Ep 1. Pilot

The Chi season 1 episode 1, titled "Pilot," sets the stage for the rest of the season by introducing viewers to the various characters living in the South Side of Chicago. The episode begins with 14-year-old Coogie wandering around the streets, admiring the neighborhood and listening to music. He comes across a dead body and runs away, afraid of being blamed for the murder.

Next, we meet Brandon, a young man trying to make ends meet by working as a chef at a local restaurant. He is shown trying to impress his girlfriend's parents by cooking for them. His girlfriend's brother, Jerrika, is introduced as a sharp and confident law student, who has a tense conversation with her mother about her brother's involvement in a gang.

Emmett is shown as a young man constantly trying to make quick money to support his child and baby mama. He is shown selling sneakers illegally, and later as a burger chain employee, who steals food from his place of work to feed his child.

Ronnie, an older man desperate for money and reconciliation with his estranged son, is living in a shelter and searching for his next scheme. Finally, the episode introduces us to Kevin, a pre-teen boy dealing with the complicated emotions of puberty and crushes on girls.

While all of these characters have their own unique lives and struggles, they all come together as residents of the same Chicago neighborhood, where gang violence is a constant threat and the police are not always trustworthy.

Throughout the episode, there is a pervasive sense of sadness and hopelessness. Every character is struggling in some way and it's clear that life on the South Side is not easy. However, there are also moments of beauty and tenderness. Coogie's love for music and Brandon's passion for cooking are both portrayed as a way to find joy and purpose in their lives.

Overall, the long pilot episode is a somber but affecting introduction to a promising new drama series. With a talented and diverse ensemble cast and a powerful setting in one of America's most misunderstood and maligned communities, The Chi lays a strong foundation for a narrative that explores complex social issues, family dynamics, and the search for identity in a harsh and often unforgiving world.