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The Chi brings the South Side of Chicago into focus, showing a neighborhood in motion with little sugarcoating. Created by Lena Waithe, the series threads together the lives of residents, caught in a web spun by chance and held tight by the need for connection. Days kick off with school runs and work shifts, but the air crackles with tension; even routine choices can pack life-or-death stakes.
Every day, events spark bigger consequences, where a single mistake ripples through the block. The Chi locks onto Emmett (Jacob Latimore), a young dad-in-training; Kevin, a boy turning street wisdom into survival; and a rotating crew—Ronnie, Jada, Papa, Kiesha—each wrestling family bonds, dreams, and heartbreaks.
Fans of the show relate with the authenticity, complex stories, tough choices, and loyalty that survives every situation. The Chi stands out for showing struggle and hope, side by side, never blinking.
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This line-up of seven shows will keep fans busy after finishing up the latest season.
Disclaimer: The article has the author's opinions.
The Wire, Power, and 5 other shows like The Chi
1) The Wire (HBO Max)
The Wire pulls back Baltimore’s curtain to expose everything from street corners to city hall. One season, it’s drug crews juking the system, the next, it's dockworkers trying to hold onto scraps of the American dream.
Politicians, teachers, journalists—everyone is tangled in the same mess. Central characters like McNulty, an antihero cop with a knack for trouble, and kingpin Avon Barksdale make sure the stakes hit hard and often. But every corner has got someone fighting for a slice, and no one’s hands stay clean for long.
The Wire is devoid of any conventional good guys, just real people hustling to survive busted systems. Every character, even the bit players, gets room to breathe, growing in unexpected directions. Those who enjoyed The Chi’s unfiltered look at urban life will likely find The Wire’s sprawling, unforgettable world an instant must-watch.
2) Power (Hulu)
Power trades summer nights in Chicago for Manhattan’s neon-soaked streets. James “Ghost” St. Patrick runs a swanky club full of VIPs. Meanwhile, he is knee-deep in New York’s drug empire. Each episode throws down new threats: the law, family stress, rivals with sharper knives who never forget. Friends flip, trust snaps, and old debts come crawling back when least expected.
Ghost’s circle includes his fierce wife Tasha, wild card Tommy, prosecutor Angela, and mentor-turned-menace Kanan, who brings wild layers and bad blood. Omari Hardwick, Naturi Naughton, Joseph Sikora, and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson round out the cast.
Fans latch on for the intense drama and plot twists that refuse to let up. Like The Chi, Power peels back flashy surfaces to reveal what people will risk for family, love, and respect.
3) Empire (Disney+)
Empire tosses family drama right into the heart of hip-hop’s glitter and grime. Lucious Lyon, rough-around-the-edges music mogul, stands at the top with a crown that’s always slipping. His empire is built on beats, secrets, rivalries, and schemes. At his side is his wife Cookie, and their three sons—Andre, Jamal, and Hakeem, who weave in their own ambitions, leaving nothing off limits when it comes to power plays and payback.
Pulling big moves in New York but shot on Chicago’s streets, Empire feeds off bold performances from Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson. Raw music, wild plot twists, and family bonds tested by loyalty, love, and betrayal.
Fans of The Chi will feel right at home—family loyalty gets tangled, ambition breaks hearts, and survival means spinning struggle into gold.
4) Snowfall (Hulu)
Snowfall dives into the gritty birth of the crack cocaine epidemic in 1980s Los Angeles, painting a raw portrait of ambition, survival, and fallout. Franklin Saint is a sharp young hustler trying to carve out a future amid chaos. Alongside him, the story moves through a mix of gritty players—a CIA operative tangled in dark deals, a Mexican luchador battling crime family drama, and street soldiers navigating loyalty and danger.
The series, co-created by John Singleton, serves up unflinching drama and social commentary, showing how the drug trade, politics, and community collide with devastating consequences.
Fans of The Chi will find familiar ground here—both shows spotlight the tough realities of urban life with no sugarcoating, threading personal dreams with harsh societal truths.
5) Wu Tang: An American Saga (Hulu)
Wu-Tang: An American Saga brings the grind and hustle of ‘90s New York straight into the living room, tracing the rise of the Wu-Tang Clan from street corners to hip hop legends. The crack epidemic was churning the city, and a group of young Black men got pulled in between crime and beats. Bobby Diggs (aka The RZA), played by Ashton Sanders, shapes a ragtag crew—each future superstar battling their own drama—to chase something bigger than survival.
Shameik Moore star as Sha Raider, Siddiq Saunderson as Dennis “D-Love” Coles, Dave East as Shotgun, and more—all capturing the raw hunger behind the Clan's creation. Fans stick around for the realness—every track, every clash, every shot at glory rings true.
Anyone vibing with The Chi’s unfiltered look at hope, pain, and loyalty will find Wu-Tang: An American Saga just as gripping.
6) Atlanta (Hulu)
Atlanta sidesteps ordinary and walks the surreal line, sketching life in Georgia’s buzzing music scene. Earnest “Earn” Marks, a dead-broke Ivy League dropout, heads home to Atlanta with more headaches than hope, trying to manage his cousin Alfred’s rap career while ducking family mess, hustling gigs, and keeping tabs on his on-again, off-again girlfriend Van.
Each episode twists expectations—one moment hits absurd, the next delivers a slice of reality sharp enough to sting. The show blends social commentary, dry wit, and oddball moments (think invisible cars and Nutella scammers) without breaking stride. Every day in Atlanta feels unpredictable and slightly uncanny, like the city refuses to sit still.
Anyone drawn to the authentic, layered storytelling behind The Chi will spot familiar depth here: hard choices, family pulls, and city dreams that never follow a straight line.
7) Treme (HBO Max)
Treme drops straight into the heart of New Orleans post-Katrina. Here, rebuilding isn’t just about bricks—it’s about music, food, parades, and folks stitched together by grit. The show follows Antoine Batiste, a trombone player, chasing gigs and dodging trouble while his ex-wife, LaDonna, fights to hold the family together. Street musicians like Annie and Sonny try to make ends meet, exchanging musical notes for pocket change.
Khandi Alexander, Wendell Pierce, Clarke Peters, Melissa Leo, and real musicians step into the roles of the main cast.
Those mesmerized by The Chi’s honest city storytelling will get why Treme’s portrait of community, music, and struggle stands out.
Each of these series captures the raw heart, struggle, and community spirit that have kept The Chi so compelling for 7 seasons. The Chi is currently streaming on Hulu.
