There are montages of Brandon (Jason Mitchell) and Ronnie (Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine) struggling throughout, but its not until the end of the episode that we know exactly what happened. Listen to her tell her story: Tonights episode of @SHOTheChi showed the strength of black women. The final shot of Ronnie on the other side of a closed prison cell door is one of misery and helplessness. Like life in the real-life Chicago, kids on a seemingly righteous path cant always escape bloodshed on the street, even if they arent directly involved. In this episode, Ronnie is finally able to stop wandering and heal for a bit, both mentally and physically. Or what happened? Everyone is on their phones at first, but the third kid in Kevins trio, Papa (Shamon Brown), pulls a speaker out of his backpack, puts on his own music, and starts dancing. But I shudder to think what would become of Kevin if either of his pals fall into violence. Seriously, Brandon, what are you doing? The characters past problems are back, and what happens next is a reminder that every action has a reaction. And although showrunner Lena Waithe has explained that she wanted black men to be at the center of this narrative, its been the shows women the mothers, the grandmothers, the sisters who have been there to hold everything together. WL: The cop portions are sadly too brief, as they could provide a real window into the complex nature of police work, where good cops like Detective Cruz face hard odds pushing back against . Now thats doing your business in luxury. Its also the very opposite of when Quentin threatened to hurt Regs brother, Jake, at the block party. The kids start to join in, and eventually its a full-on dance party. And we finally learned Tracys own devastating history. We hear a gunshot as the first scene opens. Later, Quentin runs into Tracy, silent and staring at the mural painted in memory of her dead son. Sometimes people were lucky enough to survive, and sometimes they werent. It was out of protocol and was one of the things that contributed to Ronnie thinking Coogie was responsible for Jasons death. The Detective Emilia Cruz series takes on cartels, corruption and social inequality. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. The top entertainment stories, features and must-read reviews sent to you weekly. Quentin replies that its OK: if they throw in a few desserts from a nearby table, theyll call it an even trade. Now thats doing your business in luxury. When Ronnie gets home, he tries to wash the blood off of his hands, and Coogies ghost (Jahking Guillory) appears behind him as he passes out on the floor. Since the beginning of the series, Sarah has been Brandons biggest advocate in the restaurant, and Brandon has learned to trust her. Jerrika doesnt give Brandon an opportunity to explain why he has it before she kicks him out. Theres a show about the balance of escaping your negative circumstances and embracing who you are in order to make something of yourself in Brandon. Steven Williams Quentin has become one of my favorite villains. 2.9k. The job is to take the guns to a Chicago Police Department. Members. Toussaint in the cast of Season 3 either and i really miss them. Heres the thing, the cop portions of The Chi feel like they exist in a separate show. , Im on the lookout for how the creators blend authenticity and artistry. Will other cast members step up in the absence of Brandon and his significant other Jerrika, played by actress Tiffany Boone, who left the show amid the allegations toward Mitchell? 'The Chi' is on Sunday night at 10 PM on ShowtimeDe. We dont see him leaving the apartment this episode, but maybe she will finally listen and allow him to tell her the story behind the gun and bloody shirt that caused her to kick him out in the first place. All rights reserved. As a crime reporter, Ive seen plenty of examples of good kids even church kids like Papa falling victim to crime. Reggie wins Creepiest Big Brother award once again with a string of worst advice ever. Los Angeles County said all litigation over the crash has now been resolved. Pilot Well see this Sunday; the show is as only as good as how the people receive it, said Latimore. Ronnie has been adrift for most of The Chi and while part of that is a heavy-handed attempt to allude to his current mental state in life, that doesnt come together well until now. The Chi (TV Series 2018- ) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Hes forced to go stay with his mother, Laverne (Sonja Sohn), and her boyfriend. To me, thats an important distinction that drives the shows honest representation. I hope he gets the chance to and isnt killed. But he is impeded on both sides by a police force that thinks he's too soft, and a local populace that wants nothing to do with the cops. We still dont know Detective Cruzs motive. There is no greater South Side staple than The Rink a 87th street roller-skating rink that has been in the community for over four decades. Still, I worried that we would see Ronnie die in the interrogation room because of a stubborn Detective Cruz refusing to take him to the hospital or release him. intertwining paths and showing how everything isn't so black and white. To be honest, when we were filming last year I dont think the message was as heavy as it is now. He goes to talk to Jakes brother, who now says he owes him a favor and that he likes it when people owe him favors. Actor Watching Brandon and Kevin reflect on the incident with Ronnie is NOT the heartlessness the news media would have you believe about Chicago. And although there were multiple theories about what happened, I know that none of that really matters. Temperature-controlledHook up to both your hot and cold water so you can control the temperature plus it comes with a heated seat. Even when the script gives Williams clumsy moments like Sonnie throwing their fathers whistle at him while pointing a gun at him (a reference to last weeks episode), he sells the intensity of the moment. The Chi creator Lena Waithe joins the cast this season as potential candidate for mayor. Adult Content, Graphic Language, Violence, Nudity, Viewer Discretion Advised. Ronnie is in really bad shape, but he was able to get Jasons phone, which Jasons mother, Tracy, really wanted. What these people did to her as a teenager bartered by a junkie stepfather to Quentin, who kept her as a sex slave is awful. Armando Cruz is a main character on the Showtime coming-of-age original series The Chi. save. We find out where the gun used to shoot Ronnie came from when Kevins friend Jake (Michael Epps) goes to see his older brother to get a haircut. The world within the show came into focus as Brandon, Emmett, Ronnie and Kevin were contained to one intersecting story. This email will be used to sign into all New York sites. of a man who was shot near her home. Brandon reuniting with Jerrika and starting a food truck isnt particularly interesting. In 2016, someone in Chicago was shot about every other hour, and that rate continued through much of 2017. To his credit, Brandon confesses to Jerrika and then she confesses that she too stepped out during their break. Quentin is now a viable villain and his connections to Ronnie, Kevin, Jason and Emmett are now all too important. It felt like Jake and Reg might not survive the episode and thats a hard feeling to capture in a prestige drama. A soft-hearted police officer whose beat is the south side, Detective Cruz is doing his best to try and stem the violence and bloodshed in the neighborhood. As a Chicagoan watching Showtimes The Chi, Im on the lookout for how the creators blend authenticity and artistry. Coogis death is what kept Brandon and his familys story grounded when The Chi started, but now it just feels like a convenient plot device to loop them into the shows main narrative. It would have been refreshing and even bold for a man like Tiffanys boyfriend to be portrayed grappling with his girlfriend abusing him. It is a nice redemptive moment, which is unfortunately ruined when Papa literally runs, with a curt Nope! The joke, yet again, seems to rest on Maishas presumed undesirability or unattractiveness. The story line has been teased out for far too many episodes, becoming a bit improbable in its scope and detail as the weeks have progressed. There's a gritty inner-city drama that looks at the choices black men are forced to make under corrupt systems with Quentin, Emmett, Ronnie and Reg. Well done. He has been gone for a while, but has recently returned to try to re-stake his claim. The Scorpion and the Frog Instead, he chose to run the neighborhood, and based on how hes currently treated, was likely one of the neighborhoods greatest kingpins. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google WL: We also see Brandon trying to get his food truck business off the ground as he reconciles with Jerrika. We learn Sonny is Quentins brother, and Sonny takes after their father a hardworking porter killed on the job. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Closed Captioning, Do Not Sell My Personal Information | Cookies Policy. Tiffany: I want lil Emmett backEmmett: #TheChi pic.twitter.com/54GrNFncAg. It feels like the show invested in an increasingly baroque plotline, which ultimately became both unnecessarily complicated and a little distracting. He was a good person with an infectious smile who was hardworking and loved taking care of other people. He should pay child support. Its heartbreaking watching Regs eyes dart between the clock and the door, hoping Jake wont come home. The play which Jake, Kevin, and Papa had begun participating in has always been a backstory. And to make matters worse, E.J.s mother, whod left him with Emmett in the first episode, shows up saying she wants the baby back. I didn't find Det. Quentins background is still unknown, so he an actual wild card within The Chis universe. Affiliation It hasnt always been the most successful device for the show, but it works in Penetrate A Fraud. Casallina Kisakyes script finally lets the shows characters settle into roles that have often only seemed like stereotypes at this point. Although Jerrika kicked Brandon out of the house, she may come around. After the exchange, Quentin takes the cash, cards, and desserts to Trice, whos at the barber shop getting a haircut. I took her silence to be that of a woman rendered wordless by the unsuspected interaction with her rapist. Mitchell. Jakes brother, who is a local gang leader, tells Jake that he knows he took it and threatens him to bring it back. Im reminded of one teenage girl, Journey Jamison, who, thanks to training from a grassroots organization called UMedics. He is trying to protect himself, but he does seem to genuinely want justice for Coogi and Jason. and our Scenes of Ronnie being booked and entering Cook County Prison are spliced throughout the episode. Cruz-er The characters past problems are back, and what happens next is a reminder that every action has a reaction. But you know when you look back and you see all the protests going on you get educated on so many different police brutality events that went on over the past few years.. The Chi With Love, airing at 6 p.m. on the shows YouTube page, aims to raise awareness and money for the Equal Justice Initiative, which works to end mass incarceration and excessive punishment and challenge racial and economic injustice. After 30 years as a CIA intelligence officer, Carmen Amato writes mysteries and thrillers loaded with intrigue and action. Hows Kevin, played by Alex Hibbert, adjusting to his new North Side school? , and that rate continued through much of 2017. moved past mourning and grief to the confrontations that result from it and the consequences of those actions. Armando Riesco Brandon says he wont do that and quits. Temperature-controlledHook up to both your hot and cold water so you can control the temperature plus it comes with a heated seat. The Weeknd responded to a Rolling Stone story claiming the show is a rape fantasy with a clip of his character calling the mag irrelevant. Were still waiting to confirm the popular suspicion that Quentin is Jasons biological father. As a nervous Sonny downs antacid, Emmett walks in on their conversation. Armando Riesco as Detective Cruz in Showtime's new series, "The Chi," premiering on January 7, 2018. Can control the temperature plus it comes with a curt Nope years as a nervous Sonny downs antacid,,... People were lucky enough to survive, and what happens next is a nice redemptive moment, which Jasons,. Papa falling victim to crime to both your hot and cold water you... Mother, Laverne ( Sonja Sohn ), and her boyfriend Jasons death even. It was out of the series, Sarah has been gone for a man Tiffanys. And staring at the barber shop getting a haircut about Chicago but has returned! Journey Jamison, who, thanks to training from a nearby table, call. 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