Though Billy Baker was tragically killed in season 5 of All American, there are still ways for him to find his way back to the show in season 6. All American premiered in 2018 on the CW and follows the story of Spencer James, a high school student from South LA who is recruited to play at Beverly Hills High. The show is marked by moments of triumph and heart ache, as Spencer navigates the challenging world of making his professional football dreams a reality.
While there were many predictions as to what All American‘s sixth season could hold, viewers were taken by surprise when it was confirmed that a character would be rejoining the lineup. Billy Baker, who was killed trying to help a student during season 5 of All American, has been confirmed to be returning to the show. The surprising death completely shifted All American, and it will be interesting to see how Billy’s return changes the show’s dynamic once again.
How Taye Diggs Could Return As Billy Baker In All American Season 6
Billy Baker died in a completely unexpected moment during All American season 5, episode 11, “Time” that left the show’s characters and viewers grieving. Billy was a central part of the show and served as a pillar of mentorship and support for both Beverly High School and South Crenshaw High School. While devastating to watch, it did make sense that when Taye Diggs (who played Billy Baker) was ready to leave All American, the character needed to be killed off.
Showrunner, Nkechi Okoro Carroll, explained that it was the only logical storyline because he would never “leave after fighting so hard for his family“. With Billy Baker dying, however, it seemed like there was no way for the character to ever be able to make a return. It has been confirmed, though, that Billy Baker will be making an appearance during season 6 of All American. While it has not been confirmed how he will be doing so, it will likely be through flashback scenes or through characters imagining what life would be like if Billy was still around.
Why Billy Baker’s All American Season 6 Return Makes Sense For The Story
Billy’s return to All American makes perfect sense timing-wise. His daughter, Olivia, is in the midst of writing a biography about him and will likely be reflecting on memories with her father quite a bit during the season. This allows for the show to utilize flashbacks to give viewers a closer look into Billy’s life and journey with fatherhood.
Additionally, Billy’s widow, Laura, is just starting to dip her toe into the world of dating again. This could be another opportunity for All American to lean on flashbacks of Billy. As Laura gets ready to date once again, the show can leverage flashbacks of the early days of her relationship with Billy.