Showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll discusses the final season of All American, which takes place over one week with flashbacks. Cast members share their pride and hopes for the series conclusion.
All American showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll is determined to give every character the ending they have earned. In an exclusive interview, she reveals that the eighth and final season will unfold over the course of one pivotal week, with flashbacks filling in the six-month gap since the previous season.
'What I really wanted to explore this season, as we were bringing it to an end, was, OK, has all of the character development that they have all went through as they grew into these adults on the show prepared them for what ultimately becomes one of the most surprising and arguably toughest weeks of their lives? ' Carroll says. 'And that is what we are showing in season 8.
' The season premiered with a two-part episode that teased a big event when Jordan Baker ran off the football field in a hurry. Carroll promises that by the end of the season, every original and next-generation character will reach a major crossroads. For original characters like Spencer James and Olivia Baker, the season will focus on their journey as they prepare to welcome their twin girls.
However, married life won't come without challenges, as the couple has spent six months apart and experienced significant personal growth. Their story, Carroll explains, will ripple through the lives of everyone around them.
Meanwhile, characters like Jordan and Layla will face their own trials. Actor Michael Behling, who plays Jordan, assures fans that while their relationship may be frayed, it is not broken, and they will figure it out in typical Jordan and Layla fashion. The final season is not about creating more heartbreak but about celebrating the journey that made the show one of The CW's defining YA dramas.
Carroll expresses pride in wrapping up the series, saying, 'There is just a lot of pride in what we have accomplished.
' Greta Onieogou, who plays Layla, feels lucky to have spent so much time in her character's shoes alongside the cast and crew. 'Just to be able to tell the stories that we got to be able to tell in much detail and with so much care,' she shares. 'You only really get to do that when you have so much time.
Not only time with the characters, but time with the people who really help develop all of these stories.
' Behling echoes the sentiment, noting that the rarity of spending eight seasons on network TV is not lost on him. 'It feels amazing to have been able to be a part of this show from day one, and to bring it to its end,' he says.
'I just really hope that people who continue to watch the show, who have watched the show throughout, find that joy and find that sense of completion and that sense of appreciation for these characters and these stories that we have been so fortunate to tell. ' The season structure is unique, with most of the story contained within one week of the characters' lives.
Flashbacks will fill in gaps from the six-month time jump, and there will also be some flash-forwards that hint at what might come for the characters. Carroll explains that every episode will shine a light on one particular character, exploring the crossroads of a big decision they face. For the original cast, the week determines whether they will achieve their dreams and reach the destiny set out in season 1.
For the new cast, it raises the question of whether this week will alter how they kick off the rest of their lives. Behling adds that the one-week structure kept the cast locked in and focused.
'And as you will watch the series, you will see, yes, it does take place over one week, but we do have moments where we do go forward in time, back in time, and I think that will be really cool for viewers to see. Moments that maybe are not taking place in the week, but that will round out the week and will make more sense.
' All American airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on The CW
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