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.
