All American (2018–…): Season 1, Episode 14 - Regulate - full transcript
Spencer wants no part of his father's return, with Billy confronting him about their tumultuous past; Leila forces Asher to re-evaluate his life.
Previously on "All American"...
So, what'd you do in prison?
Read books. Trojan war was cool.
They build a wooden horse
so they can take them
down from the inside.
Sounds like they were smart.
They weren't as smart as
they thought they were.
You have a big, empty house
just sitting here.
His dad kicked him out.
He's living in his car.
You know where the guest bedroom is.
Who's this?
Spencer, this is Micah.
- Hey.
- You date all your students?
What the hell is going
on with Spencer today?
His dad's here.
I won't tell Spencer the truth.
I just want to be in his life.
It's time.
Son.
You don't get to call me that.
- Spencer.
- No.
It's OK. Fair enough.
Spencer.
Mind if we have a little talk?
You've been back in L.A.
ever since you left Eastern Nevada,
and now you want to talk?
10 minutes. That's all I need.
10 minutes.
That supposed to make up
for the last 8 years?
That's not what I meant.
Hey, Spence, forgot your wallet, man.
Corey.
Billy.
You guys good?
- We're good.
- I'm out.
- Spencer.
- Let him be.
Look, this is a lot for him.
Maybe you should get going for tonight.
You don't get to make that call.
Yeah, but I do,
and right now, you both need to go.
You had me scared.
Ain't nothing to be scared about.
There is a way out, even for me,
but I owe you, Coop.
Took you believing in me
for me to believe in myself.
I'm gonna make a new life for Maya.
Start over.
Shawn.
No. Shawn! Shawn!
- Shawn!
- Wake up. No, it's just me.
It's just me.
Just breathe... Just breathe, Coop,
Just breathe.
OK, nice and easy.
Is there something that
you need to tell me?
Hey, you look good this morning.
- Coop.
- I'm serious.
There's something about the way
the sun is hittin' your face.
- My gosh.
- You look like Janet
from "Poetic Justice."
It was good. Just...
No, no, 'cause for the past week,
you've been having these
nightmares about Shawn.
So, you want to tell me why now?
Did something new happen?
How the hell should I know?
I ain't no doctor.
I... I guess I'm just
missing him, that's all.
Ugh. I just want this
all to be over, man.
- _
- There's my other guy.
Nice playoff win last night.
A pick, a sack, and 3 touchdowns?
I see you, baby.
Thanks, mom.
Hey, Jordan did his thing, too.
Team effort all around.
Is this what I think it is?
- Mm.
- "The Dillon James
fun and games birthday wish list."
OK. We got a bouncy house,
mom's gumbo, pop guns.
Wait. Hold up. Is this list growing?
Mom, some people
are lucky enough to have
70 birthdays in their lifetime.
You gotta make each one count.
Hey, I got you, little man.
You gonna get everything on
this list, all right?
And we're fitting all of that
in what backyard?
Go get ready.
And you're paying for all of this how?
Flip's cousin got a party store.
Said he'd hook me up.
Have you heard from your father?
It's been a week.
No. But that's his M.O., right?
Just drop off the face of the Earth
whenever he want to?
Until we know what his intentions are,
I think it's best that
we don't tell Dillon
that Corey stopped by.
I don't want him getting his hopes up.
What if he comes to the party?
Well, if he does, we'll
just deal with it.
Happy may? Happy may?
Happy may! Wake up!
Aah! Uhh.
Now!
It was the first day of may.
- If you're wondering, "is that date
- _
important to the story?"
Well, not really.
Cartoons and cereal. How cute.
It's not cartoons. It's anime.
Really, Asher?
My bad.
I thought I left enough in there.
For who? A cat?
Since when did you start liking
almond milk, anyway?
Since it was all that we had.
Hey, we need to talk.
There's 4 words a guy
never likes to hear.
I'm worried about you.
It's been a few weeks
and you can't ignore
this situation with your
parents indefinitely.
You don't have to worry about me, OK?
I have a plan.
You know, I gotta tell you.
Though the timing sucks,
I love that Ms. Grace
got a new boyfriend.
Man, don't call him that.
You're right. Her boo.
His name is Micah, aight?
Nah, boo got more weight on it.
If you don't stop playing.
Hey, look, I know how you get
when you're taking your time
processing things, but
I'm here for you if you want to
talk about your pop.
Ain't nothing to say.
Ain't no way I'll ever forgive him.
So, are you still bringing them
coolers to Dillon's party?
Yes, sir. Tomorrow at noon.
You settle on a spot yet?
Essence Square Park.
Why you looking at me like that?
You know why. Tyrone?
Look, cleaning up the park
and pushing his boys out is one thing,
but throwing a loud-ass party,
right in his face?
You think that's the right move?
Coop, it's a kids' party.
Sheet cake, freeze tag, pop guns.
Tyrone ain't checking for us.
All right.
Flip.
What's good with you, loved one?
- Great, homie.
- Ah, boy,
you went off on Tarzana yesterday.
3 TDs in the first quarter.
- Yes, sir.
- You had their defense
on skates all game.
Might work on a Friday night...
Oh, is that what you call it? OK.
So, what's up? I thought we was
meeting at your cousin's party store.
Oh, this it. Think of it as
an outdoor swap meet.
Only in Crenshaw.
You know how we do.
Spencer James.
Damn.
What you doing here, man?
It's a free sidewalk, ain't it?
Keep it moving, Tyrone.
Word on the street is you planning
a party at the park.
It's a public park.
Nah, I got this, Spence.
What's it matter to you?
You ain't invited.
Go home, Flip. This is about me
and the little homie right here.
Oh, OK, I get it.
So, you still salty over the way
the younger put you out of the park?
But understand this.
You come to that party,
you and I will have a real problem.
Oh, it's like that?
When it come to the James family,
hell, yeah, it's like that.
Nobody can touch them.
Look, maybe we should
move the party, man.
Hell, no.
Listen. Tyrone may be a lot of things,
but one thing he ain't
is stupid enough to cross me.
Party stays.
Come on, man, where were we?
What y'all doing here?
The hell wrong with you?
Nothing.
Me, Malik, and Preach
just kicked it with the Pastor
at that Church on 39th.
Apparently, somebody keep breaking in
and stealing from the collection plate.
And they need our protection?
Either us or them boys from Hoover.
Wait. Pastor got two sets
bidding for his protection?
Just because he's a man of God
don't make him perfect, Coop.
He has his flaws and secrets
like the rest of us.
You real chatty all of a sudden.
Focus, Coop.
You grew up in Church, right?
I need you to go down there
and keep that Pastor's head right.
All right. That's cool.
Good.
This for Dillon's party?
Why you looking at me like that?
Like what?
Like I would shoot up a
kids' party or something.
I ain't done that in years.
I'm playing. Damn.
Besides, ain't like Ty
trying to piss off the big
homie Flip, you feel me?
What you say?
I don't give a damn about Flip
or that little wonk-ass football kid.
I'm gonna handle that
when the time is right.
Hey.
You seriously turned my house
into a private casino?
It-it's just a few friends.
Your friends better be out of here
in 10 minutes or I'm calling the cops.
Go.
So, this was your plan.
The sequel to "Molly's Game"?
I figured it'd be a pretty quick way
to scoop up a little cash.
Asher, you brought
strangers into my home.
I'm sorry.
I-i thought that you wouldn't mind,
since you throw epic
parties here all the time.
Look, why didn't you just ask
for my permission?
I was scared you'd say no.
But, hey, it worked out.
I-i cleared enough money
for first and last month's rent
at my own place.
Asher, even if you find a place,
you still have to pay
the other months' rent.
How are you gonna cover that?
Look, I think you should
reach out to your dad.
If you extend the olive branch first...
He already reached out to me, Leila.
I'm back on a winning team
making a run for state.
Of course he wants me back now.
His love is...
Conditional.
I don't need him.
I'll figure something else out.
♪ Happy birthday, happy birthday ♪
♪ Happy birthday, happy birthday ♪
- ♪ Happy birthday ♪
- ♪ Happy, happy ♪
- ♪ Happy birthday ♪
- ♪ Happy, happy ♪
♪ Happy birthday, happy birthday ♪
♪ Happy birthday, happy ♪
I'll get it.
♪ Happy birthday, happy birthday ♪
- ♪ Happy, happy ♪
- Happy birthday.
Birthday boy.
Happy birthday!
He's, like, 20 now?
What the hell are you doing here, man?
Easy, Spencer. I didn't
come here for all that.
I just want to give Dillon his gift.
Come on, man, don't be that dude.
- What dude?
- Presents over presence?
We don't need your gifts
around here, aight? We good.
Your little brother might
think differently.
He doesn't even know you're back.
And it's probably best
we keep it that way.
Look, I know I shouldn't have left.
I'm sorry.
Which time are you talking about?
When you left us 8 years ago?
When you came back to L.A. A year ago
and still didn't call?
Or when you came back a few years ago
to interview for the head
coach position at Beverly?
- You gonna let me get a word in?
- Hell, no!
If you truly cared about us,
you would not be here today.
So, let Dillon
have his special day, aight?
- Man.
- Now, go ahead, man.
I thought Jordan was
supposed to be here.
He is. He just wanted
to stop by and see your dad...
- What?
- First.
It's OK, just...
Just let it go, OK?
- Yeah. Hey-hey-hey-hey!
- Hey!
- It's the birthday boy.
- Happy birthday.
Thanks!
So, do I shake or do I not?
Definitely do not shake.
Do not shake.
Expensive, huh?
There he is.
Hey, hey, hey.
Wow. For someone who doesn't
like birthday parties,
this one is pretty amazing.
I heard that.
Let's go put those down.
OK. Yeah.
What's up, coach?
You're good. I just want to
check up on you.
I know you've been juggling a lot
with your pops back
and everything, so...
Yeah, he stopped by today.
For real? How was that?
It was brief. You know me.
I ain't down with the nonsense.
Right, well, listen.
If you ever do want to talk about him,
and not so...
Ain't much to talk about.
Hold up. I get it.
You know I'm here for you, right?
I got you.
Right? Hear me?
Yes, Sir. Thank you.
All right.
It's very impressive.
_
Good. I see you turned up... Excuse me.
_
Is this a newspaper?
I haven't seen one of these in years.
You still get these?
What else don't you see?
Your name in the headline.
"Spencer James shines
as Beverly Trounces Tarzana."
Don't get me wrong.
Spencer had a great game,
but you're the one throwing to him.
OK, but Spencer did it
on both sides of the ball.
OK? And he's division
player of the year.
You're the quarterback, son.
That's the most important position
on the field.
Step one of our plan
was getting you to recognize that.
Step two is owning it.
As dynamic as Spencer may be,
it's your team, Jordan.
There's no "I" in team, G.W.
You're too comfortable, son,
and that's no fault of yours.
You were raised that way,
given a seat at the table.
Spencer, on the other hand,
had to fight for his seat,
as do most of us black men.
From the Watts Riots, to Vietnam,
to my everyday existence.
You were in the Watts Riots?
What was that like?
Huh. How much time you got?
I thought you had a party to go to.
Growing up in Beverly Hills,
we don't get taught much
about our black history.
So, yeah. The party can wait.
There you go. That's yours.
Ah, you want... This is yours.
You wanted blue...
Where the gifts go?
Micah! Hey! You're here!
I am. Dillon invited me.
Which, if I have to guess right now,
you had no clue.
Mm.
If it's too much for you, I'll leave.
Micah? You made it!
We're one man short.
How good are you at pop guns?
Why don't you take him and find out?
Yes! Come on, let's go.
Come on, guys. This is gonna be epic.
Aww. I love her smile.
Uhh. Somebody in they feelings?
No, for real, because, like,
things have changed since
we had a time out.
Been in and out of school.
And those nightmares, man,
like, those are the worst.
I can't with them.
Nightmares?
Yeah, about Shawn's murder.
What, she ain't said nothing?
Sounds like she has some kind of PTSD.
Look, they didn't start till this week.
Micah.
Hey, Spencer.
Listen, man, I'm sorry about how
things went down the other night
at the house.
I guess I was just mean.
Son...
I was like that with my mom.
She like that at every party.
Won't stop till she knows
everybody taken care of.
Ehh. You sure?
I figured my being here made
her feel uncomfortable,
so it was her way of
avoiding me, you know?
Invite came from Dillon.
Ah.
Hey, listen, hang in there
with my moms, all right?
She likes you. Trust that.
And... Make her smile,
and that's what's important to me.
Excuse me.
Hey, you leaving already?
We just finished singing
"happy birthday."
Yeah, save me a piece of cake.
You ain't gotta do this, Coop.
Look, I got it, Spence.
This job I'm about to do ain't nothing.
Nightmares ain't nothing.
Nightmares is bound to happen.
Yeah, but why now?
He got something to do with it?
Nah, man, Preach cool.
Stop lying.
Look, I could see it
on your face, Coop.
Enough is enough.
We could figure out some other way
to deal with Tyrone, aight,
and you know I'm right.
It ain't that easy.
Nah, you know what ain't easy?
Knowing my best friend's life
is headed for a box.
Either a pine one or a 6-by-8 cell.
You really want that for yourself?
Come on, Coop!
Ain't trying to be here all damn day.
Time to get it.
Coop, come on, man.
It's all right. I got it.
For real this time.
I promise you.
I can't, Preach.
Can't what?
I can't make this move with you.
If you don't do this job for Tyrone,
I can't tell you how he's gonna react.
Ain't no coming back from that, Coop.
I'll deal with Tyrone.
OK. Want me to help you?
I'll come help you. Yeah.
Hey, Ms. Baker. Um...
Hey, Coop. Everything OK?
Yeah. Is the D.A. Office
still looking for a way
to take down Tyrone?
Yeah, I know for a fact that they are.
Is it cool if I come over
and talk to you tonight?
Yeah, absolutely.
OK. Thank you.
Ahh!
I'll take those.
- Oh.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Got it. Yeah.
Looks like someone's caught
- in candy waste.
- Ha ha ha!
- Ready?
- Yeah.
Yo, Spence.
What's up, little man?
Thanks for the best birthday ever.
Always.
So...
So?
You sure you can't hang for a bit?
That depends.
Is roomie still here?
Not for long.
Asher left the door
open again.
Oh, my god.
I've been robbed.
They picked through the whole place.
They took art and jewelry and TVs.
They even took my dad's safe.
Looks like your security
cameras are down.
They were? No,
I always leave them on.
Doesn't look like they
were tampered with.
The whole security system was just off.
What the hell happened?
Place was robbed.
You live here?
Kind of.
Uh, yeah, he... He does.
One of your neighbors thinks
she saw 3 African-American men
hanging around the area earlier.
She get a description?
All 3 medium build.
One was wearing a red t-shirt.
The other two had on hoodies.
Excuse me.
Baby, I'm real sorry, but
I'm gonna have to step out real quick.
What? Right now?
I won't be gone long. I promise.
Don't leave her side.
Coop, I need to talk to you.
So much for making it
to the party, huh?
Yeah, it's... That's my bad.
You been with grandpa
Willie this whole time?
OK, here we go again.
Don't do that, don't do that.
Now, you made a commitment
that was important to
Dillon and to Spencer.
And didn't come through.
Not to mention, that man
intentionally hurt Spencer,
your friend, in order
to give you your little shot.
Dad, grandpa Willie
already explained all that, OK?
He didn't mean to step on Spencer.
That's where you're wrong.
That man meant it.
Everything went down
exactly the way he wanted it to.
Now, you gotta ask yourself...
Is this how you want to
get your wins in life?
By stepping on your friends? Huh?
Ask yourself that.
I gotta get out of here.
So, lay it on me.
Why did you want to have
this meeting in my office?
There was a time when this
was almost my office.
So, had you gotten the job,
would you have contacted
your kids then?
I'm not proud of the way I
ghosted on my family.
But given the circumstances
at that time,
it felt like the only thing to do.
Leaving your kids felt like
the only option?
Not that I owe you an explanation,
but I was young.
I was hurting.
I didn't say I was right.
Why are you back now, Corey?
I missed my family. Always have.
Just never seemed to
find the right time
to pick up the phone.
And then when Willie called,
I realized that if I
kept waiting for the right time,
I'd be waiting forever.
You and my son have
gotten really close.
He trusts you.
He listens to you.
OK. Where is this going?
I just want to sit down with him.
For him to hear me out.
Well, if Spencer doesn't
want to sit down with you,
I can't make him.
You must be forgetting
that I have the power
to upend your happy life.
More than you know.
When it comes to Spencer,
I am not going to force him
to do anything that's not
in his best interest.
And be honest... If you really wanted
to make things right,
then you'd let all this work out
in its own time.
You can see your way out.
So, I looked up all the
names you gave me.
This is the rap sheet on
Cordell "Preach" Sims.
Actually had a promising
career in basketball
before getting roped
into a life of crime.
Any connection between him and Tyrone?
Nothing I could find,
but I did find a connection to Shawn.
My Shawn?
Shawn's brother, actually.
Brandon Scott.
Turns out Preach and Scott
served time together
on two separate instances.
It's on record that
Preach was offered a deal
to testify against Brandon and refused.
So, Preach a loyal dude.
That's good to know.
Not that good, actually.
Getting him to turn on Tyrone
is not gonna be easy.
Maybe not. But thank you.
- You're welcome.
- I appreciate it.
Keep me posted, OK?
Hey.
Hey, Ms. Baker. What's up?
Good. You're still here. We gotta talk.
- What's up?
- Tyrone and his dudes
robbed Leila's house.
What?
You called it, Coop.
You said he was gonna come after me
if I threw that party.
This is him coming after me.
How do you know it's Tyrone?
The main suspect was a black dude,
medium build, with a red t-shirt on.
That's it?
It ain't rocket science, Coop.
What else do I need?
I don't know. Maybe a actual
real description.
Burglary is not Tyrone's thing.
Especially not in Beverly Hills.
They hit up Leila's house, Coop,
where she's staying alone.
You still got Tyrone's back after that?
I would never have his back
over yours and you know that.
I'm just pointing out the facts.
Damn! You've been in Beverly
Hills all of a minute,
and you're already
profiling your own people?
Hey, I'm Crenshaw, ride or
die, and you know that.
It damn sure don't seem like it.
Where are you going?
You ain't gonna talk to Tyrone, I will!
You have anything to do with
my security cameras being off?
Look, I'm sorry, Leila.
It's high-stakes poker.
It's not exactly legal.
I couldn't risk anything being leaked.
So, because of that, not only are
the burglars still on the loose,
it's likely burglars you
brought into this house
for your stupid poker whatever?
Leila, I would never bring something
like that into your home.
- But you did.
- No!
I had a poker game with friends.
So you're saying you knew every
single person who was here?
So are we gonna ignore the obvious
here on purpose? Hmm, let's see.
Spencer has been fighting with the
gangs in his neighborhood. Spencer...
No. Don't you dare. Spencer has never
brought danger into my home.
Can you say the same?
Maybe it's time you
pack your stuff, Ash.
Are you kicking me out?
I'm sorry. There is a dark,
rough side to Crenshaw,
but there is a dark, rough
side to Beverly Hills, too,
and your friends just proved that.
Hey!
Ty!
You must be lost, homie.
I got to ask you something,
man, man-to-man.
My girl's house was robbed today.
You know anything about that?
Leila your girl, right?
Redbone, long hair,
fly-ass crib in Beverly Hills?
Hey, it's one thing to
threaten me, but my girl?
It ain't how we handle
problems, homie...
You got me confused, bro.
I ain't Shawn. I'll put your ass down
like a dog and won't think twice.
Matter of fact...
You ain't been nothing
but problems lately.
We're gonna end that now.
Hey!
I already called the cops,
so if you're gonna kill my son,
you're gonna have to kill me, too.
Good luck explaining both
of our bodies to 5-0.
You got lucky this time.
Get your hands off me, man.
I didn't need your help, all right?
It didn't look that way to me.
How'd you find me?
Coop called your mom scared
you were coming here.
Your mom called me. That's
how worried she was.
A normal person would say
thank you right now!
I guess I ain't normal, then.
Hey.
I heard about Leila's.
Look, I don't want to leave
her alone tonight, all right?
So if it's all right with you,
I'm gonna sleep on that couch.
Whoa... I also heard about Tyrone.
Anything I need to worry about?
Today was on me. I was so focused
on throwing Dillon the
perfect birthday party
that I got too comfortable.
I let my beef with Tyrone affect Leila.
Well, you don't know for sure it was
Tyrone or anybody else you know.
- You sound like Coop.
- Heh heh!
Some words I never thought I'd hear.
I don't know, man. Maybe
you're both right.
I don't know what to think no more.
That's not surprising, given
the week that you've had.
Come on, this ain't have nothing
to do with my pops, all right?
Of course it does. Son, you are
like a walking poster for denial.
You're obviously upset with Corey.
That's why you picked
a fight with Tyrone,
'cause you can't fight who
you're really mad at.
Look, if you don't face your
demons, they will eat you alive.
So what are you saying?
I should talk to my pops? For real?
Um, I think it's in your best interest.
Don't become like me and my father.
Hello? This is Leila.
Oh, OK. That's great. Thank you.
The cops found the thieves.
Some local bling ring
that's been hitting up
the neighborhood for the past month.
I owe Coop an apology.
Hey, for the record, I never
thought this was connected to you.
Hey, I'm sorry about this weekend.
My emotions got the better
of me and I overreacted.
Yeah, it's all good.
I should have never compromised
your safety like that.
Actually, it wasn't you.
Some bling ring.
So, anyway, my door is open.
If you want to come back, you can
stay two weeks, a month, whatever.
I appreciate the offer, but...
You kinda gave me the kick
in the ass that I needed.
Giving it another shot with my dad.
I won't know if he's changed
till I go back home,
but... I'm giving him a second chance.
Uh, that's... That's awesome.
Good for you.
You gonna be OK by
yourself in that house?
Of course. Are you kidding?
Finally get my peace and
quiet back, my almond milk.
Hey, dad.
Hey, man.
I thought about what you said.
Oh, OK. And?
Yeah, he's a complicated man
and often does the wrong
things for the right reasons.
A... A Baker man trait,
I'm figuring out.
Heh!
Look, I can't cut grandpa Willie off.
OK? Not the way that you want me to,
and before you say anything, it's
not even about the football.
OK? It's about having a
connection to my roots, dad.
Look, you made a decision to cut Crenshaw
out of your life because you felt
it was what you needed to get
your head right and survive,
and I get that, OK? I do, but...
I feel like I need this connection
to Crenshaw to get my head right.
And grandpa Willie is
that connection for you?
Yeah, he is.
OK.
OK.
Coop, you're on one,
walking around the 'Hood
like Tyrone ain't coming for you.
He's not...
'Cause you didn't tell him
about me not taking that job.
Look, I know you live
by a code, Preach,
unlike Tyrone, who got Shawn... His
boy... Killed, all because he wanted out.
Can't come at me with a bomb
that big, not without no proof.
Tyrone know Ray killed Shawn,
and he's still letting that man
walk around here breathing?
That make sense to you?
You know Shawn's brother Brandon?
Not only did you all
share a bunk in County,
but you all played AAU
basketball together.
Look, Tyrone might be your homeboy,
but Brandon was family,
which means Shawn was family, too.
And if there's one thing I
learned about you, Preach,
it's loyalty.
The stronger the loyalty,
the deeper the bond.
Tyrone had your fam killed.
You mean to tell me
you're cool with that?
Hey.
Good looking out, Coop.
So what now?
You did your part.
Me and the homies got it from here.
What does that mean?
Exactly what you want it to mean.
Tyrone ain't gonna be nobody's problem.
No more.
- Hey, baby.
- Hey, ma.
Ah. Thanks again for watching
your brother tonight.
Anytime. So how's Micah?
Everything good?
Better than good.
How about you?
I've been thinking.
Mm-hmm?
Maybe it is time I talked to my father.
I got a lot of questions, ma.
And you think he has the answers.
Look, if you don't think it's
a good idea, I won't do it.
Last thing I want to do is hurt you.
You have my support, baby.
You sure?
I'm sure.
Sons need their fathers.
If it's OK with you, I
still want to hold off
on telling Dillon till we
know dad's full intentions.
All right.
Wait. Baby.
There's something I need to tell you.
It's something I should have
told you a long time ago.
I wasn't completely honest
as to why your father left.
I know how I'd feel if
this happened to me,
so... I figured you might
need a little company.
Come on in.
What would it cost for
me to get you out
of my son's life for good?
Name your price.
You all right?
The only reason I'm here
is 'cause out of all the
people that's betrayed me,
you the easiest conversation
for me to have right now.
So the cat's out the bag.
The way I see it, you came
back for one of 3 reasons:
Either you legitimately want a chance
at a real relationship
with me and Dillon,
or you want back in my life 'cause all
of a sudden, I'm all over the news
and you realize your son
is destined for greatness.
Or...
You want to blow up my mom
and Billy's life as payback
for having an affair while they
were married to you and Laura.
That's why you left all
those years ago, right?
Correct.
So which is it?
Why are you back?
So, what'd you do in prison?
Read books. Trojan war was cool.
They build a wooden horse
so they can take them
down from the inside.
Sounds like they were smart.
They weren't as smart as
they thought they were.
You have a big, empty house
just sitting here.
His dad kicked him out.
He's living in his car.
You know where the guest bedroom is.
Who's this?
Spencer, this is Micah.
- Hey.
- You date all your students?
What the hell is going
on with Spencer today?
His dad's here.
I won't tell Spencer the truth.
I just want to be in his life.
It's time.
Son.
You don't get to call me that.
- Spencer.
- No.
It's OK. Fair enough.
Spencer.
Mind if we have a little talk?
You've been back in L.A.
ever since you left Eastern Nevada,
and now you want to talk?
10 minutes. That's all I need.
10 minutes.
That supposed to make up
for the last 8 years?
That's not what I meant.
Hey, Spence, forgot your wallet, man.
Corey.
Billy.
You guys good?
- We're good.
- I'm out.
- Spencer.
- Let him be.
Look, this is a lot for him.
Maybe you should get going for tonight.
You don't get to make that call.
Yeah, but I do,
and right now, you both need to go.
You had me scared.
Ain't nothing to be scared about.
There is a way out, even for me,
but I owe you, Coop.
Took you believing in me
for me to believe in myself.
I'm gonna make a new life for Maya.
Start over.
Shawn.
No. Shawn! Shawn!
- Shawn!
- Wake up. No, it's just me.
It's just me.
Just breathe... Just breathe, Coop,
Just breathe.
OK, nice and easy.
Is there something that
you need to tell me?
Hey, you look good this morning.
- Coop.
- I'm serious.
There's something about the way
the sun is hittin' your face.
- My gosh.
- You look like Janet
from "Poetic Justice."
It was good. Just...
No, no, 'cause for the past week,
you've been having these
nightmares about Shawn.
So, you want to tell me why now?
Did something new happen?
How the hell should I know?
I ain't no doctor.
I... I guess I'm just
missing him, that's all.
Ugh. I just want this
all to be over, man.
- _
- There's my other guy.
Nice playoff win last night.
A pick, a sack, and 3 touchdowns?
I see you, baby.
Thanks, mom.
Hey, Jordan did his thing, too.
Team effort all around.
Is this what I think it is?
- Mm.
- "The Dillon James
fun and games birthday wish list."
OK. We got a bouncy house,
mom's gumbo, pop guns.
Wait. Hold up. Is this list growing?
Mom, some people
are lucky enough to have
70 birthdays in their lifetime.
You gotta make each one count.
Hey, I got you, little man.
You gonna get everything on
this list, all right?
And we're fitting all of that
in what backyard?
Go get ready.
And you're paying for all of this how?
Flip's cousin got a party store.
Said he'd hook me up.
Have you heard from your father?
It's been a week.
No. But that's his M.O., right?
Just drop off the face of the Earth
whenever he want to?
Until we know what his intentions are,
I think it's best that
we don't tell Dillon
that Corey stopped by.
I don't want him getting his hopes up.
What if he comes to the party?
Well, if he does, we'll
just deal with it.
Happy may? Happy may?
Happy may! Wake up!
Aah! Uhh.
Now!
It was the first day of may.
- If you're wondering, "is that date
- _
important to the story?"
Well, not really.
Cartoons and cereal. How cute.
It's not cartoons. It's anime.
Really, Asher?
My bad.
I thought I left enough in there.
For who? A cat?
Since when did you start liking
almond milk, anyway?
Since it was all that we had.
Hey, we need to talk.
There's 4 words a guy
never likes to hear.
I'm worried about you.
It's been a few weeks
and you can't ignore
this situation with your
parents indefinitely.
You don't have to worry about me, OK?
I have a plan.
You know, I gotta tell you.
Though the timing sucks,
I love that Ms. Grace
got a new boyfriend.
Man, don't call him that.
You're right. Her boo.
His name is Micah, aight?
Nah, boo got more weight on it.
If you don't stop playing.
Hey, look, I know how you get
when you're taking your time
processing things, but
I'm here for you if you want to
talk about your pop.
Ain't nothing to say.
Ain't no way I'll ever forgive him.
So, are you still bringing them
coolers to Dillon's party?
Yes, sir. Tomorrow at noon.
You settle on a spot yet?
Essence Square Park.
Why you looking at me like that?
You know why. Tyrone?
Look, cleaning up the park
and pushing his boys out is one thing,
but throwing a loud-ass party,
right in his face?
You think that's the right move?
Coop, it's a kids' party.
Sheet cake, freeze tag, pop guns.
Tyrone ain't checking for us.
All right.
Flip.
What's good with you, loved one?
- Great, homie.
- Ah, boy,
you went off on Tarzana yesterday.
3 TDs in the first quarter.
- Yes, sir.
- You had their defense
on skates all game.
Might work on a Friday night...
Oh, is that what you call it? OK.
So, what's up? I thought we was
meeting at your cousin's party store.
Oh, this it. Think of it as
an outdoor swap meet.
Only in Crenshaw.
You know how we do.
Spencer James.
Damn.
What you doing here, man?
It's a free sidewalk, ain't it?
Keep it moving, Tyrone.
Word on the street is you planning
a party at the park.
It's a public park.
Nah, I got this, Spence.
What's it matter to you?
You ain't invited.
Go home, Flip. This is about me
and the little homie right here.
Oh, OK, I get it.
So, you still salty over the way
the younger put you out of the park?
But understand this.
You come to that party,
you and I will have a real problem.
Oh, it's like that?
When it come to the James family,
hell, yeah, it's like that.
Nobody can touch them.
Look, maybe we should
move the party, man.
Hell, no.
Listen. Tyrone may be a lot of things,
but one thing he ain't
is stupid enough to cross me.
Party stays.
Come on, man, where were we?
What y'all doing here?
The hell wrong with you?
Nothing.
Me, Malik, and Preach
just kicked it with the Pastor
at that Church on 39th.
Apparently, somebody keep breaking in
and stealing from the collection plate.
And they need our protection?
Either us or them boys from Hoover.
Wait. Pastor got two sets
bidding for his protection?
Just because he's a man of God
don't make him perfect, Coop.
He has his flaws and secrets
like the rest of us.
You real chatty all of a sudden.
Focus, Coop.
You grew up in Church, right?
I need you to go down there
and keep that Pastor's head right.
All right. That's cool.
Good.
This for Dillon's party?
Why you looking at me like that?
Like what?
Like I would shoot up a
kids' party or something.
I ain't done that in years.
I'm playing. Damn.
Besides, ain't like Ty
trying to piss off the big
homie Flip, you feel me?
What you say?
I don't give a damn about Flip
or that little wonk-ass football kid.
I'm gonna handle that
when the time is right.
Hey.
You seriously turned my house
into a private casino?
It-it's just a few friends.
Your friends better be out of here
in 10 minutes or I'm calling the cops.
Go.
So, this was your plan.
The sequel to "Molly's Game"?
I figured it'd be a pretty quick way
to scoop up a little cash.
Asher, you brought
strangers into my home.
I'm sorry.
I-i thought that you wouldn't mind,
since you throw epic
parties here all the time.
Look, why didn't you just ask
for my permission?
I was scared you'd say no.
But, hey, it worked out.
I-i cleared enough money
for first and last month's rent
at my own place.
Asher, even if you find a place,
you still have to pay
the other months' rent.
How are you gonna cover that?
Look, I think you should
reach out to your dad.
If you extend the olive branch first...
He already reached out to me, Leila.
I'm back on a winning team
making a run for state.
Of course he wants me back now.
His love is...
Conditional.
I don't need him.
I'll figure something else out.
♪ Happy birthday, happy birthday ♪
♪ Happy birthday, happy birthday ♪
- ♪ Happy birthday ♪
- ♪ Happy, happy ♪
- ♪ Happy birthday ♪
- ♪ Happy, happy ♪
♪ Happy birthday, happy birthday ♪
♪ Happy birthday, happy ♪
I'll get it.
♪ Happy birthday, happy birthday ♪
- ♪ Happy, happy ♪
- Happy birthday.
Birthday boy.
Happy birthday!
He's, like, 20 now?
What the hell are you doing here, man?
Easy, Spencer. I didn't
come here for all that.
I just want to give Dillon his gift.
Come on, man, don't be that dude.
- What dude?
- Presents over presence?
We don't need your gifts
around here, aight? We good.
Your little brother might
think differently.
He doesn't even know you're back.
And it's probably best
we keep it that way.
Look, I know I shouldn't have left.
I'm sorry.
Which time are you talking about?
When you left us 8 years ago?
When you came back to L.A. A year ago
and still didn't call?
Or when you came back a few years ago
to interview for the head
coach position at Beverly?
- You gonna let me get a word in?
- Hell, no!
If you truly cared about us,
you would not be here today.
So, let Dillon
have his special day, aight?
- Man.
- Now, go ahead, man.
I thought Jordan was
supposed to be here.
He is. He just wanted
to stop by and see your dad...
- What?
- First.
It's OK, just...
Just let it go, OK?
- Yeah. Hey-hey-hey-hey!
- Hey!
- It's the birthday boy.
- Happy birthday.
Thanks!
So, do I shake or do I not?
Definitely do not shake.
Do not shake.
Expensive, huh?
There he is.
Hey, hey, hey.
Wow. For someone who doesn't
like birthday parties,
this one is pretty amazing.
I heard that.
Let's go put those down.
OK. Yeah.
What's up, coach?
You're good. I just want to
check up on you.
I know you've been juggling a lot
with your pops back
and everything, so...
Yeah, he stopped by today.
For real? How was that?
It was brief. You know me.
I ain't down with the nonsense.
Right, well, listen.
If you ever do want to talk about him,
and not so...
Ain't much to talk about.
Hold up. I get it.
You know I'm here for you, right?
I got you.
Right? Hear me?
Yes, Sir. Thank you.
All right.
It's very impressive.
_
Good. I see you turned up... Excuse me.
_
Is this a newspaper?
I haven't seen one of these in years.
You still get these?
What else don't you see?
Your name in the headline.
"Spencer James shines
as Beverly Trounces Tarzana."
Don't get me wrong.
Spencer had a great game,
but you're the one throwing to him.
OK, but Spencer did it
on both sides of the ball.
OK? And he's division
player of the year.
You're the quarterback, son.
That's the most important position
on the field.
Step one of our plan
was getting you to recognize that.
Step two is owning it.
As dynamic as Spencer may be,
it's your team, Jordan.
There's no "I" in team, G.W.
You're too comfortable, son,
and that's no fault of yours.
You were raised that way,
given a seat at the table.
Spencer, on the other hand,
had to fight for his seat,
as do most of us black men.
From the Watts Riots, to Vietnam,
to my everyday existence.
You were in the Watts Riots?
What was that like?
Huh. How much time you got?
I thought you had a party to go to.
Growing up in Beverly Hills,
we don't get taught much
about our black history.
So, yeah. The party can wait.
There you go. That's yours.
Ah, you want... This is yours.
You wanted blue...
Where the gifts go?
Micah! Hey! You're here!
I am. Dillon invited me.
Which, if I have to guess right now,
you had no clue.
Mm.
If it's too much for you, I'll leave.
Micah? You made it!
We're one man short.
How good are you at pop guns?
Why don't you take him and find out?
Yes! Come on, let's go.
Come on, guys. This is gonna be epic.
Aww. I love her smile.
Uhh. Somebody in they feelings?
No, for real, because, like,
things have changed since
we had a time out.
Been in and out of school.
And those nightmares, man,
like, those are the worst.
I can't with them.
Nightmares?
Yeah, about Shawn's murder.
What, she ain't said nothing?
Sounds like she has some kind of PTSD.
Look, they didn't start till this week.
Micah.
Hey, Spencer.
Listen, man, I'm sorry about how
things went down the other night
at the house.
I guess I was just mean.
Son...
I was like that with my mom.
She like that at every party.
Won't stop till she knows
everybody taken care of.
Ehh. You sure?
I figured my being here made
her feel uncomfortable,
so it was her way of
avoiding me, you know?
Invite came from Dillon.
Ah.
Hey, listen, hang in there
with my moms, all right?
She likes you. Trust that.
And... Make her smile,
and that's what's important to me.
Excuse me.
Hey, you leaving already?
We just finished singing
"happy birthday."
Yeah, save me a piece of cake.
You ain't gotta do this, Coop.
Look, I got it, Spence.
This job I'm about to do ain't nothing.
Nightmares ain't nothing.
Nightmares is bound to happen.
Yeah, but why now?
He got something to do with it?
Nah, man, Preach cool.
Stop lying.
Look, I could see it
on your face, Coop.
Enough is enough.
We could figure out some other way
to deal with Tyrone, aight,
and you know I'm right.
It ain't that easy.
Nah, you know what ain't easy?
Knowing my best friend's life
is headed for a box.
Either a pine one or a 6-by-8 cell.
You really want that for yourself?
Come on, Coop!
Ain't trying to be here all damn day.
Time to get it.
Coop, come on, man.
It's all right. I got it.
For real this time.
I promise you.
I can't, Preach.
Can't what?
I can't make this move with you.
If you don't do this job for Tyrone,
I can't tell you how he's gonna react.
Ain't no coming back from that, Coop.
I'll deal with Tyrone.
OK. Want me to help you?
I'll come help you. Yeah.
Hey, Ms. Baker. Um...
Hey, Coop. Everything OK?
Yeah. Is the D.A. Office
still looking for a way
to take down Tyrone?
Yeah, I know for a fact that they are.
Is it cool if I come over
and talk to you tonight?
Yeah, absolutely.
OK. Thank you.
Ahh!
I'll take those.
- Oh.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Got it. Yeah.
Looks like someone's caught
- in candy waste.
- Ha ha ha!
- Ready?
- Yeah.
Yo, Spence.
What's up, little man?
Thanks for the best birthday ever.
Always.
So...
So?
You sure you can't hang for a bit?
That depends.
Is roomie still here?
Not for long.
Asher left the door
open again.
Oh, my god.
I've been robbed.
They picked through the whole place.
They took art and jewelry and TVs.
They even took my dad's safe.
Looks like your security
cameras are down.
They were? No,
I always leave them on.
Doesn't look like they
were tampered with.
The whole security system was just off.
What the hell happened?
Place was robbed.
You live here?
Kind of.
Uh, yeah, he... He does.
One of your neighbors thinks
she saw 3 African-American men
hanging around the area earlier.
She get a description?
All 3 medium build.
One was wearing a red t-shirt.
The other two had on hoodies.
Excuse me.
Baby, I'm real sorry, but
I'm gonna have to step out real quick.
What? Right now?
I won't be gone long. I promise.
Don't leave her side.
Coop, I need to talk to you.
So much for making it
to the party, huh?
Yeah, it's... That's my bad.
You been with grandpa
Willie this whole time?
OK, here we go again.
Don't do that, don't do that.
Now, you made a commitment
that was important to
Dillon and to Spencer.
And didn't come through.
Not to mention, that man
intentionally hurt Spencer,
your friend, in order
to give you your little shot.
Dad, grandpa Willie
already explained all that, OK?
He didn't mean to step on Spencer.
That's where you're wrong.
That man meant it.
Everything went down
exactly the way he wanted it to.
Now, you gotta ask yourself...
Is this how you want to
get your wins in life?
By stepping on your friends? Huh?
Ask yourself that.
I gotta get out of here.
So, lay it on me.
Why did you want to have
this meeting in my office?
There was a time when this
was almost my office.
So, had you gotten the job,
would you have contacted
your kids then?
I'm not proud of the way I
ghosted on my family.
But given the circumstances
at that time,
it felt like the only thing to do.
Leaving your kids felt like
the only option?
Not that I owe you an explanation,
but I was young.
I was hurting.
I didn't say I was right.
Why are you back now, Corey?
I missed my family. Always have.
Just never seemed to
find the right time
to pick up the phone.
And then when Willie called,
I realized that if I
kept waiting for the right time,
I'd be waiting forever.
You and my son have
gotten really close.
He trusts you.
He listens to you.
OK. Where is this going?
I just want to sit down with him.
For him to hear me out.
Well, if Spencer doesn't
want to sit down with you,
I can't make him.
You must be forgetting
that I have the power
to upend your happy life.
More than you know.
When it comes to Spencer,
I am not going to force him
to do anything that's not
in his best interest.
And be honest... If you really wanted
to make things right,
then you'd let all this work out
in its own time.
You can see your way out.
So, I looked up all the
names you gave me.
This is the rap sheet on
Cordell "Preach" Sims.
Actually had a promising
career in basketball
before getting roped
into a life of crime.
Any connection between him and Tyrone?
Nothing I could find,
but I did find a connection to Shawn.
My Shawn?
Shawn's brother, actually.
Brandon Scott.
Turns out Preach and Scott
served time together
on two separate instances.
It's on record that
Preach was offered a deal
to testify against Brandon and refused.
So, Preach a loyal dude.
That's good to know.
Not that good, actually.
Getting him to turn on Tyrone
is not gonna be easy.
Maybe not. But thank you.
- You're welcome.
- I appreciate it.
Keep me posted, OK?
Hey.
Hey, Ms. Baker. What's up?
Good. You're still here. We gotta talk.
- What's up?
- Tyrone and his dudes
robbed Leila's house.
What?
You called it, Coop.
You said he was gonna come after me
if I threw that party.
This is him coming after me.
How do you know it's Tyrone?
The main suspect was a black dude,
medium build, with a red t-shirt on.
That's it?
It ain't rocket science, Coop.
What else do I need?
I don't know. Maybe a actual
real description.
Burglary is not Tyrone's thing.
Especially not in Beverly Hills.
They hit up Leila's house, Coop,
where she's staying alone.
You still got Tyrone's back after that?
I would never have his back
over yours and you know that.
I'm just pointing out the facts.
Damn! You've been in Beverly
Hills all of a minute,
and you're already
profiling your own people?
Hey, I'm Crenshaw, ride or
die, and you know that.
It damn sure don't seem like it.
Where are you going?
You ain't gonna talk to Tyrone, I will!
You have anything to do with
my security cameras being off?
Look, I'm sorry, Leila.
It's high-stakes poker.
It's not exactly legal.
I couldn't risk anything being leaked.
So, because of that, not only are
the burglars still on the loose,
it's likely burglars you
brought into this house
for your stupid poker whatever?
Leila, I would never bring something
like that into your home.
- But you did.
- No!
I had a poker game with friends.
So you're saying you knew every
single person who was here?
So are we gonna ignore the obvious
here on purpose? Hmm, let's see.
Spencer has been fighting with the
gangs in his neighborhood. Spencer...
No. Don't you dare. Spencer has never
brought danger into my home.
Can you say the same?
Maybe it's time you
pack your stuff, Ash.
Are you kicking me out?
I'm sorry. There is a dark,
rough side to Crenshaw,
but there is a dark, rough
side to Beverly Hills, too,
and your friends just proved that.
Hey!
Ty!
You must be lost, homie.
I got to ask you something,
man, man-to-man.
My girl's house was robbed today.
You know anything about that?
Leila your girl, right?
Redbone, long hair,
fly-ass crib in Beverly Hills?
Hey, it's one thing to
threaten me, but my girl?
It ain't how we handle
problems, homie...
You got me confused, bro.
I ain't Shawn. I'll put your ass down
like a dog and won't think twice.
Matter of fact...
You ain't been nothing
but problems lately.
We're gonna end that now.
Hey!
I already called the cops,
so if you're gonna kill my son,
you're gonna have to kill me, too.
Good luck explaining both
of our bodies to 5-0.
You got lucky this time.
Get your hands off me, man.
I didn't need your help, all right?
It didn't look that way to me.
How'd you find me?
Coop called your mom scared
you were coming here.
Your mom called me. That's
how worried she was.
A normal person would say
thank you right now!
I guess I ain't normal, then.
Hey.
I heard about Leila's.
Look, I don't want to leave
her alone tonight, all right?
So if it's all right with you,
I'm gonna sleep on that couch.
Whoa... I also heard about Tyrone.
Anything I need to worry about?
Today was on me. I was so focused
on throwing Dillon the
perfect birthday party
that I got too comfortable.
I let my beef with Tyrone affect Leila.
Well, you don't know for sure it was
Tyrone or anybody else you know.
- You sound like Coop.
- Heh heh!
Some words I never thought I'd hear.
I don't know, man. Maybe
you're both right.
I don't know what to think no more.
That's not surprising, given
the week that you've had.
Come on, this ain't have nothing
to do with my pops, all right?
Of course it does. Son, you are
like a walking poster for denial.
You're obviously upset with Corey.
That's why you picked
a fight with Tyrone,
'cause you can't fight who
you're really mad at.
Look, if you don't face your
demons, they will eat you alive.
So what are you saying?
I should talk to my pops? For real?
Um, I think it's in your best interest.
Don't become like me and my father.
Hello? This is Leila.
Oh, OK. That's great. Thank you.
The cops found the thieves.
Some local bling ring
that's been hitting up
the neighborhood for the past month.
I owe Coop an apology.
Hey, for the record, I never
thought this was connected to you.
Hey, I'm sorry about this weekend.
My emotions got the better
of me and I overreacted.
Yeah, it's all good.
I should have never compromised
your safety like that.
Actually, it wasn't you.
Some bling ring.
So, anyway, my door is open.
If you want to come back, you can
stay two weeks, a month, whatever.
I appreciate the offer, but...
You kinda gave me the kick
in the ass that I needed.
Giving it another shot with my dad.
I won't know if he's changed
till I go back home,
but... I'm giving him a second chance.
Uh, that's... That's awesome.
Good for you.
You gonna be OK by
yourself in that house?
Of course. Are you kidding?
Finally get my peace and
quiet back, my almond milk.
Hey, dad.
Hey, man.
I thought about what you said.
Oh, OK. And?
Yeah, he's a complicated man
and often does the wrong
things for the right reasons.
A... A Baker man trait,
I'm figuring out.
Heh!
Look, I can't cut grandpa Willie off.
OK? Not the way that you want me to,
and before you say anything, it's
not even about the football.
OK? It's about having a
connection to my roots, dad.
Look, you made a decision to cut Crenshaw
out of your life because you felt
it was what you needed to get
your head right and survive,
and I get that, OK? I do, but...
I feel like I need this connection
to Crenshaw to get my head right.
And grandpa Willie is
that connection for you?
Yeah, he is.
OK.
OK.
Coop, you're on one,
walking around the 'Hood
like Tyrone ain't coming for you.
He's not...
'Cause you didn't tell him
about me not taking that job.
Look, I know you live
by a code, Preach,
unlike Tyrone, who got Shawn... His
boy... Killed, all because he wanted out.
Can't come at me with a bomb
that big, not without no proof.
Tyrone know Ray killed Shawn,
and he's still letting that man
walk around here breathing?
That make sense to you?
You know Shawn's brother Brandon?
Not only did you all
share a bunk in County,
but you all played AAU
basketball together.
Look, Tyrone might be your homeboy,
but Brandon was family,
which means Shawn was family, too.
And if there's one thing I
learned about you, Preach,
it's loyalty.
The stronger the loyalty,
the deeper the bond.
Tyrone had your fam killed.
You mean to tell me
you're cool with that?
Hey.
Good looking out, Coop.
So what now?
You did your part.
Me and the homies got it from here.
What does that mean?
Exactly what you want it to mean.
Tyrone ain't gonna be nobody's problem.
No more.
- Hey, baby.
- Hey, ma.
Ah. Thanks again for watching
your brother tonight.
Anytime. So how's Micah?
Everything good?
Better than good.
How about you?
I've been thinking.
Mm-hmm?
Maybe it is time I talked to my father.
I got a lot of questions, ma.
And you think he has the answers.
Look, if you don't think it's
a good idea, I won't do it.
Last thing I want to do is hurt you.
You have my support, baby.
You sure?
I'm sure.
Sons need their fathers.
If it's OK with you, I
still want to hold off
on telling Dillon till we
know dad's full intentions.
All right.
Wait. Baby.
There's something I need to tell you.
It's something I should have
told you a long time ago.
I wasn't completely honest
as to why your father left.
I know how I'd feel if
this happened to me,
so... I figured you might
need a little company.
Come on in.
What would it cost for
me to get you out
of my son's life for good?
Name your price.
You all right?
The only reason I'm here
is 'cause out of all the
people that's betrayed me,
you the easiest conversation
for me to have right now.
So the cat's out the bag.
The way I see it, you came
back for one of 3 reasons:
Either you legitimately want a chance
at a real relationship
with me and Dillon,
or you want back in my life 'cause all
of a sudden, I'm all over the news
and you realize your son
is destined for greatness.
Or...
You want to blow up my mom
and Billy's life as payback
for having an affair while they
were married to you and Laura.
That's why you left all
those years ago, right?
Correct.
So which is it?
Why are you back?