Everybody Hates Chris is an American tv show that depicts the troubled teenage experiences
of comedian Chris Rock while growing up in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City.
The show is set between 1982 and 1987, but Rock himself was a teenager between 1978 and
1983.
Rock grew up with a boy named Kenny Montero, whom he has often referred to as the inspiration
for a lot of the episodes.
In many of his interviews, Rock has described Montero as the reason he got into comedy in
the first place.
The show's title parodies the hit CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond.
The show's lead actors are Tyler James Williams, Terry Crews, Tichina Arnold, Tequan Richmond,
Imani Hakim, and Vincent Martella.
In 2008, the The CW moved Everybody Hates Chris and The Game to the Friday night death
slot.
The fourth season of the series premiered Friday, October 3, 2008, at 8:00PM Eastern/7:00PM
Central.
On May 21, 2009, The CW announced that it had cancelled Everybody Hates Chris.
Prior to this, Rock announced that the end of season 4 matched up with his own past—dropping
out of high school to become a comedian—and that it was time to end the show.
Characters
Plot summary
The series revolves around the experiences of Chris living in 1980s Brooklyn in the neighborhood
of Bedford-Stuyvesant with his ill-tempered, loud, easily-paranoid mother Rochelle; lucky,
admired, idolized younger brother Drew; cheap, workaholic father Julius, and spoiled, deceptive
younger sister Tonya; all of whom domineer him in some way.
As opposed to the popularity and unlimited fortune and charm possessed by his brother,
Chris's life is plagued by an abundance of disadvantages; he is mercilessly harassed
by his bullying, racially-prejudiced schoolmates, the material items of his desires often cannot
be purchased easily, his home life is often unpleasant, his grades in school are poor,
he is avoided by girls, and resides in an environment populated partially by gangsters,
muggers, thieves, and con artists.
Despite this, he is also commonly assisted by his almost-as unpopular, geeky, white,
only friend Greg in accomplishing goals that he frequently sets for himself such as being
elected class president or earning the money to purchase his desires, although episodes
normally end with more misfortune and unhappiness for Chris as his plans often may backfire
on him somehow or end with him receiving harsh discipline or a scolding from his mother,
after which the chorus will sing, "Everybody Hates Chris..."
Reception Everybody Hates Chris received critical acclaim.
The American Film Institute selected Everybody Hates Chris as one of the best 10 television
series of 2007, stating that the show "provides a very real look at growing up in America
— a challenge that demands a discussion of race and class often absent from television
today."
Everybody Hates Chris was named one of the Best School Shows of All Time by AOL TV.
[Common Sense Media]'s Marjorie Kase and Shanel Walker & Emily Kofoed gave the show 4 stars,
and said it was "a prime example of how to take serious issues and approach them in a
humorous yet thought-provoking way.
The series is innovative, funny, and stereotype-defying -- enjoyable for teens and their parents."
Broadcast history U.S. broadcast history
UPN September 2005 – May 2006: Thursdays 8:00
PM/7:00 PM The CW
October 1, 2006 – October 8, 2006: Sundays 7:00 PM/6:00 PM
October 16, 2006 – March 2008: Mondays 8:00 PM/7:00 PM
March 2008 – May 2008: Sundays 8:00 PM/7:00 PM
October 2008 – November 2008: Fridays 8:00 PM/7:00 PM
December 2008 – May 2009: Sundays 5:00 PM/4:00 PM
September 2009 – present: syndication Nickelodeon
Weekdays – 9:00PM & 9:30PM / 3:00AM & 3:30AM TeenNick
Weekdays – 11:00PM & 11:30PM / 3:00AM BET
Weekdays – 8:00AM & 8:30AM / 4:00PM & 4:30PM Up weekdays at 11:00 and 11:30
Nielsen ratings Syndication
The show airs regularly on broadcast TV during the week.
The show was launched on September 7, 2009 on Nick at Nite, becoming the youngest syndicated
show on the channel, beating George Lopez.
The series has since expanded from Nick at Nite, and has joined sister network, TeenNick,
with the first run from July 18, 2011 to August 15, 2011.
It currently airs on TeenNick weekdays in the 11 PM EST hour.
The show also airs weekdays on BET.
The show also airs Monday to Friday on YTV, at 12:00 AM.
MTV2 also airs episodes of the show, usually in the early morning hours.
Currently, it now airs on TV One.
International broadcast history Everybody Hates Chris is broadcast on the
following stations around the world: Awards
Everybody Hates Chris won a NAACP Image Award for its writing in 2007.
It has also been nominated for many Golden Globe and Emmy Awards.
In December 2008, Entertainment Weekly lists the Kwanzaa episode from this show as seventh
on the magazine's "Must List: 10 Holiday Things We Love."
Awards and nominations Boldface type indicates a win.
Golden Globes 2006 – Best Television Series – Musical
or Comedy Emmy Awards
2009 – Outstanding Cinematography for a Half-Hour Series – Darrian Jones for episode
"Everybody Hates Back Talk" 2006 – Outstanding Cinematography for a
Single-Camera Series – Mark Doering-Powell for episode "Everybody Hates Funerals."
2006 – Outstanding Costumes for a Series – Kendra Long & Laura Haas for episode "Everybody
Hates The Pilot" Writers Guild of America
2006 – New Series Young Artist Awards
2006 – Best Family Television Series 2006 – Best Performance in a TV Series –
Leading Young Actor – Tyler James Williams 2006 – Best Performance in a TV Series –
Supporting Young Actor – Vincent Martella 2008 – Best Performance in a TV Series –
Leading Young Actor – Tyler James Williams 2008 – Best Performance in a TV Series –
Supporting Young Actor – Vincent Martella Television Critics Association Awards
2006 – Outstanding Achievement in Comedy 2006 – Outstanding New Program of the Year
Teen Choice Awards 2006 – TV – Choice Actor: Comedy –
Tyler James Williams 2006 – TV – Choice Actress: Comedy –
Tichina Arnold 2006 – TV – Choice Breakout Show
2006 – TV – Choice Comedy/Musical Show 2006 – TV – Choice Parental Unit –
Tichina Arnold & Terry Crews 2006 – TV – Choice Sidekick – Vincent
Martella Image Awards
2010 – Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series – Tyler James Williams
2010 – Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series – Tichina Arnold
2010 – Outstanding Comedy Series 2010 – Outstanding Directing in a Comedy
Series – Ali LeRoi for episode "Everybody Hates the G.E.D."
2009 – Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series – Tyler James Williams
2009 – Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series – Terry Crews
2009 – Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series – Tichina Arnold
2009 – Outstanding Comedy Series 2009 – Outstanding Directing in a Comedy
Series – Ali LeRoi for episode "Everybody Hates Port Authority"
2008 – Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series – Ali LeRoi for episode "Everybody
Hates Guidance Counselor" 2008 – Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series –
Tyler James Williams 2008 – Outstanding Supporting Actor in
a Comedy Series – Terry Crews 2008 – Outstanding Actress in a Comedy
Series – Tichina Arnold 2008 – Outstanding Comedy Series
2008 – Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series – Ali LeRoi for episode "Everybody
Hates Baseball" 2008 – Outstanding Directing in a Comedy
Series – Millicent Shelton for episode "Everybody Hates the Substitute"
2007 – Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series – Tyler James Williams
2007 – Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series – Tichina Arnold
2007 – Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Terry Crews
2007 – Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Antonio Fargas
2007 – Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Whoopi Goldberg
2007 – Outstanding Comedy Series 2007 – Outstanding Directing in a Comedy
Series – Ali LeRoi for episode "Everybody Hates Elections"
2007 – Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series – Millicent Shelton for episode
"Everybody Hates Valentine's Day" 2006 – Outstanding Actress in a Comedy
Series – Tichina Arnold 2006 – Outstanding Comedy Series
2006 – Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series – Tyler James Williams
2006 – Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Terry Crews
2006 – Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series – Ken Whittingham
Environmental Media Awards 2008 – Episodic Comedy
Satellite Awards 2006 – Best Television Series, Comedy or
Musical People's Choice Awards
2006 – Favorite New Television Comedy Motion Picture Sound Editors
2006 – Best Sound Editing in Television Short Form – Dialogue and Automated Dialogue
Replacement – for episode "Everybody Hates Basketball"
2006 – Best Sound Editing in Television Short Form – Music – for episode "Everybody
Hates Halloween" DVD releases
Everybody Hates Chris has been released on Region 1 and Region 2, also available on the
iTunes Store.
See also
Malcolm in the Middle George Lopez
References
External links Everybody Hates Chris at the Internet Movie
Database Everybody Hates Chris at TV.com