The Chi (2018– ) User Reviews

Authentic

[jamesmitchell-68374 · 9/10 · 13 February 2018]

I have never reviewed a show or movie before. I feel that this show is probably more realistic than some reviewers are giving credit. I listened to an interview from the writer of this show and she is from Chicago. From what I understood, her goal was to take a murder and build from that. To show the audience the ripples that the murder we see on the news actually has on the people in a neighbourhood like this. Most of the characters are good people but the murder of that one person creates consequences and impacts all those around. To think this is fiction or couldn't happen is naive in the world we currently live in. I agree with the one reviewer who compared it to The Wire. An excellent show with great writing and acting.

Season 6 is ruining it all.

[cindyrellaexists · 7/10 · 25 September 2023]

Shooting, drawn out party music segment, over dressed family meal, partner frustration, weak ambition story....then repeat. The first 5 seasons had exceptional storylines and strong characters but the 6th season has the characters we love become watered down and a bunch of whiners. Pot growers? Rapper? Gamer? It's just so flat. It's as if all the sudden these bright articulate able to over come obstacle young ones just evolved into commoners. Very anticlimactic. Why? This just became the show that for generations has already been written. I had high hopes for this show but season 6 was a total disappointment.

Easily one of the best shows on TV now

[ksdouglas-23618 · 9/10 · 22 January 2018]

I'll tell you straight up, I'm from Chicago long time resident of the South Side and this show is by far the best portrayal of the South Side I have ever seen on TV. The Chi doesn't pull any punches and we get a show were the characters are so complicated and diverse, and the chemistry between them all is just so well balanced. The best way I can describe this show is like a fine tuned wristwatch. Don't go into this show thinking its all about gangs and poor black people living on food stamps.

As a citizen of Chicago living on the South Side, I am glad this show is showcasing how everyday life is. You watch the news and all you hear is "there was another shooting, possibly gang related.' Hence the words "Gang Related' this is the media's attempt to write off the violence that occurs in SOME not ALL of the communities on the South Side. Whenever I hear a shooting was a so-called gang hit on the news, I just shake my head. Most if not 100% of the time, shootings are the result of beefs or feuds between peoples that are not linked to a gang. And this show the Chi hits that mark square on with its first episode and its continuation. And also 100% of those shootings happen to be mistaken identity or what have you.

But moving away from the shootings and the gangs and all that, the South Side of Chicago is so much more than this. In the Chi. the creators of the show have highlighted these aspects, things people even living in Chicago do not know about.

If you're a TV buff with a taste for an authentic storyline, try the Chi. You won't disappointed.

Starts strong, gets progressively worse, season 4 is an empty fart

[sumtim3s00n · 1 August 2021]

The moment you start watching "the Wire" pops in ones head. Which is a huge praise. The raw, real feeling of the world, characters, complexity and interconnectedness. Great show, cool. However... With season 3 it begins to lose the spirit. But nothing like season 4. Abysmal. Crucial characters puf!...disappear, huge storylines fade off, melodrama turned up to 11 filling everything and we get these little pop farts of storylines instead of (a)strong ones.

Season 4 might as well not have been filmed. It was a waste of time. Big idea, big story plot point, big issues. All just...left and unresolved, pushed aside to favour stupid ever revolving love drama that gets SO SO tiring and boring constantly repeating same old thing over and over again.

Just stop... You have ruined it. If season 4 is the jump off for season 5 and the same talentless hack of showrunner remains, spare yourself the ridicule of filming more of this pathetic insultingly dull product you call a tv show.

Brilliant

[mike-499-205871 · 9/10 · 19 February 2018]

The Chi is one of the best shows to air in a long time. Watching it after the utter dross that is MacMafia reminded me of how good television should look and feel. The writers take their time to introduce you to the characters, and give them space to develop. A rare thing these days. It's been compared to The Wire, and there are definite similarities (obviously no bad thing), but The Chi has a vibe all of it's own and gradually hooks you in. Most shows aim to have someone on screen you can empathise with, or at least identify with, but here there are so many members of the cast you genuinely want to go along with for the ride. I'm surprised this show doesn't have a higher rating. From the reviews so far it's clear some people just don't get it, or have the time to let something grow, but this is top class television and I hope it gets the audience it clearly deserves.

Entertaining? How about through the wall

[therealbenz · 9/10 · 29 January 2018]

The Chi is nothing to look past. From incredible character development to an intense plot this series will keep you on your toes. It's very hard to find an authentic series but this one is just that. Look no more The Chi has arrived.

Remember the wire?

[bentalk · 9/10 · 23 February 2018]

Love the character development here. Love that there's some more reality behind the good/bad guys - and to understand them, however bad they are, means you can't help but feel a little love for them.

Surpasses ten star

[cathymac-36831 · 10/10 · 4 April 2018]

I'm not sure why so many 9-star reviews and why so few 10-star reviews. Perhaps because there was no snow, sleet, rain or ice? It is Chicago, after all. People should be either freezing their asses or sweating from our hot/humid summers. But this is by far the best I have seen in years, if not ever. I love these people! (And that's coming from a north shore woman.) You all have successfully destroyed my writing career. I can never measure up

What happened??

[jonstivers · 6/10 · 17 June 2019]

This show seemed like it was going to be really good, but fell off tremendously and drug on with no end in sight. Very boring in season 2

Love it

[vicegrip-37321 · 9/10 · 16 August 2022]

I'm glued to the tv every week to make sure I don't miss an episode. This is 1 of the few shows that I watch. This show has some real life issues and is very relatable.

Over a Cliff

[chiltonsjillfreeport · 6/10 · 4 June 2022]

There's having to kill off a central character and then there's HOW you do it. Logically, it makes no sense to treat it like a blip, miserably fail at any explanation, and eradicate a big chunk of cast and storyline with them. This is a neighborhood fans have been living in for 2 years. When you disrespect your own story, you disrespect them. Being pissed at an actor and taking it out on the show is for chumps!

The first two seasons were so good. The Chi was a place you could step into; the families, friendships, struggles, love, messiness, food. The battles to make or take a buck.

When it was hot, you sweated. The funerals hurt.

Two seasons of 8/10.

But season 3 was half a bottle of white-out atop it. If you're asking the audience to forget great characters and a chunk of what they knew about the story, the writers better deliver fresh gold.

Were there any sustaining new threads as interesting as several relationships the central character had in those first seasons? Because The Chi lost those peripheral characters, too.

Drama for drama's sake, more like. The real feel was getting thin on the ground. Half of where the story went headed down the drain before long.

Season 3 only looked good in comparison to season 4-when the show went all the way over the cliff.

Man, when even a liberal's liberal calls your season a ridiculous Wokefest, you got issues! What is uuup with the showrunners??? Did they seriously overestimate how much pretentious teen navel-gazing the audience is interested in, or is it me? They took a likable, interesting bunch of kids and made them annoying af. That'd be a subtitle of season 4: The Year The Chi Made virtually Every Character Irritating.

The larger problem is, the show got irritating. At times it felt like a systematic attempt to check off every woke headline or trend. Characters behaving against their character, contrary to any reason and/or relationship. A lot of plot just too nonsensical to buy. I won't be back.

Season 3: 5/10 Season 4: 2/10.

I'm from Chicago

[hurtbeezy · 6/10 · 30 January 2018]

This show portrays how Chicago really cam be even when you are booty in the streets. Things just go sideways, stories get crossed. Common was the perfect guy to be a part of this. One of the most realistic shows on TV right now. Ppl that don't rate this show 7 or higher is either hating because its great black show and/or Don't understand the realities of "the hood". Guys from the hood are probsbly not on imdb rating shows and writing reviews so I'll do it for them. GREAT SHOW LITERALLY

Lost direction now in season 3

[thomaspike-85498 · 3/10 · 28 June 2020]

I really enjoyed seasons 1 and 2 of The Chi, good story lines, great acting and was looking forward to season 3. Have only seen first episode, but was so confused. Starts with wedding Of Kevin's mothers and he goes off to a funeral. We see casket then camera pans over to photo of Brandon, the central character. He was getting set to bring Douda down, and now is mysteriously killed off. Have since read he was sacked. So now there is no real story. Ronnie's grandma seems to have disappeared too with here house locked up and furniture lying out front. An attempt is being made to start a new story with introduction of Reg's older brother, but it's not really convincing. Reg and Jerrica were also dropped last season. The Brandon character was the glue, the main guy that everything And everybody seemed to connect to in some way. Now he's gone there's just lots of loose ends struggling to remain relevant. It's very disappointing as it was a great show. I'll give it a couple more episodes, but not really hopeful.

Now I Know What People Meant About Season 3

[jotisg-1 · 13 November 2020]

I read the reviews of the people saying Season 3 was terrible compared to 1 and 2 snd had to see for myself. Sorry for doubting you. Reasons why? (1) Did we really need LaLa Anthony and Kandi Burress added to the cast? (2) Kidnapping plot was ridiculous (3) Too much ancillary plots no one cared about

Hope it can recover.

Love this show

[jussstargazing · 10/10 · 15 August 2022]

I stumbled across this show by accident but absolutely love it! Strong story lines. And it has luke James! Strong storylines, definitely worth the watch. A small peep into everyday life.

A must watch

[sophiehall-74604 · 9/10 · 27 February 2018]

Its my very first time of reviewing a show. The show highlights the true nature of whats going in Chicago. This is the reality for a lot of people who live in community especially in the ghetto. I thought that the show was great with exceptional talents. Absolute must watch!!! I read one of the comments saying that the show is vile and rated it one star due to the fact that a 10 year is going round using profound language - get over yourself its the world in which we are living in. Give it a chance.

Great character driven show

[js-01699 · 10/10 · 4 July 2020]

Enjoyed every minute of it. Binge watched so many episodes. Dreading the day it ends.

EH UH i guess it's still ok the stories are sorta all over place though

[eddyVjenkins-80831 · 7/10 · 3 August 2020]

I'm just glad Keisha is okay, but all of a sudden Ronnie's grandma just died. She died just like that 😕

and what happened to Brandon and Reg??????

season 3 is all over the place😕

Best show I've seen in a really long time

[oksana_peysakh · 10/10 · 23 April 2019]

I absolutely love this show. I can't get enough. It feels so real, like you know the people in it personally. Each character is written in a way where any person could connect to it. Every week when the show is over I'm left wanting more. I wish they played new episodes all year round. I can't compare anything else to it because it's just that good. I've seen some people comparing it to "The Wire" and I can sort of see the similarities in the style but I think the difference between the two shows is that The Chi can be watched by anyone and they'd find a connection to their personal life. The wire focused mainly on drug dealing. The Chi shows every aspect of life in the hood and a whole range of different kinds of characters that everyone can relate to. Big ups to the creator. She is amazing!

Started off quite well...

[GoodErsatz · 6/10 · 17 August 2020]

I enjoyed season one of this show quite a bit - certainly more than I anticipated. No, it is not anywhere remotely in the same ballpark of The Wire, yet initially I felt it was compelling. Sure, the acting was extremely rough and terribly amateurish, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt and hoped things would improve in season two.

Sadly the acting showed no improvement whatsoever in season two. Thanks to the poor acting, very odd editing, and questionable directing I had to toss this once promising show into the rubbish bin.

6/10, not 2/10 because Season 1 was somewhat watchable. Season 2 did not see the iceberg.

Love, love, love

[ban1960 · 10/10 · 10 July 2020]

Absolutely love this show....better every season. The characters are well developed....actors have a great script to follow. This show takes the viewer on a journey each episode. Well worth the watch......well worth it!

Very much "The Wire" like

[edgar-turner · 7/10 · 24 January 2018]

Love the scenes of Chicago. I am guessing it's the southside. I've never seen the inner city of Chi Town. It tells the story of how it is and how one person's actions affects others. I like the humor mixed with the tough life. It's very real.

I can already tell season 4 gonna be some BS

[vishamaebullock · 1/10 · 24 May 2021]

Once again plotholes.. unnecessary drama. Emmit and Tiff zero chemistry... keisha gonna keep that baby and traumatize herself and bore the hell out of us... I just don't buy Trig as no gangsta... and Ronnie is gone.. it's not even about the neighborhood no more. It made it more raw and real.

This show has strayed too far off path

[waymuchbs · 10 July 2022]

I was excited to watch this show over the first maybe 3 episodes. A lot of street interaction, gangs, a window into their South Side of Chicago tough lives. The past two seasons though, kinda suck. If I wanted to see boyfriend / girlfriend in the ghetto stories, I would be watching BET - or Lifetime.

Kissie-kissie - nice-nice.

Story line has become way too simplistic and unrealistic. Please !! Get this ship back on course !!!

Fantastic!

[e-smith-2 · 8/10 · 25 March 2018]

Story archs are mesmerizing and authentic. They leave the viewers anxious for the next episode. Would love to binge watch at the end of each season.