The Chi Season 2 Premiere

The smash hit TV series The Chi has returned to Showtime for the highly anticipated second season of the show. The show pits children and adults against the vices that accompany life in the inner city. Filled with the new and old storyline, the gritty show is ready to quench the thirst of its strong fanbase once more.

Street drama and struggle has become the theme of The Chi. The show, which is set in Chicago’s notorious south side, displays the never-ending vices that come along with living in the ghettos of Chicago. While season one centered around the immoral slaying of a local high school basketball star, the plot of season two can dart the momentum of the show in any direction.

Behind the tunes of Chicago artist Chance the Rapper, the second season of The Chi opened exactly how any regular viewer of the show would imagine. With genuine heartwarming moments immediately followed by the stark reminder that the show is set in one of the most notorious ghettos in the United States. The opening of the second season pits often pestered character Brandon against the natural dark karma that seems to follow every character on the show. Viewers are reminded of this harsh reality following a scene in which the often financially strained Brandon is robbed at gunpoint after making hundreds of dollars with his food truck. Regardless of how cold hearted it seems, this gritty opening is what has endeared the show to its rabid fanbase. Life is not fair and The Chi only confirms it.

A new element The Chi experiments within the first episode is sudden flashbacks to a younger version of the character Ronnie Davis, who is currently in jail facing murder charges. Adding flashbacks to the show is a grand slam for the audience. Often in this show, it feels easy to judge the characters for their actions. Yet implementing flashbacks allow the viewer to sympathize with characters who are portrayed as villains. This clever screenplay is just one of many reasons why the show is so tantalizing.

The storyline of the show has plenty of themes to unravel as it originally centered around the death of a former high school basketball star. The murder mystery was the main plot of the first season but now that the character Ricky has confessed to it the show has been forced to turn the plot in a different direction. Now instead of all the characters being related to one major issue, their vices are now individual problems. This is an extremely effective method because the audience is allowed to see more insight into individual characters lives. This method has provided fans with important clarity in regards to the characters. As a result of this, the audience is able to develop a bond with all characters and not just stars of the show. Although the storyline is less focused than last season’s it is extremely effective in humanizing all the characters.

Perhaps the best element of The Chi is its relatability. Every character is struggling either internally or externally. The Chi truly knows no limits and that is where the beauty of the show lies. The character Emmet completely embodies the new episode when he is put out of his mother’s house and left to fend for himself. The first emotion the viewer is inclined to feel is … actually nothing at all. His mother did warn him about not following through on her simple requests after all, right? After Emmet walks the streets of the city with his belongings packed, he is offered a shopping cart to help him carry the bags by a homeless man. To really understand the significance of this scene one must sit back and analyze. A man who literally has nothing of value is willing to assist Emmet when his own family has abandoned him. This is where even the sternest of people at the very least sympathize with him. This is what The Chi is great at. It makes one feel compassion and empathy which is forever priceless because it makes the show more relatable for the audience.

Perhaps the most satisfying element of The Chi is the characters range from all ages. This allows the show to attract audiences of all ages as well. In addition to this, it gives the show a necessary balance. As a result, The Chi is neither too action- filled with young kids nor is it too reliant on over dramatized adult banter. This balance is essential to maintain a good character dynamic in the show.

An epic drama series that is bound to draw a wide range of emotions from audiences, The Chi is surely one of the hottest tv series on television. Look out for the next episode in this compelling drama on Sundays at 10 p.m.