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Episode 4 “Mother’s Day” Details

• Available On: Showtime
• Public Release Date: June 6, 2025
• Director(s): Hannah Bang
• Writer(s): Resheida Brady-Anderson

Episode 4 “Mother’s Day” Recap (With Spoilers)

Comradery and Brotherhood: Darnell, Damien, Emmett, Keith, Professor Gardner, Bakari, Ezekiel, Charles, Papa, Peaches, Reg, Jake, Victor, Hannibal, Diane

Despite being an episode focused on Mother’s Day, the men have a notable amount of close and touching moments where not a single mother plays a significant role. For example, Damien gets invited to play spades at Tiff’s lounge, but he doesn’t know how to play the game. So Darnell and Emmett jump in and put him on game and show him the kind of patience that makes him feel like he belongs.

Then, when it’s time to play, while Damien has shown himself to be a bit weird, he finds himself getting to a better place with Keith, where they are cool. As for the others? While Hannibal points out the painted nails like Emmett did, it seems he, Keith, and Professor Gardner give him his props for winning. Professor Gardner even takes it a step further by noting that even if Damien is unorthodox, he respects him.

But, it isn’t just with Damien that Professor Gardner makes someone feel like they belong. Bakari’s first semester has nearly reached an end, and he chops it up with Professor Gardner about his next move. Naturally, Bakari talks about being outside and with Professor Gardner still mourning Douda to a point, he worries what that could mean for the young man. However, Bakari tries to push that he isn’t trying to get into trouble, just live life a bit.

He isn’t alone, though, in causing worry. With money being rough, Papa and his mom, Diane, are in an odd place. Papa, seeing himself as the man of the house, thinks he should be more involved in the family’s finances. Diane, however, knowing where Papa would get his money from, doesn’t necessarily want the help from his source of funds. Mind you, for good reason, since between Ezekiel and Charles, they are willing to help Diane and Poppa, but any money given would be a down payment for the Jackson family church. Which may not be for sale now, but with the way Diane talks, the numbers aren’t adding up, and eventually there might not be a choice.

Which leaves us with the Taylor family. To much surprise, and Victor’s chagrin, Reg has their mother, Peaches, come by for Mother’s Day and cook her mac and cheese. During the day, Victor brings up all of his grievances over and over, with it being clear that Jake and Reg are willing to forgive and move forward, but Victor needs more time. Peaches accepts that, but makes it clear, even if there might sometimes be a struggle to love her, she hopes there is unconditional love between her boys. Of which only Jake commits to that, as his older brothers make clear, unless they feel it is reciprocal, it isn’t going to be true.

Mother’s Day Can Be Awkward: Alicia, Shaad, Kiesha, Judge Bradley, Tracy, Keith, Charles, Nuck, Tiff

For Alicia, Judge Bradley, Tracy, and many other moms, Mother’s Day is difficult because they lost their sons. Alicia and Tracy’s were victims of gun violence, and Judge Bradley’s son, Christian, who dated Kiesha a few seasons ago, before Emmett, ended his life. Now, there aren’t a lot of details regarding why, how, and what his final days or moments were like, but it is made clear how devastating it has been for her and her husband, and that apparently, Kiesha didn’t know.

But, Shaad does his best to both give Alicia and the ladies room to grieve while reminding them they need to live. So, after Alicia presents an idea that they need to do something beyond ROCK and maybe take action, which may require violence, Shaad convinces the group to head to Emmett’s, who is having a large Mother’s Day gathering.

Shaad isn’t alone, though, in trying to show some care and affection towards the mothers on the show, however. Charles might be hoeing around, giving single mothers, or those who may not get the attention they deserve or desire, something to lift their spirits. In addition, Keith tries to see if he and Tracy can become something official, and Nuck? Nuck makes a move on Tiff!

Mind you, she curves him, for she is still in mourning and very much pregnant. But with him opening up to her about his dad killing his mom, it does seem that even if they may not have their relationship evolve into something romantic, they are certainly far from being just business partners.

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Review and Commentary

Highlights

Revisiting Papa’s Storyline [84/100]

Papa has unfortunately been that character who often got wrapped up in other people’s storylines as a supporting actor. Whether it was Kevin, Maisha, and many others, his time in the sun could often seem short, and didn’t live up to his best qualities. However, getting to preach, and it expanding to working for Pastor Ezekiel, was one of his more interesting storylines, which started in a previous season but temporarily went to the wayside as Charles was introduced and Maisha was making her exit.

But now, with Diane’s financial struggles, Papa being tempted by the money Ezekiel has access to again, and the push and pull between his father’s teachings and Ezekiel’s beliefs, it feels like he has been reasserted into The Chi in a meaningful way. Here is just hoping it lasts.

Damien Gaining Further Acceptance [86/100]

While Damien has long been an odd inclusion to The Chi, he is increasingly becoming a necessary one. He represents those odd Black kids that live in places like Chicago, Newark in New Jersey, and PA, who don’t often get to see themselves on television, especially as anything beyond being the Black friend in a sea of White characters. And there is something healing and wonderful about him painting his nails, being socially awkward, good with numbers, and being loved and accepted not only by his family, especially the men in his family, but also by Black men outside of his family as well.

It doesn’t replace losing the LGBT+ representation the show had for years, but at least The Chi can say it still is dedicated to underrepresented depictions of Black folk.

Victor, Jake, and Reg Navigating Their Complicated Family Dynamics [83/100]

We’ve seen Victor go off on Peaches before, but this time felt different, since both of his brothers were there, and Peaches, now more than ever, was able to accept accountability, navigate Victor’s pain and memories of her as a mother, and work through them. In a way, it comes across not only as growth but also as moving the story forward in a way that benefits all three boys.

For at this point, Victor and Jake are in limbo and are legacy characters without much going on, and while Reg is promising war with Nuck, that isn’t necessarily desired right now. So, an episode like this, focused on their relationship with their mom and each other, it felt like a better path forward for all involved, and may make you wish this would be the focus, especially considering Victor and Jake thought Reg was dead. Never mind, with Jake losing Kevin and no longer being close with Papa, he likely needs and wants his brothers now more than ever.

How Good Of a Man Shaad Is To Alicia [82/100]

I’d submit, like Jake and Victor, that Shaad has taken a step back in The Chi in a noticeable way. He is now playing a supporting role in Alicia’s story, and while we’d never be against an actor, especially one we’ve been aware of since I was a child, getting a check, as we say every episode, The Chi is bloated. However, I will admit that seeing Shaad not just as Alicia’s special friend and stress relief, but as truly the man in her life, we appreciated that.

I’d even say Alicia was a little surprised by Shaad not only saying he loved her, but following that up with the words and actions required to make that factual. It makes you realize, as much as he might have been a trash partner towards Deja, he has seemingly learned how to be a good man. It’s just that Deja was a clean-up woman.

Professor Gardner’s Interactions With Bakari and Damien [85/100]

Since Brandon was removed/ killed off, we haven’t had a character who served as a general mentor for the young men on the show, but I’d submit that Professor Gardner has stepped into that role. With Bakari, we’ve seen everything he has done for him, consistently, for months now, and then including Damien? In a way, it could be pushed that this is Professor Gardner trying to compensate for what he maybe didn’t do for Christian, but at the same time, as much as Darnell is there for his boys, Victor and Reg for Jake, and Ezekiel, in a manipulative way, there for Papa, it is nice to see someone who, beyond their kin or someone who could be useful for their business, look out for the next generation who not only need guidance, but a sense of belonging.

Nuck Adding A Sprinkle Of Details About His Life [85.5/100]

At this point, Nuck is a slow-burning character who, even when he isn’t the main focus of an episode, says or does something that makes you remember he is significant on this show. Take note, this episode has no interaction between him and Reg. Still, from getting Kiesha a Mother’s Day card to his interactions with Tiff, the man leaves you wanting more, but appreciating that, if he shows up on screen, it always feels like it matters. It isn’t for the sake of drama or to justify Showtime/Paramount still cutting him a check.

On The Fence

Pastor Charles Being A Hoe [74/100]

Being that Charles is getting in the way of Papa’s storyline, we don’t like him. But what makes it worse is that him blackmailing Ezekiel into a job isn’t really going anywhere fast, we’re not getting much in the way of details as to why his effort to go solo failed, and with the character trying to attach himself to Tracy? That didn’t help either. But now seeing him potentially be someone following in Ezekiel’s footsteps and exploiting the vulnerable of the congregation for his own desires? Frankly, the man lacks a hook, and while he gets a reaction out of us, it is purely frustration due to the time dedicated to him potentially being better used for others.

How A Mother’s Day Episode Doesn’t Have The Best Scenes Featuring The Mothers? [73/100]

Genuine question: how did the mothers not have the best scenes in this episode? Either it was the case of loving or appreciating what the men were doing for them, or it felt like they were setting things up to further the men’s storylines. The only exceptions would be Tiff and her mom talking, specifically about how Tiff’s mom is trying to do better by her grandchild, vs. how she raised Tiff. Then there is Alicia presenting the idea that while ROCK is cute, more needs to be done, which promises something in the future.

But besides that, the Christian reveal benefited Professor Gardner more than Judge Bradley. How Shaad treated Alicia made him look good and evolved. Maybe I’m still stuck in feeling like The Chi is stuck in making these women in service to male characters, as it has done for the majority of the seasons, but for a Mother’s Day episode, you’d think they would flip the script.

Overall

Our Overall Rating [81/100]

With reinvigorating legacy characters like Papa, bringing back the focus on underrepresented figures in the Black community, like Damien, and having many heartfelt moments, ranging from the Taylor boys to Shaad, and Professor Gardner with Bakari and Damien, The Chi does a lot of good in its Mother’s Day episode. However, it misses the mark in lacking an equal, if not an eclipsing, amount of notable scenes focused on building up the mothers of the show in a Mother’s Day-themed episode.

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