darker sister as a potential love interest for Spencer instead of the two relatively lighter ones. Do both of them have a white parent or just the drug addict?

Yes, I agree. Especially since when they're in the same scene they look so same-y. They missed the mark on that. I think that only the one has a white parent, but I'm not sure we've seen the parents of the popular girl. Just know her mom is dead.

[twoods]

That cop scene was so heartbreaking. Spencer knew exactly what to do and why they were getting arrested, and Jordan looked confused and scared. It makes me sad that parents have to discuss this situation with their kids every single day, and the reason why Coach didn’t discuss it with Jordan sooner.

Poor Coop. I will never understand how parents can shun their kids, no matter what their choices are.

Season (or series finale with how the ratings have been) will probably be Beverly and Crenshaw playing in the title game. Hope this show is less cliche than that, but who knows now that the usual secret father storyline will come out soon.

[paulvdb]

2 hours ago, shouldbedancing said:

I'm not sure we've seen the parents of the popular girl.

According to IMDB the actress was born in Russia and is of Russian/Nigerian descent, but I don't think we've seen her parents on the show. The character's name is listed as Leila Faisal which sounds Arab to me.

[Dee]

The writing on this show is terrible.

The eye candy makes up for it though.

[topanga]

On 10/18/2018 at 12:55 AM, twoods said:

Figured douche wife receicer had an even bigger douche of a Dad, who happens to be racist as well. Saw that coming a mile away. 

Still liking this show. I’m glad that Leila isn’t a typical mean girl and has some baggage, but I prefer the coach’s daughter. I liked her calling out her dad. Spencer needs to realize that it’s not about him. He needed to figure out that it was his fault they lost since he called out a gang member instead of learning the playbook. 

Im worried that Dillon is going to get sucked into that gang. I feel bad for Spencer’s friend and am afraid she’s going to get hurt soon since she’s no longer protected from Shawn. 

Just realized that the main booster guy was in one of my favorite Hallmark movies Snow Bride. Wish he got rid of that awful haircut.

Damn it.  I guess that coach is Spencer’s real Dad, and I guess his stepdad who left them was assumed to be his father.  Wish they didn’t go this route because then he had an affair with Spencer’s mom while he was married to his wife.

But Spencer was wrong for lying down on the beach blanket to flirt with Laila. 

I don’t want the Coach to be his dad either. Because that would mean he let Spencer’s mom struggle alone for all of those years.

I agree that Olivia would be better for Spencer. Not if they’re siblings, though. Ewww. And like that both Olivia and Jordan lay into their dad—they were both right. And the wife just stood there looking at him like, ‘Welp...’

I hope Coop stays safe despite hanging out with Shawn and his crew. I did enjoy the joke with the sandwich for their friend’s mom (or grandmother)  

I watch this show with my two teenage boys. It’s nice finding a show that all 3 of us enjoy.

[Raja]

On 10/19/2018 at 2:54 AM, KWalkerInc said:

I'm really hoping that Coach Baker isn't really Spencer's dad, because this would make Spencer and Olivia half-siblings!  EWW.  Maybe it's just a misdirection and the secret is something like Spencer's mom and the coach had an affair and Spencer's dad found out and left her (and he would still be a jerk to never see the kids again).

I am thinking an uncle with daddy/brother  in a state pen 

[topanga]

31 minutes ago, Raja said:

I am thinking an uncle with daddy/brother  in a state pen 

So why would the mom lie? She’s truthful with the kids about other things, such as her financial struggles. 

[Raja]

It depends on what daddy did and his wish for what to tell his son.

[AzraeltheCat]

On 10/25/2018 at 12:42 AM, shouldbedancing said:

Yes, I agree. Especially since when they're in the same scene they look so same-y. They missed the mark on that. I think that only the one has a white parent, but I'm not sure we've seen the parents of the popular girl. Just know her mom is dead.

That's so funny - other than the fact they both have long hair, I don't think they look same-y at all.  There both beautiful but very different looking to me.