The Chi: Black Male Relationships Are Still The Cornerstone
From serious one-liners to comedic scenes, male bonding on a scripted tv show has been a staple for decades. But where Hollywood has fallen short most of the time has been the handling of black make bonding in their shows. Why hasn’t there been a male-based show like Friends or Sex in the City where we can see the compassionate roles of black leading men? What The Chi has done over the course of its run, is dismiss the stereotype of black male bonding.
At first take, one would think a show placed in Chicago would center around drugs and violence. However, The Chi is the exact opposite. While drugs and violence are a part of the storylines, it’s not as overwhelming as one would think. What makes The Chi so compelling to viewers such as myself is the portrayal of black men and their bonds.
In the beginning, it was Brandon and his mission to make something of himself on his own. Although he lost his younger brother Coogie early on, he struck up a bond with young Kevin. Kevin’s father was not in the picture and Brandon played that mentor role to a tee even though his life wasn’t all the way together.
Related: The Chi: The Sad But Truthful Reality Of Ronnie’s Death
By far, this is still the best relationship on The Chi. The bond between Papa, Kevin, and Jake has been at the forefront of the show since Season 1. The three young friends have been through everything together and Season 4 was no exception as their bond was put to the test.
For the last two seasons, we’ve watched the budding relationship between Jake and his big brother Trigg. At first, many wondered if Trigg could be trusted. He just literally came from nowhere without even a mention of his name in the prior seasons. However, what he wanted was his brother Jake. He wanted to make sure he was safe. Trigg had to go the hard route to get Jake out of the hands of Douda and since then, the two brothers have become more like father and son.
Another relationship that has flown under the radar is the one between Emmett and his father Darnell. For years, Emmett held a heavy resentment towards Darnell for not being in his life. However, when Emmett was down on his luck after an argument with Jada, it was Darnell who took Emmett in. Although Emmett still doesn’t call Darnell dad when they talk, the respect between the two is obvious. They have formed a bond over the last two seasons that no one seems to talk about. This is growth.
As strange as this one may seem, the bond between Trigg and Otis Perry aka Douda has been the most surprising over the last season. Perry is a well-respected man in the community but for all the wrong reasons. He would go on to become Mayor while still keeping his ties to the streets. At first, he and Trigg were at war over the well-being of Jake but then formed a strange alliance. It was Trigg who Douda often turned to for advice on critical matters. While Trigg eventually Douda out of town, they had a great run together.
The male relationships in the black community have taken a backseat to other storylines in most shows. But The Chi has made that a central story. Not everything is perfect and situations will arise but for the most part, they have tackled sensitive subjects that other shows mostly ignore.
Mark has been covering Sports and Entertainment for the past six years. His work has been featured on Bleacher Report, ESPN, Fox Sports, Teen Vogue, and many other websites.
