Timing is everything when it comes to television shows. Not only does that apply to when a show makes it debut on television, but also when a show ends its run on television. Some shows overstay their welcome, while others know right when to go out, and that’s usually on top. Everybody Hates Chris made its debut on the UPN networks four years ago. A year later, UPN and The WB would merge to form The CW, and Everybody Hates Chris made the cut to be on that new network. The show continued to have a cult following on The WB, but with lots of different time slots during its run, you knew that the show was not going to last a long time. The fourth season would be its last, but the real question is did the show go out on top or is its better seasons now in the rear view mirror?
Everybody Hates Chris is inspired by the childhood experiences of Chris Rock. Chris Rock narrates this story of a teenager growing up as the oldest of three children in Brooklyn, NY, in the 1980s. Filled with dreams of being a cool teenager, Chris (Tyler James Williams) moves with his family from the projects to the “Bed-Stuy: Do or Die” neighborhood. As the family’s emergency adult while his parents are working, he’s responsible for taking care of his younger brother Drew (Tequan Richmond), who’s taller and more confident than Chris, and sister Tonya (Imani Hakim), who gets all the parents’ attention. Chris’s rough, cost-conscious father Julius (Terry Crews) works numerous jobs to properly support his family. Sassy mom Rochelle (Tichina Arnold) runs the household on a tight budget, is very strict, and works part-time in a small real estate office. With his mom determined to see him in a good school, though Drew and Tonya go to the same school in their old neighborhood, Chris reluctantly faces multiple bus transfers every day to attend Corleone Junior High in the fiercely Italian neighborhood, South Shore. Despite being an immediate target for bullies, Chris’ innate charm and sharp wit enable him to make new friends, like Greg (Vincent Martella), another smart, nice kid, who can’t fight.
The fourth and final season finds Chris starting high school and, once again, he is the only African-American in an all white home room with a racist teacher. But at least he is not the only African-American in the entire school. Chris is still upset that his best friend from junior high, Greg is now going to a special high school in the Bronx and won’t be around for support any more. So Chris decides to start boxing to help defend himself from his own enemy, Caruso. Chris has other issues to deal with during this season, though, most of them coming after Chris becomes the manager for the football team and has to cut back his hours working at the local grocery store. The owner, Doc (Antonio Fargas) gets a new girlfriend, Stacy (Robin Givens), and she becomes Chris’ evil boss. Meanwhile, Tonya starts working with Rochelle at the local beauty parlor.
Basically, everyone is growing up this season and they all face new problems. Unfortunately, the storylines aren’t as strong as previous seasons. It’s almost like the writers knew that this would be the final season halfway through it and just stopped writing. They try to quickly tie up storylines that got started during the first half in the second half of the season. This is actually most evident in the final episode, which was basically a rip-off of The Sopranos finale. That still doesn’t stop this season from being as funny as the others. What held this series together and made it a success was the actors involved, and they never disappoint this season. This even extends to some great guest appearances by Tisha Campbell, Robin Givens, Nina Mansker, and Vanessa Williams during this season.
Everybody Hates Chris will go down as one of the best family comedies ever. Arguably the best since The Cosby Show or The Wonder Years. However, this series was definitely more relatable than those other shows. It’s too bad that many people don’t even know about the show, since it was on The CW. The fourth season doesn’t feature storylines that are as strong as previous seasons, but it is still as funny as it ever has been. So in a way, Everybody Hates Chris is going out on top and before it overstayed its welcome, but it will definitely be missed. For those that don’t know about it, give it a watch on DVD, because it will be well worth your time.
Disc One:
Episode 1 – Everybody Hates Tattaglia
Chris is heading off to high school. While he’s hoping to find diversity, the new principal at Tattaglia decides that Chris should be in the only all white home room. Tonya gets a job at Vanessa’s Beauty Salon but how will the customers feel about her honesty?
Episode 2 – Everybody Hates Cake
Chris and another student Angel make a deal. Chris helps Angel with his homework and Angel helps Chris with a new girl. Rochelle tries to do the right thing by making friend with an ex-con who just moved back to the neighborhood, but what is she going to do when he won’t leave her alone. Tanya and Drew watch Mr. Omar’s fish while he’s out of town.
Episode 3 – Everybody Hates Homecoming
Chris is thrilled when Jenise Huckstable asks him to the homecoming dance. His nerves begin to get the better of him when Jenise tells him that her father Dr. Clint Huckstable wants to meet him before the dance. Drew tries to get Doc to feng shui the store when he takes over Chris’ hours.
Episode 4 – Everybody Hates the English Teacher
After Julius and Rochelle raise the rent, Mr. Omar demands reparations and moves in with the family while his apartment is being repaired. While there, he begins to play blackjack with Drew and Tonya using real money. Meanwhile, Chris is assigned to do a book report and decides to watch the movie instead of reading the book as an easy way out. However, as he later learns from Greg, the movie he saw did not match the book assigned.
Episode 5 – Everybody Hates My Man
Although warned by Greg that it’s a bad idea, Chris starts to help the football team with their homework as a means to socialize with the cool kids. As a result, Chris ends up failing his own exams. Meanwhile, Julius begins a new job collecting dead bodies for Mr. Omar’s funeral home and soon finds himself appreciating life more. He begins to buy numerous gifts for his friends and relatives, but then ends up with financial troubles.
Episode 6 – Everybody Hates Doc’s
Doc has a new girlfriend who is making life hard for Chris so he decides it’s time to get her to move on. Rochelle is not happy when she finds a bra in Julius’ sock draw, but what she doesn’t know is that Tonya is the one that hid it there.
Disc Two:
Episode 7 – Everybody Hates Snitches
Chris has a dilemma when a reward is offered for anyone who witnessed a shoot-out outside a movie theater. Chris was there but he was supposed to be babysitting Tonya and Drew – what will he do? Meanwhile, Julius and Rochelle have a very eventful anniversary at a Broadway musical.
Episode 8 – Everybody Hates Big Bird
When the dorkiest girl in school, who everyone calls “Big Bird”, asks Chris out on a date, he agrees but only to spare her feelings. He soon realizes after spending time with her that he genuinely likes her.
Episode 9 – Everybody Hates James
Julius begins to take marriage advice from “The Oprah Winfrey Show” leading Rochelle to suspect an affair. Meanwhile, Chris volunteers for the “Big Brothers” program and is shocked when he learns the identity of is his “little brother”.
Episode 10 – Everybody Hates New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve in Times Square is something Chris really wants this year but needs an adult to accompany him. And that is where problems arise…
Meanwhile, Tonya and Drew make a bet to see who can stay up the longest and Julius becomes a local hero.
Episode 11 – Everybody Hates Mr. Levine
Chris recieves help from a complete stranger during a city-wide blackout and decides to return the favour by helping the old man meet new friends. Meanwhile, Rochelle discovers she is one year younger than she thought she was and Greg searches for an identity.
Episode 12 – Everybody Hates Varsity Jackets
Chris and Greg decide to join the wrestling team to earn a varsity jacket in order to impress the ladies. Meanwhile, Rochelle attempts to lose weight by drinking a popular weight-loss drink which gives Julius a money-saving idea and Tonya jeopardises Drew’s all-girl singing group.
Disc Three:
Episode 13 – Everybody Hates Fake IDs
In order to attend an over 18 Fat Boys concert, Chris and Greg realize they need fake IDs to get in. Meanwhile, Rochelle plans a surprise party for Julius and Drew makes it his mission to track down the company that sold him a “faulty” pair of x-ray glasses.
Episode 14 – Everybody Hates PSAT’s
Rochelle inadvertently prevents Chris from “cramming” for an upcoming PSAT test by taking the family out to a social event. Knowing a good score will help him get into college, Chris resorts to cheating…
Episode 15 – Everybody Hates Boxing
Coach Thurman spots Caruso bullying Chris and suggests he take up boxing to defend himself. Meanwhile, Julius has a new set of problems when he suspects Rochelle of adultery and catches the eye of a female neighbour…
Episode 16 – Everybody Hates Lasagna
Chris just can’t say no when a criminal on the run asks him to hide a stash of marijuana. But where can he hide it without it being discovered? Meanwhile, Peaches and Rochelle clash when Vanessa insists Rochelle learn the new computer system at the beauty salon.
Episode 17 – Everybody Hates Spring Break
Chris accidentally hits Greg while test driving the janitor’s car, landing Greg in the hospital with a broken leg and Rochelle taking care of him. Meanwhile, Julius must figure out a way to entertain Drew and Tonya when it rains the entire time they are on vacation at the beach.
Disc Four:
Episode 18 – Everybody Hates the Car
Chris is finally able to buy a car when he gets his driver’s license but when it is stolen and vandalized, Chris realises having ownership of a car is a huge responsibility. Meanwhile, Rochelle finds Julius’ hidden racing form.
Episode 19 – Everybody Hates Back Talk
Chris decides to take a stand against Rochelle by refusing to do his household chores, causing Rochelle to complain to Julius that her son is disrespecting her. Meanwhile, Mr. Omar thinks he is dying and decides to start saying whatever is on his mind.
Episode 20 – Everybody Hates Tasha
Chris finally manages to ask out Tasha and she accepts but then Chris doesn’t expect that all his free time and only doing things that Tasha wants to do is the result of being with his long-standing crush. Meanwhile, Rochelle discovers Julius’ shocking secret!
Episode 21 – Everybody Hates Bomb Threats
When Chris is given the task of memorizing the longest presidential inaugural address and reciting it in front of the class as a punishment, Chris cooks up a surprising way of postponing his presentation. Meanwhile, Rochelle has problems of her own when a customer puts a hex on her.
Episode 22 – Everybody Hates G.E.D.
It’s the last week of school and while Drew decides he wants to try out for Amateur Night at the Apollo even without a talent at his disposal, Chris is informed that if he gets one more tardy he will have to repeat the 10th grade. He gets that last tardy, then he decides to drop out of high school and get his GED.
The video is given in anamorphic widescreen color with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, which is enhanced for 16X9 TVs. The transfer is pretty good with minimal grain. It’s slightly better than the original presentation on TV, but here are no major problems at all.
The audio included is in English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround sound. The dialogue and music come out loud and clear. No major problems here either and the overall quality is a little better than your average TV on DVD set.
Audio Commentary –
There is one full-length audio commentary for the first episode this season. Co-creator/executive producer, Ali LeRoi, comments on this episode and is quite insightful.
Deleted Scenes –
There are deleted scenes for almost every episode this season, but they don’t last long and they don’t add much to the show.
“Director’s Webisodes” –
For every episode, the director of the episode talks for two minutes about how the episode was shot.
Gag Reel –
This is 5 minutes worth of the usual gags and mistakes from shooting this season.
“Candid with the Cast” Featurette –
This run 27 minutes and one of the regular directors of the series, Jerry Levine, interviews the main cast members about their memories from the past four seasons. This is a great featurette, with lots of great stories from the cast.
“Death in the Dining Room” Featurette –
This runs 6 minutes and it explores why the show’s frequent dining room scenes were so difficult to shoot. Somewhat interesting.
“Give ‘Em Props” Featurette –
This runs 6 minutes and it examines how the show tried to use period-appropriate props throughout its run. Another cool featurette.
“The Key to VFX” Featurette –
This runs 4 minutes and it describes the show’s use of green-screen effects. Another interesting one.
“Juste Pour Rire = Just for Laughs” Featurette –
This runs 7 minutes and it takes one scene from one episode and dubbs in in French. The actors do their best French accents basically. It’s not really that funny despite the title of this featurette.
The fourth season is not as good as the premiere season, but for the most part it’s just as funny if not more so than seasons two and three. If you haven’t watched this show, give it a rental, but start with season 1. It will then probably be worth getting the other seasons.
Paramount Home Video presents Everybody Hates Chris: The Final Season. Created by Chris Rock and Ali LeRoi. Starring Tyler James Williams, Terry Crews, Tichina Arnold, Tequan Richmond, Imani Hakim, and Vincent Martella. Running time: 459 minutes. Rated: NOT RATED. Released on DVD: August 18, 2009. Available at Amazon.com
