Non-subscribers can watch Lena Waithe Chicago drama

The season two premiere of Lena Waithe drama The Chi is available for free viewing online, ahead of its linear debut Sunday, April 7 on Showtime. Waithe created the show, a coming-of-age story set on the South Side of Chicago, and executive produces it.

The premiere is on YouTube and Sho.com, and on demand through various subscription TV providers. It is also available for free on Showtime.com.

Season two of The Chi will spotlight the ambitious plan by Brandon (Jason Mitchell) to make his food truck a success, while navigating the class differences with his girlfriend Jerrika (Tiffany Boone). Emmett (Jacob Latimore) will encounter bumps and bruises as he makes an effort to grow up and get custody of his son, guided by his mother Jada (Yolonda Ross), who is discovering a new life of her own. Kevin (Alex Hibbert) reckons with the trauma of what he has experienced, as he strengthens the bonds with his buddies, Papa (Shamon Brown Jr.) and Jake (Michael Epps), whose older brother Reg (Barton Fitzpatrick) exposes Jake to lessons in street survival.

An imprisoned Ronnie (Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine) will attempt to come to terms with killing Brandon’s brother and reclaim his life, while Detective Cruz (Armando Riesco) launches a new investigation.

Ayanna Floyd Davis is executive producer and showrunner for season two. Waithe, Common, Floyd Davis and Aaron Kaplan are executive producers, along with Rick Famuyiwa, and Derek Dudley and Shelby Stone of Freedom Road Productions.

The Chi is produced by Fox 21 Television Studios.