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American drama television series From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Chi (/ˈʃaɪ/ SHY) is an American drama television series created by Lena Waithe about life in a neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago.[4] It premiered on Showtime on January 7, 2018. In August 2022, the series was renewed for a sixth season.[5] On June 21, 2023, it was announced that the sixth season would consist of 16 episodes split into two parts. Part 1 premiered on August 6, 2023,[6] and part 2 premiered on May 12, 2024.[7] In May 2024, the series was renewed for a seventh season.[8]
The Chi | |
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Genre | Drama |
Created by | Lena Waithe |
Starring |
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Composer | Patrick Warren |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 6 |
No. of episodes | 66 |
Production | |
Executive producers |
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Camera setup | Single-camera |
Running time | 46–58 minutes |
Production companies |
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Original release | |
Network | Showtime |
Release | January 7, 2018 – present |
The Chi is described as following "a fateful turn of events that sends shockwaves through a community on the Southside of Chicago and connects the lives of Emmett, Brandon, Ronnie and Kevin in unexpected ways."[9]
Name | Portrayed by | Seasons | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||
Brandon Johnson | Jason Mitchell | Main | |||||
Ronnie Davis | Ntare Mwine | Main | |||||
Emmett Washington | Jacob Latimore | Main | |||||
Kevin Williams | Alex R. Hibbert | Main | |||||
Jerrika Little | Tiffany Boone | Main | |||||
Jada Washington | Yolonda Ross | Main | |||||
Detective Armando Cruz | Armando Riesco | Main | |||||
Reg Taylor | Barton Fitzpatrick | Recurring | Main | ||||
Jake Taylor | Michael V. Epps | Recurring | Main | ||||
Stanley "Papa" Jackson | Shamon Brown Jr. | Recurring | Main | ||||
Kiesha Williams | Birgundi Baker | Recurring | Main | ||||
Victor "Trig" Taylor | Luke James | Recurring | Main | ||||
Otis "Douda" Perry | Curtiss Cook | Recurring | Main | ||||
Season | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
First aired | Last aired | |||
1 | 10 | December 15, 2017 (online) January 7, 2018 (Showtime) | March 18, 2018 | |
2 | 10 | April 4, 2019 (online) April 7, 2019 (Showtime) | June 16, 2019 | |
3 | 10 | June 21, 2020 | August 23, 2020 | |
4 | 10 | May 23, 2021 | August 1, 2021 | |
5 | 10 | June 24, 2022
(online) June 26, 2022 | September 4, 2022 | |
6 | 16 | 8 | August 6, 2023 | September 24, 2023 |
8 | May 12, 2024 | June 30, 2024 |
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code | U.S. viewers (millions) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | "Pilot" | Rick Famuyiwa | Lena Waithe | December 15, 2017 (online) January 7, 2018 (Showtime) | 1BEO78 | 0.533[21] |
2 | 2 | "Alee" | David Rodriguez | Elwood Reid & Lena Waithe | January 7, 2018 (online) January 14, 2018 (Showtime) | 1BEO02 | 0.570[22] |
3 | 3 | "Ghosts" | David Rodriguez | Adam Glass & Ayanna Floyd Davis | January 21, 2018 | 1BEO03 | 0.707[23] |
4 | 4 | "Quaking Grass" | Tanya Hamilton | Story by : Elwood Reid & Mike Flynn Teleplay by : Elwood Reid & Justin Hillian | January 28, 2018 | 1BEO04 | 0.751[24] |
5 | 5 | "Today Was a Good Day" | Darren Grant | Marcus Gardley | February 11, 2018 | 1BEO05 | 0.679[25] |
6 | 6 | "Penetrate a Fraud" | Roxann Dawson | Casallina Kisakye | February 18, 2018 | 1BEO06 | 0.673[26] |
7 | 7 | "The Whistle" | David Rodriguez | Lena Waithe & Dime Davis | February 25, 2018 | 1BEO07 | 0.791[27] |
8 | 8 | "Wallets" | Tanya Hamilton | Adam Glass & Marcus Gardley | March 4, 2018 | 1BEO08 | 0.675[28] |
9 | 9 | "Namaste Muthafucka" | Zetna Fuentes | Adam Glass & Sylvia L. Jones | March 11, 2018 | 1BEO09 | 0.797[29] |
10 | 10 | "Ease on Down the Road" | Justin Tipping | Elwood Reid | March 18, 2018 | 1BEO10 | 0.872[30] |
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code | U.S. viewers (millions) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11 | 1 | "Eruptions" | Jet Wilkinson | Ayanna Floyd Davis & Lena Waithe | April 4, 2019 (online) April 7, 2019 (Showtime) | 2BEO01 | 0.454[31] |
12 | 2 | "Every Day I'm Hustlin'" | Darren Grant | Joe Wilson | April 14, 2019 | 2BEO02 | 0.375[32] |
13 | 3 | "Past Due" | Justin Tipping | J. David Shanks | April 21, 2019 | 2BEO03 | 0.339[33] |
14 | 4 | "Showdown" | Carl Seaton | Casallina Kisakye | April 28, 2019 | 2BEO04 | 0.392[34] |
15 | 5 | "Feeling the Heat" | Jet Wilkinson | Ayanna Floyd Davis & Joe Wilson | May 5, 2019 | 2BEO05 | 0.439[35] |
16 | 6 | "A Leg Up" | Cheryl Dunye | Justin Hillian & Dime Davis | May 12, 2019 | 2BEO06 | 0.397[36] |
17 | 7 | "A Blind Eye" | Rebecca Rodriguez | Cinque Henderson & J. David Shanks | May 26, 2019 | 2BEO07 | 0.350[37] |
18 | 8 | "Lean Into It" | Salli Richardson-Whitfield | Terri Kopp | June 2, 2019 | 2BEO08 | 0.328[38] |
19 | 9 | "Guilt, Viral Videos, and Ass Whuppings" | Tanya Hamilton | Joe Wilson | June 9, 2019 | 2BEO09 | 0.427[39] |
20 | 10 | "The Scorpion and the Frog" | Jet Wilkinson | Ayanna Floyd Davis | June 16, 2019 | 2BEO10 | 0.474[40] |
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code | U.S. viewers (millions) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
21 | 1 | "Foe 'Nem" | Jet Wilkinson | Lena Waithe & Justin Hillian | June 21, 2020 | 3BEO01 | 0.348[41] |
22 | 2 | "Brewfurd" | Rashaad Ernesto Green | Marcus Gardley | June 28, 2020 | 3BEO02 | 0.347[42] |
23 | 3 | "Buss Down" | Gandja Monteiro | Lolis Eric Elie | July 5, 2020 | 3BEO03 | 0.351[43] |
24 | 4 | "Gangway" | Jet Wilkinson | T.J. Brady & Rasheed Newson | July 12, 2020 | 3BEO04 | 0.367[44] |
25 | 5 | "Terror Town" | Jet Wilkinson | Ricardo Gamboa & Nambi E. Kelley | July 19, 2020 | 3BEO05 | 0.438[45] |
26 | 6 | "Woo Woo Woo" | Darren Grant | Jewel McPherson | July 26, 2020 | 3BEO06 | 0.525[46] |
27 | 7 | "A Stain" | Sam Bailey | Marcus Gardley & Jade Branion | August 2, 2020 | 3BEO07 | 0.415[47] |
28 | 8 | "Frunchroom" | Jet Wilkinson | Justin Hillian | August 9, 2020 | 3BEO08 | 0.430[48] |
29 | 9 | "Lackin'" | Alonso Alvarez Barreda | T.J. Brady & Rasheed Newson | August 16, 2020 | 3BEO09 | 0.384[49] |
30 | 10 | "A Couple, Two, Three" | Rebecca Rodriguez | Justin Hillian & Jewel McPherson | August 23, 2020 | 3BEO10 | 0.382[50] |
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code | U.S. viewers (millions) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
31 | 1 | "Soul Food" | Gandja Monteiro | Lena Waithe & Justin Hillian | May 21, 2021 (online) May 23, 2021 (Showtime) | 4BEO01 | 0.335[51] |
32 | 2 | "Cooley High" | Gandja Monteiro | Jewel Coronel | May 30, 2021 | 4BEO02 | 0.404[52] |
33 | 3 | "Native Son" | Samir Rehem | Patrik-Ian Polk | June 6, 2021 | 4BEO03 | 0.310[53] |
34 | 4 | "The Girl From Chicago" | Samir Rehem | Resheida Brady | June 13, 2021 | 4BEO04 | 0.284[54] |
35 | 5 | "The Spook Who Sat By The Door" | Gandja Monteiro | Ricardo Gamboa | June 20, 2021 | 4BEO05 | 0.235[55] |
36 | 6 | "Candyman" | Nancy C. Mejía | James Rogers III | June 27, 2021 | 4BEO06 | 0.284[56] |
37 | 7 | "...Black Messiah" | Kimi Howl Lee | Jewel Coronel & Kristiana Rae Colón | July 11, 2021 | 4BEO07 | 0.253[57] |
38 | 8 | "Love Jones" | Katrelle N. Kindred | Justin Hillian & Resheida Brady | July 18, 2021 | 4BEO08 | 0.324[58] |
39 | 9 | "Southside With You" | Nancy C. Mejía | Jewel Coronel & Deonte' Staats | July 25, 2021 | 4BEO09 | 0.258[59] |
40 | 10 | "A Raisin in the Sun" | Gandja Monteiro | Justin Hillian | August 1, 2021 | 4BEO10 | 0.289[60] |
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code | U.S. viewers (millions) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
41 | 1 | "Overnight Celebrity" | Nancy C. Mejía | Lena Waithe & Justin Hillian | June 24, 2022 (online) June 26, 2022 (Showtime) | 5BEO01 | 0.152[61] |
42 | 2 | "Oh Girl" | Katrelle N. Kindred | Jewel Coronel | July 3, 2022 | 5BEO02 | 0.187[62] |
43 | 3 | "This Christmas" | Katrelle N. Kindred | Resheida Brady | July 10, 2022 | 5BEO03 | 0.209[63] |
44 | 4 | "On Me" | Deondray Gossfield & Quincy LeNear Gossfield | Kristiana Rae Colón | July 17, 2022 | 5BEO04 | 0.235[64] |
45 | 5 | "We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off" | Boma Iluma | Ricardo Gamboa | July 24, 2022 | 5BEO05 | 0.249[65] |
46 | 6 | "Bring It On Home To Me" | Cierra 'Shooter' Glaudé | Shaye Ogbonna | July 31, 2022 | 5BEO06 | 0.203[66] |
47 | 7 | "Angels" | Cierra 'Shooter' Glaudé | Mia Brumfield & Jewel Coronel | August 7, 2022 | 5BEO07 | 0.196[67] |
48 | 8 | "Sweet Thing" | Nancy C. Mejía | Resheida Brady | August 14, 2022 | 5BEO08 | 0.207[68] |
49 | 9 | "I'm Looking For A New Thing" | Marvin Lemus | Ricardo Gamboa | August 28, 2022 | 5BEO09 | 0.218[69] |
50 | 10 | "I Am The Blues" | Nancy C. Mejía | Jewel Coronel | September 4, 2022 | 5BEO10 | 0.148[70] |
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date [71] | Prod. code | U.S. viewers (millions) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part 1 | ||||||||||||
51 | 1 | "New Chi City" | Nancy C. Mejía | Lena Waithe & Justin Hillian | August 6, 2023 | 6BEO01 | 0.192[72] | |||||
52 | 2 | "Mo' Douda, Mo' Problems" | Johnson Cheng | Jewel Coronel | August 13, 2023 | 6BEO02 | 0.196[72] | |||||
53 | 3 | "House Party" | Rashaad Ernesto Green | Resheida Brady & Mia A. Brumfield | August 20, 2023 | 6BEO03 | 0.151[72] | |||||
54 | 4 | "ReUp" | Anthony Shim | Kristiana Rae Colón | August 27, 2023 | 6BEO04 | 0.169[72] | |||||
55 | 5 | "One of Them Nights" | Johnson Cheng | Racquel Baker | September 3, 2023 | 6BEO05 | 0.170[72] | |||||
56 | 6 | "Boyz II Men" | Shanrica Evans | Whitney Beckwith & Jewel Coronel | September 10, 2023 | 6BEO06 | 0.117[72] | |||||
57 | 7 | "Long Live" | Boma Iluma | Mia A. Brumfield & Kristiana Rae Colon | September 17, 2023 | 6BEO07 | 0.163[72] | |||||
58 | 8 | "Who Shot Ya?" | Rashaad Ernesto Green | Resheida Brady | September 24, 2023 | 6BEO08 | 0.165[72] | |||||
Part 2 | ||||||||||||
59 | 9 | "The Aftermath" | Boma Iluma | Lena Waithe & Justin Hillian | May 12, 2024 | 6BEO09 | 0.096[72] | |||||
60 | 10 | "Want This Smoke" | Stacy Pascal Gaspard | Jewel Coronel | May 19, 2024 | 6BEO10 | 0.096[72] | |||||
61 | 11 | "Saints & Sinners" | Malakai | Racquel Baker & Mia A. Brumfield | May 26, 2024 | 6BEO11 | 0.118[72] | |||||
62 | 12 | "City of Gold" | Deondray Goosfield & Quincy LeNear Gossfield | Kristiana Rae Colon | June 2, 2024 | 6BEO12 | 0.132[72] | |||||
63 | 13 | "Legacy" | Malakai | Whitney Beckwith & Jewel Coronel | June 9, 2024 | 6BEO13 | 0.092[72] | |||||
64 | 14 | "Smoke & Mirrors" | Deondray Goosfield & Quincy LeNear Gossfield | Racquel Callahan | June 16, 2024 | 6BEO14 | N/A | |||||
65 | 15 | "Tower of Terror" | Justin Hillian | Mia A. Brumfield & Jewel Coronel | June 23, 2024 | 6BEO15 | N/A | |||||
66 | 16 | "Thanksgiving" | Deondray Goosfield & Quincy LeNear Gossfield | Resheida Brady | June 30, 2024 | 6BEO16 | N/A |
On January 30, 2018, Showtime renewed the series for a second season which premiered on April 7, 2019.[73][74] On April 30, 2019, Showtime renewed the series for a third season which premiered on June 21, 2020.[75][76] On May 20, 2019, it was announced that Jason Mitchell would not be returning to the show for season 3 because of "misconduct allegations". His character was killed off in the season 3 premiere.[77] On September 8, 2020, Showtime renewed the series for a fourth season which premiered on May 23, 2021.[78][79] In March 2021, production on the series was paused due to a positive COVID-19 test.[80] On August 2, 2021, after the conclusion of the fourth season, it was announced that the series was renewed for a fifth season.[81] The fifth season premiered on June 24, 2022.[82] On August 18, 2022, the series was renewed for season six before the conclusion of season five.[5] On May 8, 2024, Paramount+ With Showtime renewed the series for a seventh season.[8]
The Chi premiered on January 7, 2018, on Showtime.
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds an approval rating of 87% based on 47 reviews, with an average rating of 7.5/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "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."[83] On Metacritic, the season has a weighted average score of 73 out of 100 based on 22 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[84]
Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series | Rick Famuyiwa | Won | [85] |
Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series | Lena Waithe | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Jacob Latimore | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series | Common | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Drama Series | Barry M. Berg, Common, Derek Dudley, Rick Famuyiwa, Aaron Kaplan, Erin Mitchell, Elwood Reid, Shelby Stone and Lena Waithe | Nominated | |||
ReFrame Stamp | IMDbPro Top 200 Scripted TV Recipients | The Chi | Won | [86] | |
2021 | Gracie Allen Awards | Writer Scripted - Drama | Lena Waithe | Won | [87] |
NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited Series) | Alex R. Hibbert | Nominated | [88] | |
ReFrame Stamp | IMDbPro Top 200 Scripted TV Recipients | The Chi | Won | [89] | |
Young Artist Awards | Best Performance in a TV Series - Leading Young Artist | Alex R. Hibbert | Nominated | [90] | |
2022 | GLAAD Media Awards | Outstanding Drama Series | The Chi | Nominated | [91] |