After weeks of building momentum that seemed to be leading to a reckoning between The Chi’s sordid characters, “Ease On Down The Road” is a casual finale. There aren’t any shocks or twists, nearly everything happens as one would suspect. Ronnie turns himself in. Quentin avenges Jason’s death and we finally learn the…

Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Sunday, March 18. All times are Eastern. 

Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Sunday, March 11. All times are Eastern. 

Even at its best, The Chi still feels like four different shows that are forced to exist within the same ecosystem. There’s a gritty inner-city drama that looks at the choices black men are forced to make under corrupt systems with Quentin, Emmett, Ronnie and Reg. Kevin, Jake, and Poppa anchor a show about the…

The Chi’s last two episodes slowed down the pace in order to focus on select narratives within the show. It was a welcomed shift that built out the universe of The Chi, but also made a few outside characters like Quentin and Reg feel more connected to the central characters. After the pilot and second episode, “The…

Last week’s episode felt like the first time The Chi really knew what kind of show it wanted to be. The world within the show came into focus as Brandon, Emmett, Ronnie and Kevin were contained to one intersecting story. “Penetrate A Fraud” maintains that momentum and moves the show forward without overwhelming the…

Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Sunday, February 18. All times are Eastern. 

The Chi’s setting may have struck a chord with the Chicago-based A.V. Club, but early glimpses indicated the show had something to offer viewers everywhere, including an exceptional cast led by Mudbound’s Jason Mitchell, and innovative directors like Rick Famuyiwa, who helmed the pilot. Then there was creator Lena…

“Today Was a Good Day” feels like The Chi viewers have been waiting on. Marcus Gardley’s script provides a level of focus and clarity that earlier episodes have lacked. Rather than doing their best in separated storylines, our four main characters are finally drawn together by a block party. Without the intrusions of…

Showtime viewers will get to explore Chicago’s South Side further, as Deadline reports the premium-cable network has just renewed The Chi for season two.

Now that we’re four episodes into the season, there’s a clear pattern developing within The Chi: One small decision can ruin everything. Brandon gets kicked out of his house and now owes a favor to a drug dealer because he decided to help Kevin. Emmett is also in debt to another (maybe) drug dealer because he decided…

Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Sunday, January 28. All times are Eastern.

“Ghosts” is an odd episode of television. There’s not a lot of action, but it continues to use the same broad characterizations and stereotypes that haunted the pilot. The episode does create connections between the show’s more disparate characters, but these moments mostly feel forced. Bad luck haunts these…

Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Sunday, January 21. All times are Eastern. It’s an honor just to be nominated.

In its pilot episode, The Chi missed a few opportunities to really dig into societal and cultural structures that make the Chicago violence presented in the show possible. “Alee,” the season’s second episode, is a marked improvement as its narrative structure moves beyond the pilot’s broad strokes and alludes to the…

Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Sunday, January 14. All times are Eastern. All the things that make us laugh and cry.

No city is a “character.” As much as creators like to elevate their stories by claiming a location, it’s just a clichéd attempt to make something sound important without earning it. Cities are complicated places, and nowhere is that more obvious than in Showtime’s new drama series, The Chi. As much as recent headlines…

You can turn off your TV—or whatever device you’re using to watch TV these days—but TV is always on, as evidenced by the number of new and returning series that have already premiered in the early days of 2018. Here’s what The A.V. Club is looking forward to in the new year, from eagerly awaited second helpings and…

There’s little doubt that The Chi is the most realistic depiction of Chicago that television has to offer right now. Although, it’s not like there’s a lot of options when it comes to Chicago and prestige dramas. Sure, there’s an array of Dick Wolf spin-offs, but these hardly attempt to tell the story of a city among…