The Season 7 finale of All American will air next week and, so far, there’s no word on whether that will be the CW series’ last.
Deadline understands that renewal talks are heating up, and The CW sources said there is about a 50/50 chance that the network’s last remaining legacy scripted series from the pre-Nexstar days will get a Season 8. Showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll tells Deadline she remains “optimistic” that the series will continue, and she’s already begun work on an eighth season.
“I believe in unicorns and rainbows and gummy bears and all things happy. So, I am optimistic for Season 8, and I’m moving forward and planning as though we have one, because if I don’t, we won’t be ready in time when we get it,” she said Wednesday, while discussing the Season 7 finale.
All American went through a major overhaul for its 13-episode Season 7 after Daniel Ezra exited his role as Spencer James at the end of the sixth season, along with several other original cast members. The departures made way for a new generation, and the series reset to follow a fresh group of Los Angeles teenagers at Beverly Hills High and South Crenshaw High.
Particularly for Ezra’s Spencer, the story had already been building toward a complete character arc and, in the final episodes of Season 6, he makes it to the NFL, wins the Super Bowl, and gets married. However, Deadline also understands that the Season 7 renewal was also likely contingent on a budget cut that would have made it unfeasible to retain the entire original cast, whose episodic rates would understandably have been too high to be sustainable.
This type of cast reset is quite common with young adult shows, particularly on network television. All American followed in the footsteps of many of its predecessors like Friday Night Lights and Glee by anchoring the story around a few central, original characters while it introduced a swath of new teens in Season 7.
“We have so many stories we still have yet to tell and have such an infusion of wonderful energy and pathways with this new generation that we’re excited to put pen to paper and fingers to keyboard and are keeping our fingers and toes crossed that we get another season to do that,” Carroll continued. “By the way, shout out to the All American fans who we know were nervous with us bringing in a new generation and have been so wonderfully engaged in this new season, and that has made all the difference to know that they’ve enjoyed the ride and are enjoying taking the ride with us, and are feeling this new energy in this new season.”
The finale of All American Season 7 airs on May 5. Taking place on the day of the big Beverly vs. South Crenshaw playoff game, the episode will see KJ learn some news that throws him off, while Jordan remains determined to return to the game despite outside concerns as he recovers from his gunshot wound. Also, it looks like Amina will get some good news about her future and Coop is ready for the next step with Breonna.
The series is from Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Studios, with executive producers Nkechi Okoro Carroll, who serves as showrunner, Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Jameal Turner, Mike Herro, and David Strauss.
