Abhiroop Das
Created by Lena Waithe, Paramount+’s ‘The Chi’ captures a sprawling bildungsroman set in South Side Chicago, where multiple families find their lives intertwined in a dangerous game of blood and chaos. After the deaths of Quentin and Douda in quick succession, season 8 of this crime drama series opens up to a power gap that is partially filled by two rival gangs. Nuck, the new leader of the infamous 63rd Street Mob, finds stiff competition from Reg, who has seemingly come back from the dead and is on track to start his own gang.
Thus, as allegiances get split up, the surprise death of Alicia marks the final piece in the puzzle, pushing everyone’s lives into unpredictable directions yet again. Episode 1 of the season, titled ‘Coldest Winter Ever,’ reflects on the deaths that have shaped the story thus far, and what they mean for the interpersonal relationships of the living. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Alicia’s Death Starts a Domino Effect With No Stopping Point
Season 8 episode 1 of ‘The Chi,’ titled ‘Coldest Winter Ever,’ begins with a montage sequence catching up to the curious fates of all our main characters. Victor and Shaad particularly have it the worst, as they are arrested under suspicion of killing Alicia. While we know exactly who the killer is and how Victor and Shaad wound up in this situation, it’s not enough to unravel the systemic force that is running against them. This leaves Victor’s youngest brother, Jake, all alone at the house, with his estranged brother Reg occasionally stepping in only to make things worse. For Tiff, life appears to have settled back into a rhythm, and while she is still with Nuck, it is clear that a part of her is still mourning Rob.
Emmett, on the other hand, struggles with having too many family members depending on him, as that means he is constantly pulled in every direction. His dad, for instance, has been living in the house with his new partner, Riley, for three whole months. While he claims that it’s because his house’s hot water has gone bust, Emmett knows the real reason is that his dad cannot help but associate the old house with Jada. Victor and Shaad, on the other hand, simply count their days behind bars, confused as to why neither of their alibis has held up during the investigation. Meanwhile, Bakari and Lynae suggest that Jake move in with them for the time being, but he isn’t quite ready to make that leap yet, especially with Reg running amok.
Pastor Zeke’s Passing Stirs up One Too Many Questions
The scene then shifts to Pastor Zeke’s funeral, and we see quite a lot of familiar faces returning to the Church of the Living Water to mourn one of the supposed pillars of the community. However, there are also murmurs about Pastor Zeke’s darker side, which has only recently made it to the news, and has cast his mysterious death in layers of conspiracy. In response, Charles tries to cut the gossip short and mourn his mentor in earnest, but some, like Papa, are long convinced that something more is at play. At Nuck’s headquarters, the crew celebrates their increasing profits thanks to a new strain of drugs, but there remain some tensions regarding Bakari’s loyalty to the group, especially because he is joined by Lynae during these high-profile sessions.
A completely different story plays out at Reg’s den, where he is running his business as recklessly as ever. To Keith’s surprise, his new girlfriend, Jordan, is among the many drug smugglers that Reg has put out on the street, because she works as a nurse. Though Keith wants her to quit the business immediately, citing how Reg is about to get caught up in things beyond his control, Jordan refuses to back down, partly due to her financial necessities. Things slowly get worse for Bakari as well, as people in Nuck’s gang notice Lynae side-eyeing them. With discussions about a mole at an all-time high, even Nuck momentarily gets suspicious of Bakari’s book project, but ultimately sticks up for him.
Back at the funeral, Papa begins probing around for details and soon learns from Paster Zeke’s wife about the money laundering cases that were piling behind their backs. She even goes as far as to confidently claim that the Nuck is behind this entire ordeal, which is all the ammo Papa needs to get into action. Meanwhile, Bakari confronts Lynae about her suspicious actions at the crib, only to learn that she is secretly wishing for him to quit the 63rd Street Mob for good. However, his current plan, to write a book and cash in the profits, is doomed to fail because of his lack of advertising and networking, and Bakari cannot help but take it as a blow to his ego.
Nora Turns Out to be the Hidden Link in the Murder Mystery
Elsewhere, Emmett meets up with Shay and their son, Devante, only to learn that there have been problems since they moved out. Devante has been getting increasingly aggressive at school and even stealing money, which means that he is clearly not taking the separation well. Left with no choice, Emmett decides to bring Devante back to his home and discipline him by any means necessary. Meanwhile, things continue getting out of control at prison, where Shaad’s lawyer, Patience, reveals that Nora has submitted a report to the police denying being with Shaad on the day of Alicia’s murder. This suggests that she might be in league with Roselyn, or perhaps playing a game of her own, but this only makes Shaad’s exit a more distant possibility.
Victor’s lawyer doesn’t come with much good news either, as Victor is nowhere to be found in the hospital footage, which makes his alibi weaker than ever. Though he is suggested giving up Shaad in return for freedom, Victor is quick to shut that idea down, even if it means prolonging his stay here. Meanwhile, things get more intense between Emmett and Devante, with a decision being made to enroll him in Emmett’s old school, one known for being as tough as they get. Elsewhere, Charles reunites with Angie’s sister, who reveals that she has been on a soul-searching endeavor this entire time. Charles, too, has opted for celibacy as he gets his barbershop up and running, which means that they can start a platonic relationship for the time being.
Once out of prison, Patience, the lawyer, wastes little time launching a search for Nora, as she might be the key to solving the case and proving Shaad’s innocence. After discovering Nora’s candle-making business, Patience gets one of her friends to schedule a meeting in the hopes of creating an ambush. Reg, meanwhile, gets kicked out of his partner’s house after she discovers his stash of drugs hidden inside. As such, he wastes little time letting Victor know that he will be taking over the family house, even if it means kicking Jake out. In response, Victor advises Jake to retrieve the gun hidden in the house and use it to get Reg out of the way by any means necessary.
Jake Reaches His Boiling Point With Regards to Reg
That night, Papa reunites with Tiff at a club and informs her about his suspicion that Nuck was behind Pastor Zeke’s murder. Though Tiff cannot comment on this, it likely does get her mind ticking about Rob’s mysterious death as well. Meanwhile, Bakari comes to the bitter realization that his book is a flop, not because of its content, but because of its poor marketing. Still, determined to make bank one way or another, he decides to lean deeper into the mob business, much to Shaad’s disappointment from the other end of the bars.
Darnell, on the other hand, has to part ways with Riley after he accidentally calls her Jada, confirming that he has yet to move on from the pain. As if things cannot get any more complicated, Jake returns to his home that night to discover that Reg has turned it into a party station. Enraged, Jake rushes in and points his gun at his older brother, and though Reg dares him to pull the trigger, we know that Jake will do no such thing. The real battle, then, is about to be played on a much bigger field, with a longer timeline attached to it.
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