In Netflix‘s “Easy,” Joe Swanberg presented his comedic look at Chicago, but Showtime goes for something more authentic with “The Chi.” The show comes from Lena Waithe, who y0u likely know from her role as Denise on “Master of None” (and for co-writing the episode “Thanksgiving,” which earned her an Emmy award). But “The Chi” promises something far different.
Starring Steven Williams, Sonja Sohn, Jason Mitchell, Jacob Latimore, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Alex Hibbert, Yolonda Ross, Armando Riesco and Tiffany Boone, the series takes audiences to Chicago’s south side, dropping them into the lives of neighborhood residents, ranging from kids going to school, to the elderly watching the world go by. Here’s the official synopsis:
On Chicago’s south side, an average day finds kids prepping for school as their parents head off to work, young adults trying to make a living, and the elders keeping an eye on things from their front porches. But in this tough neighborhood, real dangers threaten daily to squelch dreams, and the simplest decisions can have life or death consequences. The Chi is a powerful coming-of-age drama series about an interconnected group of working-class African-Americans who remind us that no matter what, the human spirit is strong and hope never dies.
“The Chi” debuts on Showtime on January 7, 2018.