Spencer James is a gifted football player from Crenshaw, a poor neighborhood of Los Angeles plagued by gangs and poverty. One night, he is approached by Billy Baker, a former football player also hailing from Crenshaw. Noticing his potential, Baker invites Spencer to transfer to the affluent Beverly Hills High School, whose football team that Baker oversees has fallen on hard times. Spencer has a hard time adjusting to life in his new school; although he is warmly greeted by Olivia, Baker's daughter, and uptown girl Layla Keating, the rest of the football team, including Jordan, Baker's son, and Asher Adams, Layla's boyfriend, are far less welcoming. Nevertheless, with the encouragement of his mother, Grace, and best friend, Coop, Spencer carries on, moving in with the Bakers so his residential status will not be contested.
Tropes featured in this episode:
- Academic Athlete: There's a brief scene of Spencer getting an A+ on his test. Baker mentions that, considering his grades, passing Beverly Hills High's entrance test is the least of Spencer's worries.
- Alcohol-Induced Idiocy: Jordan and Asher unknowingly drug Spencer so he will lose focus on an important practice that will test Baker's job as coach.
- Betty and Veronica: Olivia is introduced as the sweet, awkward outcast who has a crush on Spencer and shares a strong connection with him right away, while Queen Bee of the school Layla steals Spencer's attention immediately and the two of them are clearly into each other despite Layla having a boyfriend.
- Butch Lesbian: Coop is one.
- Disappeared Dad: Spencer's father, Corey, left the family a few years back to coach a college football team in Nevada.
- Distracted by the Sexy: How Spencer's first introduced to Layla. Olivia resignedly explains that Layla's the Queen Bee of Beverly High.
- Fish out of Water: Spencer's first few days at Beverly Hills High are rough, though he quickly adapts.
- Green-Eyed Monster: Both Asher and Jordan towards Spencer, the former because he catches Layla's attention, the latter because he quickly gains his father's approval.
- Greeting Gesture Confusion: When they first meet, Spencer tries to give Laura a handshake, but is given a hug instead.
- Irony: Grace taught her children never to keep secrets from her, but the ending reveals that she has known Baker for a while, with whom she is keeping a secret Spencer doesn't know.
- Love Triangle: Asher/Layla/Spencer. Layla is clearly into Spencer and flirts with him despite being with Asher, who definitely notices and starts a rivalry with Spencer. Spencer is attracted to Layla and flirts back.
- New Transfer Student: The plot is kicked off when Spencer gets an invitation to transfer from South Crenshaw High to Beverly Hills High.
- Once Done, Never Forgotten: Although she has recovered, the school body haven't really forgiven Olivia for using drugs, hence why she is an outcast.
- Recovered Addict: Olivia was a user in the past, though she claims to have sobered.
- Ship Tease:
- Spencer/Olivia, see Betty and Veronica above.
- Spencer/Layla, see Betty and Veronica above.
- Jordan/Layla – Even though Jordan and Asher are best friends and Layla is with Asher, Jordan is visibly upset seeing Layla flirt with Spencer, despite Jordan also sitting with a girl he's kissing.
- Sibling Rivalry: Jordan and Olivia were once close until the former joined the football team and the latter became a drugs addict. They have been drifting apart since.
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: Jordan craves for his father's attention, and isn't happy when Spencer unwittingly challenges that.
- Wrong Side of the Tracks: Crenshaw. The very first scene has South Crenshaw's football game being unceremoniously ended by a shooting. Spencer is motivated to transfer to Beverly Hills not only so he can escape but also to have a chance to give his family a better life.
