User Reviews

Airing on UPN, Chris Rock's "autobiographical" sitcom doesn't get the viewers that it so richly deserves. Besides being one of the best acted series in production today, the show has a stellar writing staff that supplies not only laughs but biting commentary about society, the mark of a good production team.

The performers are impressive, especially Tyler James Williams as the title character. His expressive face and on-time delivery makes him one of the best child stars in the business. The other kids in the cast (Taquan Richmond as younger, but larger, brother, Drew; Vincent Martella as Chris's friend Greg, and Imani Hakim as younger sister Tanya) are equally gifted, never appearing to be acting, just being youngsters.

Adult actors Terry Crews and Tichina Arnold as Chris's parents bring about the right balance of humor and authority to their roles. If there is justice in the Emmy Awards next year, Arnold should walk away with a statue.

Chris Rock's off-camera narration is another plus for the series, along with the musical soundtrack, featuring hit songs from the era.

"Everybody Hates Chris" is another one of the best new comedies of 2005! The show is about Chris Rock's life as 13 year old and how he thought being a teenager was going to be fun when it turns out that it wasn't what he expected it to be and it shows on how he grew up in Brooklyn, New York with his younger brother and sister and his strict, hard-working parents. At first when I heard about this show I thought it was going to be a show where Chris Rock was playing a TV sitcom dad or something. It's really funny! Chris Rock is in the show but he is narrating the show while Tyler James Williams plays the 13 year old version of Chris Rock. Looks like UPN could have hit with this one. This is a hilarious show about most of Chris Rock's childhood life. At first when I read about this show before I saw ads for the show, I thought it was going to be a typical sitcom where it's based on a comedian who's a family man or something similar to any other sitcom that revolves around a comedian, but this is more original.

I really love this show. The characters are really well developed and memorable. It's quite funny how famous this show is in Brazil. I've asked a lot of people from other countries, and it's mostly unknown by them, while here most people know their catchphrases by heart. I think this is explained by three factors: 1. It was broadcasted by an open channel several times per day for years, and we don't have many good content available on TV; 2. Brazilians can really relate to the situations lived by Chris and his family. A lower middle class family trying to survive lack of money, prejudice and other adversities of life in a very positive way. 3. The dubbing of this show is REALLY good.

...in fact,I'd say that most people who get to know Chris Rock should end up loving him. Or at the very least,liking him.

Sort of a 80s,urban take on "The Wonder Years",this is also an era show(since I grew up during this period,I am very glad to see a show like this),with the early to mid 1980s and Brooklyn,New York as the backdrop. Chris Rock,circa 1983 thru 1985,is hardly the Chris Rock we seem to know now: he's a very average,neurotic kid who worries about impressing the girls,being a good student and NOT incurring the wrath of his parents(among other things).Rock narrates as an adult,and Tyler JAmes Williams plays him as the pre-teen. Being a sitcom,of course there is plenty of the easy,comedic rhythm that you'd expect out of a show of its make,only the just a touch of sharp,knowing sass and a 21st century sensibility to it.

A very fine supporting cast sports Terry Crews and Tichina Arnold as CHris' dad and mom,Imani Hakim as his younger sister and Tequan Richjmond as his older(?)brother,and Vincent Martella as is his best friend. I've only FINALLY nailed down when this show runs(and where the local CW is located on the dial),so I must confess that I've only seen a handful of shows,but what I've sen is quite good. Perhaps its' Rock's guidance that makes this show wise,sharp yet gentle,but I think all the right elements are at play here. I think I can say that I've ran across a show that's set in the '80s that actually gets the cultural and time elements right,not merely smoosh them together so as to create instant recognition("That 80s Show",anyone?). Worth the half-hour investment.

This show had me laughing out loud in several spots throughout the season so far. It's set in Brooklyn in 1982 and follows Chris Rock and his Stingy penny pinching dad, his nickle millionaire mom, his younger "better looking" brother, and his bratty little sister as they try to fit in in a better neighborhood. It's not The Jeffersons, but more Good Times with most episodes covering conflicts within school or kid social interaction.

What really got me interested in this show is this: It reminds me of exactly the same thing I went through as a kid, except reversed. I was a white kid in a Ft. Worth, Tx. black school in 1982. Daily beatings were the norm. Just like Chris though, you grin and bear it and use it as a racial life lesson learned. Kudos Chris! Hope your show lasts a long time.

Lots of shows are funny, but few are as creative as Everybody Hates Chris. There are countless segways, not unlike Family Guy, but these are live action. Not easy to produce in a weekly series. And thank you Chris Rock for using one camera as opposed to three cameras in front of a live audience. And also for your witty narrations. Especially when he refers to himself as now being famous. Every actor and character is full of personality. I wish the show ran longer.

This show should be called Everyone Loves Chris because Chris Rock is the funniest comedian alive.This show is what was missing on our TV's. We needed a family comedy sitcom that is a bit offensive and racial.When I first saw this show I thought it was so hilarious but as it goes on it keeps getting funnier and better.Chris Rock is the only guy that can find something funny out of his old horrible past.E.g. He make jokes about racism and him getting beat up when it actually happened to him.If he turned this show into a drama it will be just as good it will be full with emotion and pain.But this sitcom doesn't focus on the pain.It makes us look at the funnier side of life.

Finally, Chris Rock came out with something funny and finally UPN has a great show! I love Everybody Hates Chris. I'd say its better then Everybody Loves Raymond. Classic black comedy. Its a good thing Chris didn't take this to Fox or they would have canceled after two or three episodes because they don't know what there doing. So far the second episode is my favorite. That crazy guy who kept saying fool was funny and that guy that was on fire, literally! I love stuff like that. Comedy you don't have to think about. Just some guy running down the street thats on fire and you cry laughing because its so funny. I hope they have plenty of that in this show. Way to go Chris Rock!

Tonight I saw the first episode of "Everybody Hates Chris". It is the first time I have seen a "situation comedy" in years that made me laugh aloud. I do not recall there being any laugh tracks which can be so annoying, especially when the track is the only laughter.

"Everybody Hates Chris" was so cleverly written that what could have been somewhat disturbing, like the schoolyard fight,was hilarious. The characters delivered their lines brilliantly. Chris's Mom has unique and rich lines that are not only funny, but they help define her character and the situation in which Chris lives. Somehow the writers manage to keep the adversaries from being hate objects - they simply move the funny storyline along.

I LOVE it. At last a REAL comedy.

I've seen two shows and it is decided that It is my favorite comedy presently. I didn't even think I would like it. Pam is great in her understated role of Chris's mother. In actuality, no one really hates the boy, although it would be a comical spin seeing that there are some kids who teachers and neighborhood adults hate and chastise for no apparent reason. The father, best known as the Jungle Fever muscle man from White Chicks does his usual visual comedy. The theme song "EVERYBODY HAA ATES CHRIS" is adorable and peppered throughout the show at cliff hangers right before commercials. As the show gets slammed by critics I see it as a gem that appeals to me taste whereas Everybody Loves Raymond never did. I could so relate to the coach who heavily woos the young strapping buck to be the star player as it happened to me at age 9 with basketball 15 with wrestling and even 19 with the military track and field team. I was laughing out loud as the coach hunted him down. I look forward to seeing more episodes of this.

The humor in this show is done astoundingly well, both from the narration of Chris Rock AND what actually goes on in the show, plus the cutaways! Mr. Omar, Julius, Malvo, Risky, Peaches, so many memorable characters with great lines and hysterical moments! THIS can make anyone laugh!

I'm just going to get this out of the way: comedian Chris Rock is probably my favorite comedian of all time. When I was 14 in 1999 and although my mother was initially against it, she eventually caved and let me buy Chris Rock's hit comedy album "Bigger & Blacker," and it's probably my favorite spoken-word/comedy album. When I heard that Rock was going to be behind a semi-autobiographical show about his early life growing up in Brooklyn, New York, I got all giddy with excitement.

Somehow or another, I watched the first episode of "Everybody Hates Chris" when it first debuted, and I immediately thought it was hilarious, and then somehow or another I never watched another episode for five years. Recently I've been continually watching re-runs of the show on various different cable stations (BET, Nickleodeon, UPN 20) and I have no idea why I never watched this show again after its 2005 debut.

Rock narrates "Everybody Hates Chris" and co-created it with Ali LeRoi, which is centered around his childhood growing up in Brooklyn in the mid-1980s with father Julius (Terry Crews), mother Rochelle (Tichina Arnold), younger brother Drew (Tequan Richmond), and younger sister Tanya (Imani Hakim). As a teenager (played by Tyler James Williams), Chris is the only black student at Corleone Junior High School and is also its most hated student. His daily quest for survival at Corleone includes having to deal with racist bullies, culturally illiterate teachers, and an ineffective administration. His only friend is a nerdy classmate named Greg (Vincent Martella). Hilarity quickly ensues.

"Everybody Hates Chris" is an entertaining and funny show that manages to be both incredibly funny and have some valuable life lessons about growing up. But one of the great things about watching the show is that it manages to maintain a balance in being suitable entertainment for both children and adults. Rock's narration is also quite biting, smart, funny, and instantly reminds fans of his usual stand-up routine and why he was once proclaimed the "funniest man in America."

The show doesn't just fall on Chris, though. All of the supporting characters are given their own time and place in every episode to shine. Many of the supporting actors are well-chosen and are quite colorful themselves and provide many of the show's best and most additional laughs. A lot of today's shows don't really have that anymore.

"Everybody Hates Chris" is one of the funniest shows on television right now. And now you know why Everybody LOVES Chris.

10/10

Recalling his childhood experiences growing up in a black neighbourhood in Brooklyn, comedian Chris Rock narrates this comedy series. Growing up is never easy but in Chris' case it is even harder because he has to attend a 99% white school a long bus ride away; his father works two jobs and tries to save every single penny that comes his way; his mother is tough and domineering; his younger brother is cuter and more popular than him and his baby sister is pretty much his responsibility but takes every chance she gets to land him in trouble.

Along with "My Name is Earl" this sitcom landed in the UK being hailed by critics as the saviour of the sitcom in the US. As someone who has been left uninspired and bored by the bland flavour of Friends, Raymond, Just Shoot Me and countless other safe, studio-bound sitcoms this was an offer I couldn't turn down and I'm very glad to say that I wasn't disappointed. Taking liberties with reality is the great strength of the show as, seen through the eyes of a child, it is twisted and blessed with imaginative touches and asides. The basic plots generally avoid easy sentimentality and as a result it is a much more convincing sitcom world than the all-white, all-middle-class worlds of the majority of comedies, which generally leave me feeling like they exist in no world I have ever seen. The sibling squabbling, penny-pinching, fighting and conflicts are all much more realistic and the fact that the plots are rarely contrived makes them all the better. The simplicity of them would be a problem though, but this is where the asides and narration come in, because they both inject outlandish laughs and wit into the material.

The cast are generally pretty good. Rock's narration is hardly his best material but he delivers it well, although ironically the biggest laughs are on the screen, not in his dialogue. Williams does a great job as the young Chris; he is likable, convincing and fun – really able to carry the show to the point that he makes it look easy. Crews is really well cast and I enjoyed his character a great deal. Arnold dominates the best lines with a character that is always skating close to being a bit of racial caricature but she keeps in the realm of character (just about) with a good performance. Richmond is solid but has the least to do on a regular basis. Hakim is a very simple, finger-snapping cliché but my God is she funny, she reminds me of a similar girl I know who has a very similar background and character, so from that all I can say is that she is convincing and realistic. The direction is good and visually the series feels like it is set in a real world rather than a studio – the streets are real, the classrooms feel real and the family home itself feels very real. The selection of music is generally very good (and well used) and the sense of period is well judged. Needless to say, the lack of canned laughter was only ever going to be a massive plus point.

Overall a consistently amusing sitcom that mixes imaginative touches with down-to-earth tales of growing up to good effect. Mostly it avoids sentimentality and this is to its benefit because it takes away the bad taste that I often got with stuff like Friends etc. The cast are roundly good and the material is consistently funny and engaging. Well worth a look and head & shoulders about the standard set by other sitcoms.

I love this series! At first, my friend told me that it's the visualisation of Chris Rock's stand up comedies. It got me thinking if it's still going to be as funny as what I listened. But yeah it is. It delivers and delivers well indeed.

Let me break down what's so good about Everybody Hates Chris: The fantasy scenes. Most of them are taken from Chris Rock's thought that he performed in his stand ups. Obviously the one that finally got made in the series are the tame ones. However I like this feature because normally in the sitcoms, they just talk about it, not really showing the funny possibilities it ala the Simpsons or Family Guy. Although it take out some of the funny point that you have while imagining it, but so far Everybody Hates Chris shows the funniest non-cartoon fantasy scenes on TV.

A black comedy which is not that black. Without being racist, this comedy is not that 'black' I mean everybody can watch it, enjoy it, and relate to it. I don't think Everybody Hates Chris only applies to a specific race group. I am an Oriental dude and I still laughed my ass off watching the show.

A black comedy which is not being white. Now this is very important. Remember the Cosby Show, anyone? But I just think that it's too white, similar to Fresh Prince from Bel Air. Those shows were kind of like white people's comedy, but they have black actors. Without being racist again, the series shows a natural and honest look of African American family, where the father is not a doctor or a lawyer. They barely made the end's meet, not living in a house with ten bedrooms. But above all they are happy.

Chris Rock as the narrator did a great job in connecting the show with us in this time period. Many of his comments are showing the results of the trends or what happened in the period that affects popular culture in our period. For examples are the many hip hop references Chris narrated.

The soundtracks are awesome. The songs are in the same time period when the show is supposed to be set.

The kid's expression. The kid actors in the series are top-notch. They act naturally and I love their expressions. They seem to be innocent and their faces show a willingness to learn and to know new things, which are very typical kids' reaction to the new stuffs they experience.

Everybody Hates Chris is a great sit-com. If My Name is Earl is a great sit-com about white-redneck Americans living in a small town, Everybody Hates Chris does the same thing about African American living in a big city.

This show is amazing, I love it the cast is perfect. I love the comedy, and Terry Crews and Tichina Arnold were perfect in their roles

In the United States, maybe this series doesn't have so many fans, or at the same it is not so recognized, but for us Brazilians born in 90 / 00, this series is remarkable and special, the voice actors did an excellent job and brings a lot of funny dialogues, the situations that Chris and his family go through is a bit of a portrait of Brazil, Rochelle and Julius represent the fathers and mothers of Brazilians very well, that is, all this generates a great identification with the series.

Seriously, there are countless number of jokes, funny situations, unforgettable characters, present in this series.

As I said before, for those from the United States, they may not identify as much as we Brazilians do.

In addition, the series sets the season portrayed very well, both in the clothes, as in the music, haircuts, scenarios and etc. Not to mention the references to the Godfather (the name of Chris' schools) and the final scene inspired by the Sopranos.

This short-lived show based on Chris Rock's adolescence is underrated and talked about far less than it should be among sitcoms of all time. The casting is impeccable, the characters are relatable, and the storylines are spot-on takes on the 1980s that hold up firmly today.

Is a tv show about Chris Rock's childhood,the highlight of this series are the jokes, reference and funny scenes like Chris's father dressed in batman, the set's scenery really looks like the 80's brooklyn, and it shows the life of chris mainly his problems, the whole cast acts well with great performance, but teery crews stand out more, the series has many more good episodes than bad, the adventures of chris with greg really draws smiles and laughter, where they get into various problems and challenges of adolescence, the strongest point of the series is from season 2 and 3, and a series that really needs attention and good indication to be watched.

I'm in the same wavelentht with Chris, being 40 and busing to my own "Corleone JHS" mines was Brooklyn's Hudde JHS. In reality the crap that Chris would have endured would have been between 1978~80. The racial tension was heavier then. My 14 y/o son enjoys the show and so do I. Why do I think they chose to use 1982 as the main time line? Is because before 82' nothing was really going on in sense of music and fashion. We were more into the funky wear and funky music like the Commadores. Chris does a great job reminding us of what Brooklyn was like. I hope it stays on for awhile.

Do or Die Bed Sty! :)

When I was in the seventh and eighth grade, if someone were to have told me that Chris Rock was an awkward teenager who was unpopular in school, got picked on, and had little luck with women, I would have thought that someone was crazy. The truth was, during my junior high years, Chris Rock was just becoming nationally known for his raunchy stand-up, and a lot of kids in my class really liked his act and would repeat it verbatim. I still think Chris Rock is funny, but I never knew this other self-conscious side to him which is exhibited brilliantly by actor Tyler James Williams.

"Everybody Hates Chris" is an excellent show which, despite going into its fourth season, is still highly underrated. It's just as funny as "30 Rock" and "The Office", the sitcoms which are probably the most talked about these days. It also has been nominated for two Emmys and one Golden Globe, none of which were awarded for acting or even screen writing. That surprises me because not only is this show very funny, but it has a lot of heart to it. I see the show as a brilliant combination of elements of "Seinfeld", "Good Times", "The Wonder Years", "Scrubs", "All In The Family", and "Parker Lewis".

My adolescence was not identical to Rock's. I didn't grow up in the city, and I come from an upper middle class family with one brother. I also didn't get beat up a lot in school, but I had some troubles with grades, I was terrible with women, and I felt alienated on more than one occasion. Seeing this show, I could identify with some of those feelings, and a lot of the laughter that comes from the show comes from familiarity. That also includes some of the family situations, particularly when the mother is involved.

Tichina Arnold really needs to be nominated for an Emmy, because she is the glue that holds this show together. She is just incredibly funny, and her scenes always have a degree of poignancy. Terry Crews is also very good as Chris's father Julius, but from what I know about Rock in real life, I have the feeling that Crews' portrayal is a little bit sugarcoated.

Of course, if you're looking for historical accuracy in this show, you're not likely to find it. For instance, while Chris Rock has two siblings on the show, in real life he has seven including a half-brother. While Chris on the show was 13 by the time 1982 rolled around, the real Chris Rock was born in 1965, and would have been 17 around that time. Why Rock chose to have the series take place in the early 80's based on that fact, I don't know. It works though, and not just for nostalgic reasons.

Last but not least, this show is among the only ones whose narration really adds to the story, rather than making up for what the filmmakers declined to film. Chris Rock proves from narrating here that he's funny even when he's not swearing, and he makes some hilarious comparisons to modern life in juxtaposition to the early 80's.

"Everybody Hates Chris" is the CW's first sitcom that really has crossover potential, which I believe it has somewhat achieved. Its popularity has waned somewhat during the last few years only because of it being switched from Thursday night to Monday night to Sunday night to Friday night to wherever it is at the moment. It's not canceled yet, and I hope there are at least two more years worth of episodes which find their way onto DVD. If you have not seen an episode of this show, look it up and watch it. I highly recommend it!

I think the tittle can work as an review but here is my honest opinion about this show. It's really likeable show. I liked the way how Chris presented his world to us. But we all know that there should be atleast one more season for this show to be complete.

I remember coming home every day after middle school (around 2008-2010) and me and my best friend would call eachother and watch this show! We had the biggest crush on Drew! Rewatching this as an adult, I laugh 10x more than I did as a kid. The writing and comedic timing is impeccable. I specifically came here to credit how the show would ALWAYS end in the perfect "Everybody hates Chris" moment. No matter how hopeful you were that he'd finally get a happy ending, SOMEHOW something would come at the end and we got the "Everybody Hates Chris". It's so easy to start watching this show and finish it beginning to end. I really wished we had more Black shows with good representation like this one. It's really the last of an era and it's heartbreaking. Where's the proud family's, family matters, fresh princes, everybody hates chris's, of this generation? They're all gone...

Seriously how is this only a 7/10? This is much better than the garbage we have to watch today. I use to watch this as a kid all the time don't know anyone who hated at the time even tho the title was "Everybody hates Chris"! I mean it had Chris Rock in it as the directer-arguably one of the funniest comedians ever to live. The story was brilliant based around a 13 year old Chris (representing Chris rock when he was a child) who is poor has to live in a poor area of Brooklyn with his 2 younger siblings Tacha and drew along with his two hardworking parents. What really made the progamme stand out was Julius the father of the family played as Terry crews. He played his part so diligently that it made it believable that hulk sized Terry Crew is indeed a poor man working 2 jobs to keep his family surviving. What makes this a classic and up there with the greats i. e Fresh prince of belair, Friends etc. is the laughter. Everybody Hates Chris was simply always funny to watch. Every episode had more unique laughter to bring. So if you didn't get to witness this brilliant show like I did then get watching ASAP wherever it be online illegally! or buying the box-set or maybe You tubing for some episodes.

I love this series and as I now don't possess a TV am waiting for that well known download shop to load it for sale. It perfectly sums up life in the 70's and although I'm English I come from a similar background. Love the fact that it's not afraid to shock sometimes in its narration . My favourite character is Chris' mum, a good disciplinarian but fair as well. We need more like her today. Chris Rock gets a lot of stick in his stand-up for being basically honest and direct, however that's what's missing these days. This is a piece of TV genius. Finally Chris if you ever log on - FABULOUS SOUNDTRACK!!! You managed to pick the best soul tracks of the 70's well done!

I was glad I watched Everybody Hates Chris last year. I remember when it was first released and I did not make time to catch it on TV but thanks to the wonders of streaming, I was able to enjoy the series. I also realise now how good the show is.

Good marks for the writing, humour and performances from the cast. Over the episodes I grew fond of this lovely family. I loved seeing their bickering and the close moments as well. The chemistry is strong and they are very believable as a close-knit and highly strung family who tries to make ends meet.

I found myself flying through the episdoes because I enjoyed watching it so much. This show is truly a hidden gem and a real hit.