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Episode 3 “More Life” Details

• Available On: Showtime
• Public Release Date: May 30, 2025
• Director(s): Stacy Pascal Gaspard
• Writer(s): Racquel Callahan

Episode 3 “More Life” Recap (With Spoilers)

Peace Don’t Last: Nuck, Reg, Victor, Hannibal, Tiff, Alicia, Jake, Bakari

To much surprise, Reg is back and his first stop is to see Jake and act like he never left. As you can imagine, Jake is surprised but welcomes his brother, but when Victor gets word that Reg is back, he isn’t as happy. Why? Because Reg is trying to start up some mess.

Take note, there is a 6-month time jump from episode 2 to 3, and Nuck has kept things quiet. But, with Reg wanting the mob back, it seems he is ready to start something. Now, as for how he knew it was even safe to return, Hannibal. Yup, Hannibal makes his obligatory seasonal appearance, and as he mentally preps for the drama Reg will bring, he is working with Tiff to start selling mushrooms out of her lounge, and Nuck wants in on the action too.

However, considering Jake is willing to lead Reg to where Bakari is, on the assumption Nuck will be nearby, it seems the only action we may see soon is more bullets flying with Jake likely to be dragged into the action.

Making Moves: Maisha, Marcus, Jemma, Britney, Ali, Dom, Jamal

It seems Maisha isn’t alone when it comes to moving from Chicago to the coast. With a starter record label, represented by a man named Ali, willing to mold Britney, it seems she, alongside Jemma, might be moving to New York. Marcus may join her since, with his relationship ending, and his career allowing for him to be mobile, while he promises not to invade Jemma’s space, he’d feel more comfortable being close by and not a plane ride away.

Now, while more and more people might be speaking of leaving, Jamal and Dom are different. With Jamal not wanting to have sex before marriage and Dom feeling like sex is an integral part of being in a relationship, they come to an impasse. But with Jamal having Dom move in and the relationship going well for the last six months, he proposes, she accepts, and now with things getting next-level serious, so comes the question of whether the sex will make or break this union.

How Someone Got Their Groove Back: Ezekiel, Sarah, Charles, Keith, Jada, Tracy

With Tracy having healed, in her mind, the trauma and pain from losing Douda through such violence, and speaking this with Jada, she finds herself ready to put herself out there and build a roster. Jada plays her wingman when it comes to Keith, the man blackmailing Emmett’s brother for a job, and those two hit it off. Then there is Charles, the one blackmailing Ezekiel, who finds himself drawn to Tracy, praying over her, and likely seeming like something different, while he is just the same.

But, as established, just as Charles is a piece of work, so is his boss, Ezekiel. He is still messing around with Sarah, but with now being divorced, the worst part of that relationship is Ezekiel preaching abstinence while having sex with Sarah in his office, alongside, in Charles’ opinion, Ezekiel having relations with a white woman. In Charles’ mind, this could lead them to lose half the church, but Ezekiel is quick to remind Charles it is still his church, and he is going to do as he pleases.

New Cast and Characters

Ali (Smack Louis)

• Check out other productions we’ve covered starring this actor: [Link to Actor’s Tag]
• Character Summary: Ali is a record executive at a small label that Britney has caught the attention of, and despite her having some back and forth with Ali, he is willing to take Britney and mold her.

Collected Quote(s)

• I can find my path and still have pleasure along the way. — Dom

Review and Commentary

Highlights

The Time Jump [80/100]

In theory, a time jump was necessary, and in some ways, the show succeeded in providing viewers with what was needed. It helped progress Tiff and Keisha’s pregnancies, allowed characters who were thinking of leaving to depart, and established how Nuck planned to operate in a post-Douda world. The problem is, some characters seemed to benefit when others didn’t.

Now, most seemed to benefit, but, as noted below, like we’ve seen in The Chi for ages, not all characters move forward at the same pace, and there are quite a few who seem to be stuck where they’ve been for ages.

On The Fence

The Return Of Reg [76/100]

Here’s the thing with bringing Reg back: the plus is that it creates drama, since Reg thrives in chaos. However, the minus to that is that The Chi needs to grow as a show. It can’t just be in Emmett, Jake, and the rest growing up, but the show needs to as well, and at times it does seem to go in that direction, like when Victor was getting into politics. However, for every step forward, there are two steps back, which usually include walking back storylines that move slightly beyond your usual urban narrative.

So as much as I get it is much harder for The Chi to maintain itself without the existence of Nuck and all the thrills that come with seeing a man in his career with so much to lose, and it being more than just his money, I feel like Reg’s return is a choice rooted in fear than progress.

Tracy Building Her Roster [72/100]

I genuinely wonder if I’m just a hater when it comes to Tracy. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the fact that they do still have season 1 characters. But considering a long criticism of The Chi is how it was doing like many a Black production and relegated women to support roles, either as moms, girlfriends, or ego boosters, I don’t know if we can consider what Tracy is doing as progress – just because she is the focus on a love triangle.

Remember that community center she was running? What happened with that? To me, between her working at the community center, Jada being a nurse, seeing Alicia be a businesswoman outside of the small stuff – I’m talking where she really makes her money, that’s what the show needs. So why is it, knowing Tracy is probably a central figure, the bearer of the show’s original criticism, has she remained stuck in having most of her conversations or interactions be about her current or past relationships?

Ezekiel Testing: Can He Be A Prominent Black Preacher With A White Girlfriend [74/100]

Religion and the role of the church is something The Chi has long explored, but with Ezekiel, it seemed they were going to take things to the next level as it transitioned from Papa’s father and his community church to Ezekiel’s megachurch. However, as with most of The Chi’s most interesting storylines, it hasn’t really lived up to its potential. From Kenya’s removal, Charles’ blackmail, to the situation with Sarah, the complexities that could have been developed regarding faith, walking that path, and the temptation of money and power have mostly gone awry.

I’d even say, and maybe this speaks for The Chi as a whole, in the pursuit of entertainment, it avoids the social commentary, maybe even criticism, it could, and honestly should, have. But, interracial dating hasn’t been a notable thing on The Chi, as most people date Black and Brown people. So, even though this relationship between Ezekiel and Sarah has mostly been pushed to be lustful or a consolidation of power, maybe they could make something out of this?

The Long Goodbyes [75/100]

It isn’t 100% clear when, or even if, Maisha, Jemma, and Britney are truly leaving, or if other characters who have teased it may pull a Reg and come back. However, I feel that this long goodbye is wasting time. These characters, their potential, have clearly been wasted, and they should leave now rather than have us wait weeks, as they would take up an exorbitant amount of time that could be better dedicated to the show’s efforts to bolster what it has to offer.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not ignoring the ratings or the recent renewal for a season 8, but the storylines need more time and care, and it has been a long time since The Chi had an undeniably great story. So with having an additional season, one can only hope as the foundation is laid for this one, it starts to truly pick up, and as it replaces old faces with new ones, they bring life and not just name recognition.

The Brady Bunch [77/100]

I appreciate Tiff’s storyline, even if Victor, who has generally dated trans women thus far, seems to have his storyline consolidating under Tiff’s and seems likely to become a future love interest. In some ways, this is worrisome since only Victor voluntarily interacted with the LGBT+ community, and while Britney is still representing, Victor was the conduit for representation.

But while we may lose seeing diverse depictions of the community, at the very least, Victor’s storyline is shifting. I can’t say the same for Emmett, who seems a bit stuck in where he is, but at least all those around him either have something going on or potential. Keisha, in speaking to Emmett’s exes, makes it seem as though she may work towards opening a school or program, which could mean she has closer ties to Alicia. Heck, maybe Tracy’s community center may get new life from Keisha’s endeavors?

Either way, from what’s in progress with Keisha and the potential for Alicia, as well as the rollercoaster of emotions Tiff is dealing with, this group might be one of the few storyline consolidations that’s proving fruitful, while the rest lack a consistent oomph.

Overall

Our Overall Rating [75/100]

While The Chi makes a necessary time jump, pushing certain characters forward and hinting at broader narrative shifts, the show still struggles with uneven character development and seems hesitant to grow anything besides the size of its cast.

The return of Reg signals a step back into familiar chaos rather than bold evolution, and while long-standing characters like Tracy remain present, they continue to feel underutilized. Promising arcs, such as Ezekiel’s complicated position as a Black preacher with a white girlfriend and the exploration of megachurch politics, continue to be introduced or continue, but whether they will pay off remains a worthy question. Meanwhile, long goodbyes for characters like Jemma and Maisha drag out with little payoff, draining focus from fresh opportunities.

That said, the consolidation of storylines around Victor, Tiff, Keisha, and Alicia holds promise. It shows that The Chi can change in a positive direction, if it’s willing to commit. But ultimately, the episode lays the necessary groundwork for the show’s future, but it still wrestles with the same old issue: struggling to balance the growth of a show that has been on so long with the gravitational pull of its past that allowed it to get this far.

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