

2.549 minSeason 1 • Episode 8
LatestA tough prom-night conversation forces Justin to make a choice. Can he follow his dreams without breaking his parents' hearts — or Keisha's?
Reunited as teens, two childhood friends fall deeply in love, experiencing the joy and heartache of a first romance that will change their lives forever.
Acting
Lovie Simone's eyes do ALL the heavy lifting
Direction
Mara Brock Akil makes South Central feel like a romance novel
Writing
Dialogue that actually sounds like teens, not TikTok scripts
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Adapts Judy Blume's 1975 novel but swaps suburban New Jersey for 2010s South Central LA, making class and race central to the romance.
Mara Brock Akil specifically cast unknowns to capture authentic first-love awkwardness—Cooper Jr. had never kissed on screen before.