When you think of recent TV set in Chicago, you’ve got slim pickings. You’ve got NBC’s now defunct Whitney and CBS had Mike & Molly, which were both funny in their own right but also never once filmed in the city. There’s NBC’s current roster of primetime dramas including Chicago Fire, Med and PD, all of which actually film in Chicago, and Showtime’s smash hit Shameless, that only films certain exterior scenes here. Other than that, for a major city, we don’t really have a ton of films or TV shows set here, let alone fully depicting what it’s like to be from this city.
Enter Showtime’s new hour-long drama The Chi.
Created and executively produced by Lena Waithe, the hilarious Denise on Netflix’s Master of None and former Chicago resident, the show is a coming-of-age story about a group of people that are brought together entirely by chance, but come to realize that they need each other in ways they didn’t anticipate. And the best part? This show is entirely filmed in Chicago where it’s set. There’s no doubt that the series will feature some of the city’s famous landmarks, its hidden treasures and a representation of the melting pot of this great city.
With a cast of relative newcomers, it allows viewers to fully absorb themselves into the lives of Kevin, Brandon, Jerrika, Emmett, Jada and Ronnie as they navigate through their troubles both on their own and with the help of new acquaintances. Waithe also won an Emmy this year for writing the Thanksgiving episode of Master of None, a truly standout episode of the series, which is indicative of the talent that she’ll bring to this new series. She will bring a mix of heart, reality, drama and levity that will set this series apart.
Watch the trailer below and tune into The Chi when it premieres January 7th on Showtime.
