Everybody Hates Chris is a very straightforward show on the black experience. That simplicity allows itself to be funny and insightful on what it is to grow up black in America. It also goes to show that African-Americans do try to live normal lives, rather than lives of desperation as shown in such shows as The Parkers or Girlfriends.
The quality of the work that comes from this show comes from none other than comedian Chris Rock himself, whose own childhood serves as the basis for this series. Executive produced by Rock and Ali LeRoi (a co-writer on the show and HBO’s “The Chris Rock Show”), Everybody Hates Chris manages to tell his stories without the menace and anger that a lot of black sitcoms and dramas have done to death as of late when it comes to race and relating to other ethnic groups.
Through narration, Rock starts of on his childhood in 1982 when he was 13 years old in Brooklyn, New York. Having just moved out of the projects into the even rougher neighborhood of Bed-Stuy, things seemed to be changing; but not for the better. No matter the age or the place, his complex situation gets even more complex.
Chris (Tyler James-Williams) is considered the “emergency adult” to his two younger siblings Tanya (Imani Hakim) and Drew (Tequan Richmond) when his parents Rochelle and Julius (Terry Crews and Tichina Arnold) aren’t around. While weaving his way through that position, he also carries the notoriety of being the one black student in the all-white populated school of Corleone Junior High School. There he deals with his token label with his white friend Greg (Vincent Martella), who is equally outcasted and seeking acceptance away from his nerd status. On occasion while at the school, he deals with Joey Carsuo, who acts as the local thug whose bigotry towards Chris is equally as fierce as his ways of torture towards him.
The following will be my review of the first 15 episodes that have aired so far this season:
“Everybody Hates the Pilot” – Original Air Date: September 22, 2005
Two stars
Chris and his family move to Bed Stuy after leaving the projects for a better place to live. As a result of this change, 13-year-old Chris ends up going to a different school then his younger brother and sister (Drew and Tanya) across town. When he gets there, he automatically stands out as the only black child in the midst of hundreds of white kids. At the same time he meets Greg, a white nerd who befriends Chris. Meanwhile, his parents (Rochelle and Julius) debate over who has control over paying the bills in the family.
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Article comments
1 - Mark
I love this show