The Chi: Season 6 Episode 16 [Season Finale] – Review/ Recap

Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.

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Plot Recap

What’s Thanksgiving Dinner Without Some Drama? – Ezekiel, Papa, Jake, Jemma, Charles, Sarah, Tatiana, Joe

Only in Ezekiel’s household is there any drama, and it is primarily because of Jake. He asks all the wrong questions regarding Ezekiel’s money, Sarah’s father, Joe, asking for money despite being rich, and needless to say, he embarrasses everyone – including Papa. But Jemma joins in as it is hinted that Jake and Tatiana have something going on, and before you know it, Joe has had enough and decides to leave.

This isn’t even the worst thing about Ezekiel’s day. His former assistant, Sarah’s predecessor, blackmails him into a job, and with the state Douda is in, it’s hard to know what’s next for Ezekiel and his church.

All The Happy News – Kiesha, Emmett, Hannibal, Tiff, Rob, Nina, LaPorsha, Jamal, Lynae, Shaad, Alicia, Dolly

To start off, Kiesha is pregnant with Emmett’s baby! This is being kept moderately hush-hush, but Tiff learns about it, and so does Nina. In fact, Nina, who was ready to travel with LaPorsha in her Winnebago, was ready to call that trip off until Kiesha encouraged her to go.

Speaking of encouragement, Hannibal, Brandon’s seldom-seen cousin, pops up with a proposition for Tiff and Rob regarding getting into mushrooms, which both aren’t against. Now, whether Alicia may become an investor in this is hard to say. However, what better way to cap off Thanksgiving than a new line of revenue and with Tiff’s mom, Dolly, showing up, a proposal? In my mind, Rob had things set up to propose, but he didn’t. Heck, all things considered, Shaad, who officially is with Alicia publicly, could have also said or done something surprising, but it seems being open about their relationship is enough for everyone.

Which leaves Lynae. With Nina leaving, so comes the question of where she will go? The answer? With Jamal. Rather than live in Emmett and Kiesha’s crowded house or go off to the West Coast and cramp Kevin’s style, her brother steps up, and she seems fine with the idea of living with him.

The Holidays Aren’t The Only Reason To Come Together – Alicia, Nuck, Zay, Bakari, Douda, Rob, Detective Toussaint

The episode starts with Douda dead and Detective Toussaint, who we probably haven’t seen in at least three seasons, returning. But, the show doesn’t drag out who killed Douda. Alicia was almost that person, but Nuck ends up being his killer and the one who takes over Douda’s organization. He even is able to get Zay and Bakari to be his generals.

Now, as for why he did this? One could only assume it is because that car bomb could have killed his son, and as Nuck has shown, he loves that boy to the point of his hardened exterior turning soft. But, don’t get it twisted, as Rob learns, Nuck came up under Douda, and that’s why, for his disrespect and Alicia refusing to work together, Rob gets killed and left on Alicia’s doorstep.

Additional Information

1. Previous Episode: Season 6/ Episode 15
2. Series Page: The Chi
3. Character Guide: N/A

Cast and Characters

Character’s Name	Actor’s Name
Pastor Joe Rose	Jeff Parker
Charles	Rotimi
Ezekiel	Daniel J. Watts
Papa	Shamon Brown Jr.
Jake	Michael Epps
Jemma	Judae’a
Sarah	Conner Ann Waterman
Tatiana	Cereyna Jade Bougouneau
Kiesha	Birgundi Baker
Emmett	Jacob Latimore
Hannibal	Chris Lee
Tiff	Hannaha Hall
Rob	Iman Shumpert
Nina	Tyla Abercrumbie
LaPorsha	Da Brat
Jamal	Vic Mensa
Lynae	Zaria Imani Primer
Shaad	Jason Weaver
Alicia	Lynn Whitfield
Dolly	Shariba Rivers
Nuck	Cortez Smith
Zay	Aaron Guy
Bakari	Ahmad Nicholas Ferguson
Douda	Curtiss Cook
Detective Toussaint	Crystal Dickinson

New Character Descriptions

Charles

Charles is Ezekiel’s former assistant who tried to start his own church but failed. He is now blackmailing Ezekiel to get a job.

• The actor is also known for their role in “For The Love Of Money.”

Pastor Joe Rose

Pastor Joe Rose is a megachurch preacher, Sarah’s dad, with whom Ezekiel wants to network to take his hustle to the next level.

Review

Highlights

Cutting Down On Characters

Losing Douda was overdue, as was Nina’s storyline ending. Now, Rob was a bit of a surprise, but losing him was more of a benefit to the show than a loss. Take note that Tiff slowly but surely became defined by who she was dating. But now, without Rob by her side, she is back to being solo and defined by her own decisions, which is a notable boon for her.

Now, with every character lost, we either got a new one, like Charles and Joe, or a returning character, like Detective Toussaint. Still, I’d argue they could bring something to the show. Douda’s death, even with Nuck taking over, still has the potential for a power vacuum, and on top of that, you know many are going to test Nuck, including Ezekiel, who is only a few weeks from trying to renegotiate his deal with Douda.

I will admit, though, that between Sarah and her father Joe and the police potentially becoming a notable part of season 7, there is a slight desire to worry about what’s to come. However, while “The Chi” has always had its blights, it has overall done well from season to season, so we have faith.

Low Points

Douda’s End

That was one of the worst ends for someone of Douda’s caliber I’ve seen in a long time. On top of revealing who killed him in the same episode, there wasn’t the type of build he deserved. Yes, Roselyn noted she feared something would happen to Douda in a previous episode, and we know Douda had a lot of enemies, of which Alicia was one of the biggest threats. However, I feel like his death should have had more oomph, be more personal, something on the level like when Laverne tried to kill him – a major moment in the series, not just a period to close out a chapter at best, at worst to end on a page before starting fresh on another.

On The Fence

Alicia’s Organization Has Never Looked Weaker

When it comes to Alicia’s organization, my issue is that people who are supposed to be under her umbrella often don’t seem like they are behind someone truly formidable. Emmett got attacked, Rob got killed, and Nuck was able to sneak up on her. So while Alicia is a badass, I wonder if it is more because of Lynn Whitfield’s performance than the writing. I mean, her head of security is Shaad for goodness sakes. He may have a record, but the show hasn’t done much to truly reform him and bring out old Shaad to displace the one we know who has been whiny and a mooch.

So, with Rob dead, here is hoping the disconnect with Alicia’s character is resolved so Whitfield’s performance doesn’t have to compensate for how the character is written.

Not Feeling Like There Is Much To Be Excited For

As the highlight notes, “The Chi” has never been perfect. In the earlier seasons, it had issues developing its female characters beyond being someone’s mother or girlfriend. However, it has improved year by year but, in pursuit of being better, picked up issues. It dropped the police and street side of Chicago, but it has often stumbled in pursuit of getting political.

Douda has largely held it down for quite some time, but I’d submit the handling of Alicia as his main rival wasn’t great in hindsight. Add in killing Leon’s character, Alonzo, so quickly, becoming bloated with characters, and at this point seemingly walking back some of its cuts to see if it could work years after being abandoned? I’m not worried or scared, but I don’t feel excited.

What is there to be excited about? Nuck taking over Douda’s organization and facing off with Alicia? Beyond Keisha and Tiff feeling torn in their allegiance, what else can come from that? Nuck has been #2 for so long and just got some kind of story by being the father of Keisha’s son.

Emmett? Yes, he like many characters, now free from Douda’s tyranny, could seek and explore new opportunities, depending on whether Nuck feels the need to double down. But, even with the influx of new characters and the return of some old ones, I feel like “The Chi” is reaching that point where killing off a main character like Douda isn’t enough anymore. I don’t think killing off characters, in general, is enough anymore. If anything, like Kevin, more need to graduate from the show, and those who stay need to be built up to take over, like Jake, Papa, and Kevin were. Not just new characters attaching to an established one’s udder.

General Information

Episode Title	Thanksgiving
Release Date	June 28, 2024
Network	Paramount+
Director(s)	Deondray Gossfield, Quincy LeNear Gossfield
Writer(s)	Resheida Brady

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