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CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION | ||
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Positive:
20
Mixed:
4
Negative:
1
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Critic Reviews
Uncle BarkyJan 8, 2018
Season 1 Review:
Whether young, old or in-between, all of these characters resonate in their own distinct ways as The Chi builds both momentum and suspense. This is no small achievement for Waithe, whose first TV series under her direct control is bursting with flavor and humanity in a South Chicago proving ground. The footing is always slippery, but the storytelling remains bracingly sure-footed.
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Jan 6, 2018
Season 1 Review:
At the center of The Chi's large and immensely talented ensemble class is Jason Mitchell (Mudbound) playing Brandon, a chef who daydreams about opening a restaurant of his own with girlfriend Jerrika (Tiffany Boone, The Following) while trying to slow the steady slide of his mother Laverne (Sonja Sohn, The Wire) in alcoholism.
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Jan 4, 2018
Season 1 Review:
Once The Chi puts its characters in place and starts moving in its second and third episodes, viewers might forgive the too-coincidental circumstances that brought them together. More important is the emotion and humanity of these characters, and The Chi offers a remarkably raw portrayal of their strengths and flaws, for better or worse.
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Jan 5, 2018
Season 1 Review:
Absorbing and organic from practically the get-go, The Chi will inevitably draw comparisons to "The Wire," the definitive drama about the perils of inner-city life. Yet this richly detailed look at intersecting paths, cutting across generations, quickly carves its own niche, one where tragedy begets tragedy, and vengeance comes with consequences.
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Jan 5, 2018
Season 1 Review:
Everything is a little too this or too that, and by the time we get to the end of the first season, I wouldn’t be surprised if the series still feels like a work-in-progress. But none of that ultimately matters much, because the characters, the atmosphere, and the feeling of the show are so assured, and the sense of life is so exuberant and personal. This is a TV series that loves its characters and appreciates the environment they move through.
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ColliderJan 5, 2018
Jan 4, 2018
Season 1 Review:
[Lena Waithe] gives us a large ensemble of Chicagoans, each well-drawn, and then slowly links them together--on occasion, a little awkwardly--across the first four episodes made available to critics. What at the start might seem like a somewhat random selection of neighborhood folks becomes increasingly intentional. The focus sharpens with each hour.
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Jan 4, 2018
Jan 4, 2018
Season 1 Review:
The execution, so to speak, is not always subtle--Mr. Famuyiwa creates moments of gritty poetry, while other episodes are more bluntly propulsive; some of the dialogue is beyond pedestrian. But there’s a wealth of acting talent being showcased on Showtime, and a number of performances that, as has been said about Chicago itself, won’t let you down.
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TV Guide MagazineDec 21, 2017
Season 1 Review:
Even when the plots goes down familiar dark roads, these characters are determined not to end up as cliches--or statistics. [25 Dec 2017 - 7 Jan 2018, p.15]
RogerEbert.comJan 5, 2018
Season 1 Review:
It is a sometimes frustrating experience in that there’s a lot to like regarding ambition and ensemble, but the writing often strains to connect its multiple threads in a way that feels organic. The show’s examination of the cycle of violence in particular feels forced and doesn’t really get to the truth about the way crime intrinsically feeds on itself.
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Apr 5, 2019
Season 2 Review:
As characters make speeches about fatherhood and police corruption, and we sit through stiff, sentimental flashbacks to Ronnie’s stressful return from military duty in the Middle East, the show starts to feel like an earlier Showtime drama set in Chicago, the buppie soap opera “Soul Food.”
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Jan 4, 2018
Season 1 Review:
It's the writing that gets in the way of some of the believability issues in The Chi. Some of this might work out with more episodes as Waithe and her writing staff breathe more life into the characters. Several additional storylines aren't fleshed out enough yet to know if they'll become interesting. With barely half the stories and characters piquing interest early on, The Chi doesn't come out of the gate strong and will have to overcome structural weaknesses and acting issues to have any chance to succeed, so patience will be needed.
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