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Episode 2 “The Fallout” Details

• Available On: Showtime
• Public Release Date: May 23, 2025
• Director(s): Johnson Cheng
• Writer(s): Jewel Coronel

Episode 2 “The Fallout” Recap (With Spoilers)

So Soon?: Alicia, Tiff, Victor, Emmett, Nuck, Kiesha, Dom, Lynnae, Jamal, Shaad, Bakari, Miesha, Ezekiel, Marcus, Tierra

With Tiff telling Alicia she is pregnant, she is ready to move Tiff in, give her what Bianca left behind and while appreciative, this is all a bit much. Thankfully, with Victor having nothing to do, part of season 7’s consolidation has him working for, or with, Tiff at the lounge. But, while he is helpful, he isn’t a friend just yet, so Tiff tells Kiesha, who tells Emmett, who lets it slip to Nuck.

This is upsetting for Tiff since she may not know Nuck killed Rob, but it was one of his associates who did it. But with Nuck trying to redeem himself in the eyes of God through going to church and his session with Ezekiel, it seems he wants to do better in some form or fashion. But honestly, Nuck maybe one of Tiff’s least worries.

You see, Shaad is feeling a certain type of way about Alicia moving Tiff in, Bakari being around more and getting compliments and while he claims he isn’t jealous, he does feel a certain type of way. Similarly, with Jamal moving in Dom, Lynnae is unhappy until she tastes Dom’s cooking. But, while many are moving in, some are moving on and it seems Miesha is the next one, as Kevin offers her the chance to come to LA and Tierra may join her as Marcus doesn’t want to have kids, and she’d rather have a kid with someone else than be childless with him.

Had Me Shouting, Oh My Lord: Remi, Tatiana, Ezekiel, Papa, Kenya, Jake, Charles

Jake is messy. It has been established since the Jemma situation, and now, while messing with this girl named Remi, who was really into him, he let it slip he was messing with a first lady, which she pieces together is Tatiana. Perhaps due to feeling rejected, she puts this online and this causes nothing but chaos in Ezekiel’s church. The kind that gives Charles the opportunity he wants to preach and move into the spotlight, which Ezekiel, begrudgingly, lets him do.

As that happens, Papa tells Kenya about what happened to Zay and it seems, like Miesha, she plans to leave The Chi for a better life elsewhere.

New Cast and Characters

Remi (Taylor Brightman)

• Check out other productions we’ve covered starring this actor: [Link to Actor’s Tag]
• Character Summary: Remi is a girl who likes Jake, but was rebuffed by him.

Review and Commentary

Highlights

Nuck [83/100]

I feel like the only person who has been around for a while and is really making use of the time of their given is Nuck. From trying to reform his gang in his image, being a father, trying to reconcile what he has done with who he is or wants to be, there is a complicated story here that may not feel fresh, in general, but feels different for The Chi.

Add in Nuck’s ability to go from Emmett’s storyline to Tiff’s, and be the tie that binds better than most other characters, and it makes him seem like the male lead of the show, with the female lead, if not anchor, increasingly appearing to be Alicia.

On The Fence

All The Interesting Characters Are Leaving [73.5/100]

It would have been great if, with so many characters moving on, some of the ones who seemed forgotten or who have gotten stuck, like Miesha or Kenya, could have gotten a boost. Kenya, as a single parent, with a church family background, is not a common storyline, and then with Miesha, her character, her story, and her look, remains utterly rare in the landscape of coming of age stories and just Black girls and women in general. Especially in the form of Miesha, not purely being the best friend character.

Yet, these two got cut or, rather, are moving on, despite there being far better candidates, like Tracy, who have been stale for damn near half the show.

Torn Whether To Praise Or Look Down On The Lack Of Intrigue [73/100]

Season 7 is still ramping up, but I gotta admit that I feel largely bored by what we’ve been offered thus far. Whether a character left by will or by getting shot, no one who has exited this season was given a notable send-off. Zay’s death, which feels like something that would be held till the mid-season finale, or season finale, was done in episode 1 and came off in such a way it makes you want to look up the actor to see if he did something controversial.

Then, what is Zay replaced with? Charles trying to get some time in the spotlight, being a thorn in Ezekiel’s side. You got Nuck and Alicia at peace, so nothing interesting is going on there, and just a whole lot of characters who are just existing. Which, I get, sometimes these characters should be able to just exist and not worry about being blackmailed, kidnapped, or shot. However, with all the big-time drama removed, it shows The Chi as something that might be running out of steam.

It has been a long time since the show could live off its couples, and I wouldn’t say Kiesha and Emmett have assumed the role of Brandon and Jerrika in any way or form – and no one else qualifies either. The coming-of-age stories have completed, and I’d submit that seeing the aftermath hasn’t really been a roaring success. Jake is a f-boy, and Poppa is around, but it seems Charles may have pushed him out of the mentorship he was under.

Truly, at this point, Nuck is the only real draw, and while you could submit that Alicia is played by Lynn Whitfield, why isn’t she being mentioned as a notable draw? Well, because she is without a challenge or something to be a catalyst for growth. So, while there may be a legendary actor playing her, what is the motivation? What is pushing Alicia to be something more? A grandchild? Dealing with Shaad’s insecurities? We hear so much about her empire but barely see her run any of it.

But, as noted in the last episode, The Chi is far too bloated to make any characters worth note get their due and I’d submit as great as Alicia could be, she will likely suffer the fate of many a character who could have been better if given enough time and if they got to exit on a high note.

Overall

Our Overall Rating [76/100]

The Chi isn’t losing its luster as much as it has simply lost it and while we acknowledge it is still a hit for Showtime, I would submit it has seen better days and the chances of it returning to match its former highs is low.

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