The Chi: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

87% Tomatometer 47 Reviews 76% Audience Score 250+ Ratings

The South Side of Chicago carries daily danger, and the smallest and simplest of decisions can have life or death consequences for the residents. Life continues as the kids prep for school and their parents shuffle off to work. The young adults of the area are trying to scrape a living for themselves, while the elders sit on their front porches and observe the goings on. The South Side has the potential to crush dreams, and this coming-of-age series focuses on Kevin, a preteen who embraces the normal rites of childhood, Brandon, who makes a leap of faith to succeed in love and life with Jerrika, Emmett, who seeks guidance from his mother, and Ronnie, who is a drifter struggling to be loved. All of them are linked together by sheer coincidence as they seek redemption. Read More Read Less

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The Chi — Season 1

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The Chi — Season 1

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Like an optimistic companion to The Wire, The Chi explores the complexities of life in the South Side of Chicago, with a tender touch and a clear affection for its captivating characters.

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Critics Reviews

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The Chi: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Veronica Hilbring Bitch Media One of the most authentic onscreen depictions of Chicago. Mar 5, 2021 Full Review The Chi: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Mike Hale New York Times Ms. Waithe has succeeded in putting a wide web of interesting and sympathetic characters on screen and telling their stories with a minimum of sentimentality and a consistent, welcome dose of low-key humor. Mar 5, 2018 Full Review The Chi: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Doreen St. Felix New Yorker All this plot leaves characters with so little downtime that they can only appear skeletally sketched. Jan 22, 2018 Full Review The Chi: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Phumlani S Langa City Press (South Africa) The best parts of this show are provided by a trio of primary school kids by the names of Kevin, Jake and Papa. These three kill it. Rated: 4/5 Mar 6, 2019 Full Review The Chi: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Dominic Patten Deadline Hollywood Daily [It] is at its best when it drills into the minutia and intimacy of its wide cast of characters. Jan 9, 2019 Full Review The Chi: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Valerie Ettenhofer Film School Rejects Lena Waithe positions South Side life front and center like we've never seen before. Oct 24, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (22) audience reviews

Natnael B Kind of dark it had great story and the casts performance is another level good casting. I liked it it is good starting i wish everyone could watch this drama. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/02/23 Full Review Michael G This show is amazing . I love it! Shout out to the entire cast for making this such a great show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/24/23 Full Review Big d Must watch entertaining Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/25/23 Full Review Audience Member one of the best shows to ever be produced, it really does a good job of making you feel for the characters, even the ones that we are supposed to dislike, what's more, it makes you care for the people who in real life might go through these things, in other words, in my opinion it is powerful in off to make you care. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Audience Member I love the show. Is very accurate within setting. I am from the Gary/Chicago area it feels like home. I love the plot. It feels like the wire (the show)but better. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Audience Member I was born and raised in the CHI....I know this city and the complexities of home. Even though I am a Westsider, I have many friends and family on the Southside. The foundations are the same, as are the issues. To those criticizing that have NO CLUE how accurate and targeted the essence of this show is, please take a seat and learn something.... I was immediately captivated within the first few episodes, how the intricacies of the environment are displayed in the characters, music and scenery masterfully...not much is missed in the attempt to holistically capture that aspect of Chicago. Down to referring to Jerrika as that "Jack and Jill ***" - (it's a Chi thing) our social clubs, cliques, nuances are captured, showing that there was a concerted effort to study, represent and make this as authentic as possible. I just appreciate the "real" effort...the dynamic cast (where did you get those kids?) and the involvement of native Chicagoans - to make this literally feel like home. When watching, I feel like I know EVERY character either as one of my family members, someone from the neighborhood or a friend. Everyone was relatable on a real-life level. Whereas, I don't feel that way about most shows, this one hit the mark with everyone. Grandma Ethel is ALL of my Aunties - outstanding job LaDonna Tittle! This show is more than on the mark, with outstanding writing, producing, cast, music, cinematography.. So, to those who WANT to understand THIS aspect of Chicago and take a peek into "the neighborhood-" this is your show. Don't listen to movie/tv critics that have NEVER had this experience, will never have this experience to speak with any authority or intelligence on; or don't GO into/or live in these neighborhoods because they are too afraid - but will venture on Rotten Tomatoes & sites of the like, to spew their high and mighty opinion of ZERO substance. Enjoy the Chi - on the real! I digress..... Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Chi — Season 1

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

Lena Waithe Creator Jason Mitchell Brandon Ntare Mwine Ronnie Davis Jacob Latimore Emmett Alex R. Hibbert Kevin Yolonda Ross Jada
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Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Jan 7, 2018 Pilot A fateful event sends shockwaves through a community on the south side of Chicago, connecting four lives. Details Episode 2 Aired Jan 14, 2018 Alee Brandon reels from a loss; Ronnie realizes he made a mistake; Emmett's carefree life gets upended; Papa and Jake taunt Kevin about Andrea; conflicting clues shake Cruz. Details Episode 3 Aired Jan 21, 2018 Ghosts Brandon asks Kevin for help; Laverne and Greavy make a decision; Amir tries to capitalize on Emmett's side gig; Quentin launches his own investigation. Details Episode 4 Aired Jan 28, 2018 Quaking Grass Brandon seeks refuge when Jerrika kicks him out; Ronnie runs into Rafiq; Quentin takes something from Trice; Brandon makes a bad deal with Reg. Details Episode 5 Aired Feb 11, 2018 Today Was a Good Day A neighborhood block party brings Brandon, Ronnie, Emmett, and Kevin together; Brandon has a confrontation with Ronnie and gets surprised by Jerrika. Details Episode 6 Aired Feb 18, 2018 Penetrate a Fraud Brandon's actions jeopardize his relationship with Jerrika; Ronnie uncovers secrets about his surrogate son's past and gives a crucial piece of information to the police; Emmett's shoe hustle goes awry. Details Episode 7 Aired Feb 25, 2018 The Whistle Brandon compromises his employment by defending a co-worker; Emmett spends an eye-opening day with Quentin; Kevin tries to get Andrea's attention at the roller rink. Details Episode 8 Aired Mar 4, 2018 Wallets Brandon branches out on his own; Emmett searches for his son after Tiffany takes him away; Ronnie seeks redemption at a mosque where he meets Rafiq; Kevin tries to stop his best friend from going down a dark path. Details Episode 9 Aired Mar 11, 2018 Namaste Muthaf... Brandon attempts a reconciliation with Jerrika, but struggles to establish his business; Kevin realizes he can't stop Jake; Emmett reels when Jada is offered a job in another state. Details Episode 10 Aired Mar 18, 2018 Ease on Down the Road Ronnie faces his past crimes; Brandon's plan to finance his business goes awry; Kevin stars in the school play and attends a cast party with his friends; Emmett decides to fight for full custody. Details

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The Chi — Season 1

The Chi: Season 1 Episode 8 Clip - You, Keisha, or the Missus The Chi: Season 1 Episode 8 Clip - You, Keisha, or the Missus 2:03 The Chi: Season 1 Episode 9 Featurette - Yolonda Ross on Jada's Repercussions The Chi: Season 1 Episode 9 Featurette - Yolonda Ross on Jada's Repercussions 1:40 The Chi: Season 1 Episode 9 Clip - Just Gotta Drop Off A Package The Chi: Season 1 Episode 9 Clip - Just Gotta Drop Off A Package 0:43 The Chi: Season 1 Episode 9 Sneak Peek - Wrong Place Wrong Time The Chi: Season 1 Episode 9 Sneak Peek - Wrong Place Wrong Time 1:19 The Chi: Season 1 Episode 9 Preview The Chi: Season 1 Episode 9 Preview 0:29 The Chi: Season 1 Episode 10 Sneak Peek - Need to Hear You Say It The Chi: Season 1 Episode 10 Sneak Peek - Need to Hear You Say It 1:06 The Chi: Season 1 Episode 10 Preview The Chi: Season 1 Episode 10 Preview 0:30 View more videos

Photos

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The Chi — Season 1

The Chi The Chi The Chi The Chi Photo Credit: Courtesy of Showtime View more photos

Creator
Lena Waithe

Executive Producer
Aaron Kaplan, Common, Elwood Reid, Lena Waithe

Network
PARSHO

Rating
TV-MA

Genre
Drama

Original Language
English

Release Date
Jan 7, 2018
The Chi: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

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