Everybody Hates Chris

Reviewed by:
Patrick Richardson

Chris Rock kicks it old school, lending his childhood to this coming-of-age comedy about his life as a kid in Brooklyn's "Do or Die" Bed-Stuy neighborhood in 1982—and judging by the first episode, this kid has more street cred than both Malcolm and Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Unlike most stand-up acts turned sitcoms, Chris is as fresh as its creator's original material, with only the occasional tired joke about whites stealing black culture or Rock's cheap-ass dad. Narrated by Rock himself, the show follows young Chris as he takes two buses across town to attend an all-white school, gets beaten up for mouthing off to the resident bully, and shoulders the Latch Key Kid burden of caring for two younger (and ungrateful) siblings while both of his parents work. The key to Chris's success is Rock's material and his wise decision to stay out of the picture, allowing a talented cast of kids to reenact his painfully funny childhood. Originally developed for Fox, it looks like Rock has single-handedly saved UPN's Thursday night lineup—and UPN has saved Rock from another awards show gig.

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