# The Chi (2018)

> Brandon, an ambitious young man on Chicago's South Side, weighs a promising new life against the family he left behind.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/62865

## Facts

- Seasons: 8
- Episodes: 88
- Episode runtime: 55 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama
- Created by: Lena Waithe
- Network: Showtime, Paramount+ with Showtime
- Cast: Jason Mitchell, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Alex R. Hibbert, Yolonda Ross, Michael Epps, Tiffany Boone, Birgundi Baker, Armando Riesco
- TMDB rating: 7.5/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6294706/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: graphic
- Tone: intimate, gritty, tender, harrowing, observational

## What critics say

Audience reception is broadly positive overall but season ratings fell sharply after a strong debut season, with viewers praising the show's authentic portrayal of South Side life.

## Synopsis

The Chi (2018-2026) is a Showtime drama series created by Lena Waithe, set among a web of interrelated residents of Chicago's South Side. Brandon (Jason Mitchell) is an ambitious, confident young man who dreams of opening a restaurant of his own, yet feels the pull of his mother and teenage brother back in the neighborhood. Around him, Ronnie Davis (Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine), Jada (Yolonda Ross), Jake Taylor (Michael Epps) and Kiesha Williams (Birgundi Baker) navigate friendships, romances, work and street pressures that keep colliding across the block. The show is built from many small interlocking storylines rather than a single case or plot, so each episode feels like a window into daily life in a community under strain. It runs for eight seasons and eighty-eight episodes in total, with a loose, observational rhythm and a hard-edged realism. Its tone is intimate, grounded and at times harrowing, balancing tenderness with the real dangers of the streets. Viewers who admire Atlanta, The Wire and the neighborhood-rooted storytelling of Girlfriends will find much to appreciate here.

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