Season One (All American: Homecoming)

The **first season** of *All American: Homecoming* was announced by The CW on May 24, 2021. The season premiered on February 21, 2022, and concluded on May 23, 2022.

## Premise

ALL AMERICAN: HOMECOMING is a young adult sports drama set against the backdrop of the HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) experience at Bringston University, where Black excellence is a way of life. The series follows Simone (Geffri Maya, “All American”), a young tennis hopeful from Beverly Hills who is trying to fight her way back to great after some time away from the court, and Damon (Peyton Alex Smith, “Legacies”), an elite baseball player from Chicago who is carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. After Simone’s aunt Amara Patterson (Kelly Jenrette, “Manhunt”), a journalism teacher and activist, exposes a scandal that threatens to derail the school’s beloved baseball program, new coach Marcus Turner (Cory Hardrict, “The Chi”) is determined to bring a championship back to Bringston the honest way — with Damon’s help. Damon will adjust to his new normal with fellow baseball player and childhood friend JR (Sylvester Powell, “Five Points”) by his side. Meanwhile, as Simone struggles to find her footing, she will get a little guidance from Thea (Camille Hyde, “Katy Keene”), the super-competitive queen bee of the Bringston tennis team, and Keisha (Netta Walker, “Come as You Are”), the school’s unofficial mayor, who will help Simone learn how to live her best life. As they contend with the high stakes of college sports, Simone and Damon will also navigate the highs, lows, and sexiness of unsupervised early adulthood at a prestigious HBCU.

## Cast and Characters

### Starring

* Geffri Maya as Simone Hicks
* Peyton Alex Smith as Damon Sims
* Kelly Jenrette as Amara Patterson
* Cory Hardrict as Coach Marcus Turner
* Sylvester Powell as Jessie Raymond
* Camille Hyde as Thea Mays
* Mitchell Edwards as Cam Watkins
* Netta Walker as Keisha McCalla

### Recurring Cast

* Rhoyle Ivy King as Nathaniel
* Tamberla Perry as Keena Sims

## Production

### Filming

Filming on the Warner Brothers lot wrapped up on March 4, 2022. Cory Hardrict shot his last scene on March 8. Camille Hyde shot her last scene on March 9. The season officially wrapped up on March 11, 2022.

### Casting

On March 29, 2021, it was announced that Peyton Alex Smith, Cory Hadrict, Kelly Jenrette, Sylverser Powell, Netta Walker and Camille Hyde are set to star in the Geffri Maya-led backdoor pilot spin-off. On December 16, 2021, it was announced that Mitchell Edwards will reprise his role as Cam as a series regular. Rhoyle Ivy King is cast in a recurring role as Nathaniel. On January 28, 2022, it was reported that Tamberla Perry joined the cast in a recurring role as Keena Sims.

## Reception

### Critical response

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds an approval rating of 100%, based on 5 reviews, and an average rating of 8.30/10.

## HBCU Scholarship

*Official press release from Warner Bros. Television Group released on February 23, 2022.*
Warner Bros. Television Group today announced the establishment of a new scholarship to support students in need of financial assistance at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), inspired by the new WBTV series All American: Homecoming, from executive producer/showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll and Berlanti Productions. Developed in partnership with the NAACP, the Warner Bros. Television Group All American: Homecoming Grand Slam Scholarship will award $100,000 in grants to 10 students ($10,000 per scholarship) pursuing degrees at HBCU institutions throughout the United States. All American: Homecoming is a new young adult sports drama for The CW set against the backdrop of the HBCU experience at the fictional Bringston University, where Black excellence is a way of life. The announcement was made today during an All American: Homecoming panel hosted by the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA). A spinoff of the critically acclaimed hit WBTV/The CW drama All American, All American: Homecoming continues to tell inclusive and authentic stories that center the Black experience in American life.

HBCU students can apply for the WBTVG All American: Homecoming Grand Slam Scholarship in early March. For more information, please visit the NAACP's website.

Warner Bros. Television Group Chairman Channing Dungey said: "We are thrilled to partner with the NAACP on the All American: Homecoming scholarship, which will provide financial support to students at HBCUs as they pursue their dreams through education. And we are also excited to celebrate the dynamic on-screen depiction of HBCU life at Bringston University in this powerful new show from Nkechi Okoro Carroll and Berlanti Productions."

All American: Homecoming executive producer/showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll said: "Honoring my family and friends who attended HBCUs by bringing Bringston University to life has been a dream come true. All American: Homecoming is a celebration of the HBCU experience, a celebration of Black youth, a celebration of our culture. It's wonderful that Warner Bros. Television Group is furthering that celebration and contributing to the pursuit of excellence by offering scholarships to real-life HBCU students."

This initiative marks the Studio's first time collaborating with the NAACP to offer scholarships to HBCU students.

NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said: "The partnership with Warner Bros. Television Group is an excellent illustration of how corporations can give back and do their part for a more equitable society. We know these scholarships will be an invaluable resource to HBCU students interested in careers in entertainment. We look forward to continuing this type of collaboration on future endeavors."

## Gallery

### Videos

All American- Homecoming - Brand New Promo - The CWAll American- Homecoming - Excellence Promo - The CWAll American- Homecoming - Cast Featurette – I Am Black Excellence - The CWAll American- Homecoming - Geffri Maya - A New Journey - The CWAll American- Homecoming - Cory Hardrict - Fundamentals - The CWAll American- Homecoming - Peyton Alex Smith - Part Of Something Better - The CWWarner AAFCA Homecoming panel
## References

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 *All American: Homecoming*: Season One Ratings
2. ↑ @bringstonuniversity on Instagram
3. ↑ @bringstonuniversity on Instagram
4. ↑ ‘All American: Homecoming’: Peyton Alex Smith & Cory Hardrict Among Six Cast In the CW’s Planted Spinoff
5. ↑ ‘All American: Homecoming’: Mitchell Edwards Joins CW Spinoff As Series Regular
6. ↑ Tamberla Perry Joins ‘All American: Homecoming’; ‘Power Book II: Ghost’ Casts Petey McGee
7. ↑ All American: Homecoming - Rotten Tomatoes