SPOILER ALERT: This recap of Season 4, Episode 5 contains explicit plot details.
In the apparent dream sequence that kicked off “The Chi” season four, we saw a bit of foreshadowing in regards to the main storylines we’ve seen so far this season.
- Kevin (played by Alex Hibbert) sees the writing on the wall as he notices Jemma (Judae’a Brown) and Jake (Michael Epps) missing from their table at an Olympic event. He later finds them kissing, and desperately seeks an exit from the building — as seen in episode one’s apparent dream sequence.
- Shaad (Jason Weaver) had a visceral reaction toward Imani (Jasmine Davis), after Nuck (Cortez Smith) told him about her transgender status. Afterward, Shaad has a job interview where, in an interesting twist of fate, was subjected to a similar reaction when he disclosed his ex-con status. Also, Trig (Luke James) tells Shaad he has to move out of his house due to his disrespect toward Imani.
- Jada (Yolanda Ross) had a will drawn up and wants Dre (Miriam A. Hyman) to make sure her wishes are honored if she should pass away.
- Douda is unaware of that Trinity, Nuck’s girl, has been murdered.
- Jemma is finding out the nuances of being a revolutionary, while figuring out her love life — and wearing a couple of pretty nifty berets while at it.
- Kiesha (Birgundi Baker) has made a friend at work, and more importantly, she has her baby at home.
- Emmett (Jacob Latimore) is struggling over what to make of his mother Jada’s cancer status — and it’s having an adverse effect in everything he does, as he breaks down in Darnell’s arms.
- Roselyn (Kandi Burruss) threatens divorce after Douda shuts down her request for a defined role within his administration.
Storylines to think about:
- Douda, who has made his share of enemies over the last two seasons, is shot. Will he recover from his wounds?
- Now that Trig and Shaad’s relationship is on the outs, let’s see what that means for them, Nuck, Imani and the 63rd Street Mob.
- Tracy, despite all her best efforts, starts to realize that not everyone agrees with her tactics. Imani steps to her about doing more about Chicago’s discarded women. Imani seems to be unaware of Tracy’s activism from season three, where she rallied the community together to lead search parties when Kiesha was missing. Historically, when groups and individual activists appear to have similar advocacy, but differ in approach (e.g. Malcolm X-Jackie Robinson, W.E.B. DuBois-Booker T. Washington, Jesse Jackson-Louis Farrakhan), friction is apparent.
Episode five is named “The Spook Who Sat by the Door,” possibly an ode to the 1969 book written by Sam Greenlee and the 1973 film, detailing the trials and tribulations of a Black former CIA agent who trains political groups in warfare against his former employer.
During season four, we’ve seen members of the 63rd Street Mob involved in Douda’s plan to defund the police by sending community members with specific skills to respond to mental health emergency calls instead of cops, aligning with what Greenlee, who worked for the United States Information Agency, told The Crisis, the official publication of the NAACP: “One of the things I was saying with that book is that gangs could become the protectors of the community rather than predators. It’s a training manual for urban guerrilla warfare. That’s why it scared the White folks so much.”
The initial success of Douda’s plan and his shooting could be linked.
From what Greenlee says, people from marginalized communities collaborating is a scary proposition for the powers that be.
