Spencer James and Darnell Hayes are back on All American — but their big return to town won’t be what they anticipated.
In Us Weekly’s exclusive sneak peek of the Monday, March 31, episode, Spencer (Daniel Ezra) and Darnell (Da’Vinchi) show up in hopes for an evening of club hopping, but quickly realize that tensions between the South Crenshaw High and Beverly Hills football players — and their coaches — are threatening to derail their big plans.
“I have a special surprise. I want to introduce you to Mr. Spencer James,” Jordan Baker (Michael Evans Behling), who now coaches Crenshaw, tells his guests, Beverly Hills coach Cassius (Osy Ikhile) and his son KJ (Nathaniel Logan McIntyre).
“Spencer James! I can’t believe I’m meeting you right now. You’re one of my favorite players ever,” KJ tells Spencer. “Well, right behind coach JB.”
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Spencer introduces himself to KJ before complimenting Cassius for his team’s current season. “My guys are playing lights out, we might even overtake South Crenshaw,” Cassius quips, sparking Jordan to tense up. “Key word is ‘might,’ right?” he replies.
Things take a turn for the worse when Khailil (Antonio J. Bell) joins the conversation. “Why is this dude here?” he asks, pointing at his rival KJ. “Why is that your business?” KJ asks in response. “You don’t own this house.”
While Jordan initially tries to quell the drama by telling Khailil, “It’s cool, I invited him,” he then turns his attention back on Cassius, adding, “By the way, the only reason you would ever have a shot at beating us in the rankings is because we had to forfeit our game at homecoming.”
“Yeah, my dad always said, ‘Excuses are the tools of the incompetent,” Cassius replies. “Did you just call me incompetent?” Jordan responds, before Khailil asks, “Yo, you need help kicking them out coach?”
Things threaten to reach a fever pitch, causing Spencer to wonder what’s going on. “Y’all are friends here, right?” he asks, as Darnell interjects to let the group know that the night’s reservations are made and the “sprinter vans will be here in two hours.”
Spencer, however, has a new idea. “Change of plans: Since y’all don’t know how to act, we ain’t doing none of that. We going to have a boys night out — with a competitive twist.”
The episode, titled “Shadowboxin,” was written by Adrian Dukes and directed by Ezra, who starred as Spencer on the first six seasons of The CW hit.
Elsewhere in the house, Coop (Bre-Z) struggles with haunting memories from her past and finds comfort in longtime BFF Spencer’s guidance. Khailil also turns to Spencer, Jordan and others for support, and Cassius offers words of wisdom to Spencer on his next chapter.
All American airs on The CW Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.
