Should You Watch It or Pass?

The Chi returns to Paramount+ and Showtime for Season 7 following its most prominent and successful season yet — one that was also perhaps the most heartbreaking. The murder of seasoned crime lord and business magnate Otis “Douda” Perry (played exceptionally by Curtiss Cook) has led Nuck (Cortez Jones) and Alicia (Lynn Whitfield) to engage in a tense power struggle. However, it was Rob’s (Iman Shumpert) death, Alicia’s son, during Season 6 that instigated overwhelming grief and even fiercer anger throughout the community. Created by Lena Waithe, with executive production by Common and co-showrunning by Justin Hillian and Jewel Coronel, Season 7 of The Chi enriches its ensemble with the additions of Phylicia Rashad, Karrueche Tran, and Wendy Raquel Robinson.

Opening Shot: Season 7 of The Chi begins intensely with an up-close shot of the gun that Alicia (Whitfield) points at a slumbering Nuck (Jones). “Wake up, motherfucker! Did you kill my son?” she demands.

The Gist: Even as TV news outlets sensationalize Rob’s death in relation to Alicia’s prominence as a wealthy Chicago benefactor, she seeks retribution through her own means. Alicia is no stranger to taking lethal action, as she was on the brink of killing Douda herself until Nuck executed him right before her eyes. She warned Nuck that, despite his lethal takeover of Douda’s criminal network, she would become his greatest nemesis. Alicia navigates dual existences: one among the elite and another in the cutthroat underworld. Yet, her grief over Rob’s death may currently be clouding her judgment.

We know more about the circumstances of Rob’s murder than Alicia does, so while she and her lover Shaad (Jason Weaver) pursue Zay (Aaron Guy) as the (wrong) shooter, Nuck is consolidating his position at the top. “63rd over everything,” he tells his street soldiers. “Get money and go home, that’s it and that’s all.” With added threats to hasten their compliance, of course. And while Alicia swears vengeance, the grief of Rob’s girlfriend Tiff (Hannaha Hall) has confined her to bed. The latest round of violence has also opened a rift between Victor (Luke James) and Fatima (L’lerrét Jazelle), his trans girlfriend – she wants to leave Chicago entirely, but worries Victor loves the city and his links to the community more than her. And while Bakari (Ahmad Ferguson) has pledged himself to Nuck’s operation – and is entrusted with secrets within it – he’s also encouraged by Professor Gardner (Kadeem Harrison) to free himself from the hustle. Maybe a college scholarship provided by Alicia’s foundation is the key. (And helping a young man with promise might honor Rob’s life.) But as Alicia tells young Bakari, “nothing comes for free.”

In Season 7, the connections that bind the community of The Chi together continue to be strengthened and tested in equal measure. Pastor Ezekiel (Daniel J. Watts) preaches about the fire of rebirth, but also approaches Nuck about a professional financial relationship. Everyone needs a man of God – especially a man of God who turns a blind eye to blood money. And don’t forget about Charles (Power veteran Rotimi), Zeke’s prodigal assistant returned. (Charles: “I know where your bodies are buried, Pastor.”) It’s the kids, of course, who are caught between all of this. While Emmett (Jacob Latimore) has grown in his relationship with Kiesha (Birgundi Baker), their co-parenting situation with Tiff is thrown into disarray by Rob’s death. Emmett means it when he says he wants to become someone the next generation won’t be ashamed of. But more immediate motivations and whiffs of more violence have a way of impeding that long view.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? All American just debuted its own Season 7, its first without star Daniel Ezra. And the Power Universe continues to thrive – Season 4 of Raising Kanan premiered in March, and according to star Joseph Sikora, Power Book IV: Force is officially returning for a third season.

Our Take: We were so sad to see Rob get shot down in The Chi Season 6. Not only was Iman Shumpert just awesome in the role – NBA champion, Dancing With the Stars champion, and a talented actor; what can’t Shumpert do?! – Rob also stood in the strong current of choice and personal redemption that The Chi has set against the almost immovable demands and costs of life in the hustle. But the powerful moment of Rob’s death has not been wasted. The tragedy is fueling heartfelt montages of his life together with Tiff set to H.E.R.’s gentle cover of Foo Fighters’ “The Glass” – honestly, we needed that – and it’s roiling all of the emotions that run through the community in The Chi. Some people are saying they’re gonna get out. Others are being vocal about trying finally for peace. And still others are seeing opportunities for personal gain in continuing on, though under a new version of the status quo. Something has to give. Well, actually a lot of things have to give – there’s as much tension heading into The Chi’s seventh season as there is sadness, and unity within that sadness. Even as Alicia plots violent revenge, she offers Tiff personal comfort in their shared grief. It’s a feature of this powerfully-written and acted series to be as aware of the destruction as it is the hope. Somewhere, in the undefined middle, there is a welcome place to live. 

Sex and Skin: Nothing for now, but that could change.

Parting Shot: While Alicia grieves for her son in private, Tiffany continues to mourn Rob, too, and with a weighty revelation we won’t spoil here. 

Sleeper Star: The Chi is a Chicago production, and in episode 1, the series showcases a sleeper star of a civic jewel, The Garfield Park Conservatory. But the scene is also powerful for the sensitivity it draws out of Nuck and Emmett as the two men spend some quality time with Baby Ronnie.

Most Pilot-y Line: Some in the community see Douda’s death as a bringer of calm. Emmett’s dad Darnell (Rolando Boyce) isn’t one of them. “Peace is temporary.” And then, a warning: “Streets always gon’ have a villain.”

Our Call: STREAM IT. Season 6 of The Chi was its biggest yet, and with the violent removal of two major characters, the series is cruising into Season 7 with a ton of emotional momentum.

Johnny Loftus (@glennganges) is an independent writer and editor living at large in Chicagoland. His work has appeared in The Village Voice, All Music Guide, Pitchfork Media, and Nicki Swift.