S01.E01: Pilot

[Drogo]

A fateful event sends shockwaves through a community on the South Side of Chicago and connects the lives of Brandon, Ronnie, Emmett and Kevin in wholly unexpected ways.

[maystone]

I liked it. There was an awful lot going on, but then it's the pilot episode; the show is looking to find its balance. I thought the acting and writing was overall first rate. I was impressed with how the various character relationships unfolded, and I'm guessing there will be more revelations in the next episode.

I read a review of the pilot in Vulture (I'll post it in the media forum) that really hit all the points I would make. The one thing in particular I'd like to mention here is that I'm sure this is going to be compared to The Wire, but it's true next of kin is Tremé. I was in love with that show, and I may end up falling love with this one, too.

Edited January 8, 2018 by maystone

[Enigma X]

I also liked it. I was  a huge Wire fan but never saw Treme. I am a native Chicagoan, although not from the south side. I loved the writing and acting. Even though I saw the ending coming, I was still sad by the outcome.

[AyeshaTheGreat]

I will admit that I was hesitant to watch this show because I was not interested in another downtrodden, violence-filled take on The Chi.  However, the storytelling was great and the characters were engaging.  Coogie, while smart and loving, was a kid living on the edge.  He was not a dopeboy but he stayed around them, even when he could of been in a different area.  When he put that chain on, I literally said, he is wearing a dead man's chain.  Despite the environment he was from, he still did not understand the gravity of involving himself in that murder.  His dying and his brother's speech at the funeral really got me.  It will be interesting to learn the backstories of the guy who killed him and his older brother.      

As a day 1 Wire fan, it was nice seeing Sonja Sohn in a different role.  Also, Alex Hibbert from Moonlight, Jacob Lattimore and Jason Mitchell from Straight Outta Compton are young talents that I am glad to see again.  And the young ladies, who I am seeing for the first time, seem to be more young talent that I hope to get to know.   

Overall, I really enjoyed the first episode.  I have been a fan of Lena Waithe for many years, before ever really seeing her work.  I am happy she has been able to tell this story set in her hometown.  While I do not have Showtime, I will find a way to watch this show because I am already engrossed in the full story.  

[tennisgurl]

I never lived in Chicago, but I have a lot of family and friends who live there, and I have been there many times, and consider it my favorite big city (and the one I feel most at home in) so I wanted to check this out right away, and I am already hooked. Still trying to keep track of all the characters and their connections, and I hope the world is expanded a bit (Chicago is a big city that has a lot more than just downtrodden areas and the Cubs) but I think I can have faith in this. I can see how this could be more of the new Treme instead of the new The Wire. The Wire was more about larger societal problems through the view of this one area of Baltimore, while Treme was about how a city and the many residents deal with adversity. There will probably be a lot of both, but with the story of Coogies death and the kid whos chain he stole. 

Coogies mom was just awful. Even after her son died, I wanted someone to tell her to shut it. She was just awful to her son and his girlfriend, and unless we find out she has an actual reason, it seems to be because...he got a job? Yeah, the saw the ending coming almost as soon as Coogie took the necklace, but it was still really sad. It will be interested to see what his brother does now that he knows that the father of the other dead kid killed his brother. Cycle of revenge story? Wont that guy feel awful when he inevitably finds out he killed the wrong kid?

Lots of great performances, and an interesting atmosphere. Should be good. 

Edited January 9, 2018 by tennisgurl

[Enigma X]

10 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

I never lived in Chicago, but I have a lot of family and friends who live there, and I have been there many times, and consider it my favorite big city (and the one I feel most at home in) so I wanted to check this out right away, and I am already hooked. Still trying to keep track of all the characters and their connections, and I hope the world is expanded a bit (Chicago is a big city that has a lot more than just downtrodden areas and the Cubs) but I think I can have faith in this. I can see how this could be more of the new Treme instead of the new The Wire. The Wire was more about larger societal problems through the view of this one area of Baltimore, while Treme was about how a city and the many residents deal with adversity. There will probably be a lot of both, but with the story of Coogies death and the kid whos chain he stole. 

Thank you for recognizing Chicago's complexity and yes!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I was expecting this show to be more like The Wire, but I agree that it turned out to be less like that and more like something else. I think it's too soon to tell if it's like Treme yet, but I'm willing to wait and see.

I liked that even though we were introduced to a lot of characters, I still felt like I got to know them well enough to tell them apart (I usually spend the first five weeks of Project Runway and other reality shows referring to the contestants in my head as "the one with the face" and "the other guy with the hair"), how they were connected to each other, etc.

Awesome to see Kima, even if her character is truly awful.

[SuburbanHangSuite]

Decided to check this out after seeing Lena Waithe on Wendy Williams earlier this week.  I'm very impressed.  Great acting and a riveting storyline if not heartbreaking.

On a shallow note--I just kept marveling at the gorgeousness that was Coogie's hair!  Someone get that young man an endorsement deal for some hair products immediately.  Very reminiscent of Troy Polamalu.

[ethalfrida]

On 1/8/2018 at 9:25 AM, maystone said:

The one thing in particular I'd like to mention here is that I'm sure this is going to be compared to The Wire, but it's true next of kin is Tremé. I was in love with that show, and I may end up falling love with this one, too.

Yes, Treme had me hooked also. But I think The Chi reminded of it is because the man in the hat was in Treme as the cook who was in a relationship with the restaurant owner.

[Dee]

Jason Mitchell & Alex Hibbert are both STARS.

[clyo22]

Even though I saw Coogies's death coming I still hoped/prayed for him to make it, just for the sake of the actor's gorgeous hair. So beautiful! I feel like Black men are not allowed to have long hair or even anything else than short cropped hair on tv. Except when they have dreadlocks and those are allowed only on certain types of characters.

For women mostly light skin Black women are allowed to have natural curly/ kinky hair and be portrayed as attractive and beautiful. Darker women usually have weaves or relaxed hair. For the very few with natural kinky or curly hair, they are usually not "supposed" to be attractive or just don't play a character that is supposed to be particularly beautiful.

Maybe I'm absolutely wrong and there are tons of shows that disprove my analysis...

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Behind the scenes:

Keisha under the bed

Kevin & Andrea

Father figure

Edited January 29, 2018 by ElectricBoogaloo

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Clip:

Brandon's eulogy