LOS ANGELES — Life has never been easy in "The Chi."
The Showtime drama about a bustling Black neighborhood on the south side of Chicago is filled with characters trying to realize their dreams, keenly aware of the numerous obstacles — economic hardship, police corruption, violence — that might stand in their way.
It's not only grown-ups trying to do their best; the kids of "The Chi" also are facing challenges. In the pilot episode, which premiered in 2018, a posse of three boys debate about auditioning for a student production of "The Wiz" and deal awkwardly with girls. By the end of the episode, one witnesses a murder and fears for his life when the shooter spots him.
