There’s a certain allure surrounding episodes set almost exclusively in one location, thus bringing together all the characters.
Maybe it is the anticipation of all the drama, and one expects it to be juicy.
It was the case in The Chi Season 6 Episode 3 when Emmett and Keisha invited everyone and their friends to the housewarming party, and a lot went down.
We will do a deep dive into it all, so if you’re yet to get caught up on the episode, beware of spoilers.
Otherwise, let’s get started.
The hour was Keisha and Emmett-centric, and their relationship has always been interesting to watch with all the nuances it entails.
They had grown up together, and each knew the other person inside out, but just like everyone else, they had grown. They were not the carefree kids we met six years ago.
They had moved up in the world, and the trappings were in the business Emmett owned, the career Keisha had, and the house they had built together with the hopes of making a home out of it.
Keisha: So, how was your talk with Lamar?
Emmett: It was kind of weird.
Keisha: Yeah. Me and Malaysia don’t have anything in common anymore. She just kept asking how much we paid for this house.
Emmett: Niggas be nosy.
Keisha: I feel bad, but I see why we don’t talk. Just don’t care about the same things, you know?
Emmett: And my guys still what they was when we were in high school. It’s like we can’t relate to each other no more.
Keisha: Who knew moving up in the world we have to leave people behind?
It was a happy occasion to gather with their friends and family, and the party was fun. The DJ knew what he was doing, and the food was delicious.
Everyone was there to celebrate, and Keisha and Emmett were happy for them. Still, there’s a thing about people where even in whatever setting we find ourselves in and the mindset we conjure for that setting, we can never escape our problems and fears.
Just like the guests on vacation in The White Lotus couldn’t leave their baggage behind, everyone at Emmett’s party had some issues.
Let’s do the hosts the honor of beginning with them.
Emmett had been around in Chicago, and for anyone with doubts, he had four children by four different women. Keisha loves Emmett, but she doesn’t trust him.
And she is right in holding back her trust because Emmett had never been the best decision-maker. He chases temporary highs, and that is never good for anyone.
When Nina brought up some issues that might arise from this union, it was like a personification of Keisha’s conscience and a confirmation of what she’d been wrestling with.
Nina: Well, just keep in mind you’re raising kids now. Three of which aren’t even yours.
Keisha: I know.
Nina: And buying a house? Big commitment. Especially when you’re buying it with someone you’re not married to.
Keisha: I know.
Nina: If you two separate, even Judge Judy won’t hear you.
Keisha: We’re not separating, and we’re not going on Judge Judy.
Nina: You say that now.
Keisha: Ma, please
Nina: I just want what’s best for you, Keisha.
Keisha: I know.
Nina: OK. If you’re happy, I’m happy.
Keisha: I’m happy.
Nina: If you say so.
Nina might not have been a perfect mom, but she tried to guide her kids in the right direction. A parent’s job never ends; even when they leave the nest, they’ll always need your guidance.
There is a displacement of young men in society today because multiple generations are caught between the past and the present.
There has developed a vacuum that gender roles used to occupy, and many young men don’t know how to approach things anymore.
As with the case when a vacuum develops, someone or something will rise to occupy the space and maintain a balance or a semblance of, and in young men’s case, it’s the manosphere.
Shaad: Hi. Ain’t you that nigga from IG?
Nigga from IG: Yeah, it’s a lot of us.
Shaad: Hey, man, I’d love to get some of your advice. You know, I’m saying something one-on-one
Nigga from IG: Cashapp is in the bio, bro.
Shaad: I’m kind of low on cash right now, so…
Nigga from IG: Damn, I’m kind of low on advice. Nice meeting you, though.
The Chi Season 5 dived into the manosphere topic in depth, showcasing the absurdity of the trendy red pill influencers’ laughable advice to young men.
Emmett was lucky not to have sunk into that pit. The manosphere lives on, and it has come for Shaad.
Shaad, as mentioned in The Chi Season 6 Episode 1 review, occupies a unique position in the current society. He is unequipped to deal with modern situations requiring a specific awareness of society’s functions. Consequently, he can be taken advantage of easily.
The manosphere tries to recreate the distant past where the patriarchy was in absolute power, so to do that, they have to find a boogeyman. They try to paint all women as the enemy of heterosexual men even though it’s wired into heterosexual men to be attracted to women.
Cognitive dissonance arises in their spirits and can lead to a massive emotional crisis.
Shaad had a brush with a manosphere proponent, and I hope we don’t lose him.
The party’s highlight was Douda Perry (dis)gracing the event with his presence.
He brought Emmett a housewarming gift which turned out to be a brand-new gun, and what the actual f*ck?
A gun in a house is a bad idea. A gun in a home with children is an awful idea. A not-so-fun fact is that gun-related deaths have been the leading cause of death in children in the US for at least the last three years.
Emmett’s conscience warned him that having a gun in the house was a terrible idea, but remember something about his not making the best decisions?
Darnell stepped up, making me think it was never too late. One can never make up for the time they were absent in their children’s lives, but they will always be needed whenever they step up.
Darnell had never been in Emmett’s life in his formative years, and he admitted to feeling like he had let his son down. He might have been overcompensating when he confronted Douda, but he at least did something.
On a lighter note, Jaida spent the entire party talking to young men, and I thought she was back on her old habits. It was such a considerate thing to do to try and find Tracy a man, but she might have overstepped a bit.
Before someone can become comfortable with another person, they must be comfortable alone, and that’s the journey Tracy is on.
Parenting conflicted when Keisha heard one of Emmett’s children curse, and it threatened to blow up the fragile harmony in Keisha, Tiff, and Emmett’s fragile relationship.
It must have felt incredibly frustrating to Keisha when it felt like she was the only one doing all the heavy lifting but talking about it helped. Even if it didn’t happen instantly, Tiff later saw the point.
Rob was on a mission to find Q’s killer and seemed to be barking up the right tree. How this shakes out is anyone’s guess, but we’ll be here to find out.
Papa made a great impression on Kenya and earned himself a date. How he handled that situation was honestly impressive because, in his position, I would be dragging a hungry man out of Smokeys.
As the party ended, Keisha made a new friend after an attempt to rekindle an old friendship hit the wall.
Victor asked Fatima to move in, as he considered a serious future with her.
Elsewhere still, Lynae took a stand on her and Bakari’s relationship but softened in the end. Giving people some grace is good, but it also runs out. Will hers run out before Bakari drags her into a permanent mess?
Lynae: How much you trying to save?
Bakari: Enough to get off Papa’s couch?
Lynae: How much longer?
Bakari: I don’t know.
Lynae: That’s not a good answer.
The Chi continues to explore impactful stories, and “House Party” was another step in the right direction.
What did you think? Let us know in the comments section.
Denis Kimathi is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. He has watched more dramas and comedies than he cares to remember. Catch him on social media obsessing over [excellent] past, current, and upcoming shows or going off about the politics of representation on TV. Follow him on Twitter.