All American Tackles A Necessary Laura-Centric Pause In “Lost One”

While an integral part of the ensemble, Laura Baker is rarely as front and center as she is throughout “Lost One.” In an episode devoted to Billy’s funeral and celebrating his life, All American takes a necessary pause in the show’s central action and conflicts, choosing instead to slow down the plot and have everyone respond to the aftermath of Billy’s death.

Laura plays one of the most vital parts of the episode. She has lost her husband to an act of sacrifice and is still processing the loss as she determines that her husband’s funeral will take place immediately, with only family and close friends in attendance.

It is always hard to say goodbye to a loved one, and All American does not sugarcoat it. Everyone is still reeling, but “Lost One” focuses primarily on Laura, Olivia, Jordan, and Spencer’s emotions as they confront Billy’s death.

While there are references and acknowledgments to other storylines occurring in the background, such as Coop mentioning how things are going at work, Patience’s continuing subplot regarding her growing fame and J.J. remaining on the outs with his friends after arriving at Olivia’s house has had a few drinks, for the most part, all of those are references to keep the continuity occurring while the central plot surrounds the funeral and processing grief.

Granted, not everything is solved at the conclusion of “Lost One.” There will still be mourning periods for Jordan, who was working toward trying to make peace with his father’s death. Likewise, Laura will still face the fallout of her husband’s passing, even though she ends the episode opening herself to the community who wanted to pay their respects to Billy.

Olivia will continue to confront her emotions with “Lost One,” teasing if Olivia’s sobriety will be at risk. In addition, Spencer’s guilt surrounding declining Billy’s call may continue to haunt him in future episodes.

Although All American makes it clear this episode focuses on grief, mourning, and guilt, it is also about finding ways to celebrate Billy’s life and the impact he left on his family, friends, and community.