The third and final season of “All American: Homecoming” has premiered, leaving fans with mixed emotions and many questions, particularly about the future of Peyton Alex Smith’s character, Damon Sims. As a spin-off of the ongoing “All American” series, “Homecoming” follows the lives of two main athletes at Bringston University, a historically Black college in Atlanta, Georgia. Damon, a key character, had previously turned down the MLB draft to play baseball for the school.
The Season 3 premiere revealed a significant time jump, showing that over a year had passed since the events of the Season 2 finale. During this time, Damon and Simone continued their relationship. However, the episode also brought the shocking news that two of the college’s major sports programs, including baseball, had been cut. This development forced Damon to seek alternative routes to keep his professional baseball dreams alive.
Coach Marcus managed to secure Damon a position on a private club team, but the catch was that the team was based in the Dominican Republic. This led to a heartbreaking decision for Damon and Simone to part ways so Damon could focus on his career. Despite the breakup, the door was left open for a possible reunion in the future.
The premiere has left fans worried about whether Damon will continue to appear in the series, especially since Season 3 is the show’s final season. In July 2023, Deadline reported that Peyton Alex Smith had been downgraded from a series regular to a recurring status. Showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll clarified in an October 2023 interview with TV Line that while Smith would not be a series regular, he was not entirely off the show. Carroll emphasized that Damon’s character and his impact at the school would continue to be felt.
Geffri Maya, who plays Simone, also shared her thoughts on the breakup in an interview with Deadline. She expressed respect for the decision, stating that both characters had served their purposes in each other’s lives. Maya emphasized that her role as an artist is to honor and respect the story, and she believes that fans will also appreciate the journey.
With Damon no longer at the forefront, the focus of the show is likely to shift more towards Simone’s story. However, as the showrunner hinted, Damon’s influence will still be present, and his relationship with Simone will continue to play a significant role. Even though Damon is not physically there, his time with Simone will always stay with her, motivating her in her journey.
Despite the changes, fans can expect to see more of Damon before the series concludes. Some aspects of the story remain unrevealed, and it’s possible that the show will end on a high note with Damon reuniting with Simone. New episodes of “All American: Homecoming” are released every Monday at 9 p.m. ET on The CW.
The premiere also addressed the long delay between seasons by jumping ahead almost a year in time. It opened with Simone and Damon in a good place romantically, only for the news to break that Bringston was rebranding to focus more on education than athletics. This led to the cutting of the baseball program, despite the team winning a championship. Damon was understandably upset, especially since Coach Marcus had known about the cuts but kept it a secret to keep the team focused on winning.
Damon’s departure to the Dominican Republic was facilitated by Jesse, giving him a chance to go pro. However, this move required Damon to prioritize his career over his relationship with Simone. Another time jump showed Simone in her junior year, living with Nate and Keisha in Amara’s apartment. Amara, meanwhile, had been offered a significant position in Washington D.C. while maintaining her duties as Bringston’s president.
These plot developments are part of the cast shifts needed for Season 3’s renewal. Peyton Alex Smith and Kelly Jenrette have been downgraded to recurring status, while Martin Bobb-Semple (Lando) has been promoted to a series regular. The time jump will likely be explored further in upcoming episodes to show the status of Simone and Damon’s relationship, Amara’s role at Bringston, and the college’s new direction.
“All American: Homecoming” is kicking off its final season with significant changes, making it a notable year for fans. The series airs Mondays at 8/7c on The CW.
Source: Deadline, TV Line
