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It looks like long-canceled sitcoms are streaming platforms’ flavor of the summer, with another one just recently brought to Prime Video. Sitcom fans have been spoiled in recent months with the addition of The Bernie Mac Show, Shrill, Married with Children, and more, all added to various streamers. And now, another sitcom that ended nearly two decades ago has been added to the mix—and it’s sure to start raking in those high viewership numbers, especially when considering how popular it was while it was airing on cable. And now, you can catch all four seasons streaming on Prime Video.
From the mind of Chris Rock, who also produces and narrates the series, came Everybody Hates Chris, an autobiographical sitcom about the early years of the comedian’s life in 1980s Brooklyn. It centers on a young man named Chris who is just trying to get through school while surrounded by his wildly eccentric family. It’s got a stacked cast attached to it, with Terry Crews, Tyler James Williams, and Imani Hakim all playing main roles. It still holds critical acclaim status, with critics rating the series 96%—a score that matches its audience rating. And while it touched on serious issues, it did so in a way that left room for the comedy to remain throughout, without making light of them.
Everybody Hates Chris is a Genuine Sitcom Gem
Not all sitcoms are created equal. Everybody Hates Chris is definitely one of the better ones, especially if you ask critics and casual viewers. It’s both poignant and funny, relatable and ridiculous, and it manages not to fall prey to what most other shows of its time did: punching down on characters for the sake of laughs. “This warmhearted series is a prime example of how to take serious issues and approach them in a humorous yet thought-provoking way,” says critic Marjorie Kase. There’s also something about the show that feels timeless, which helps it maintain a sense of relatability even as the years continue to pass since its initial debut, and something that not many series seem to be capable of.
Casual viewers think that the show is painfully underrated, and there’s hope that its addition to Prime Video will get it some more current love. The family, while exaggerated, feels like a family, and that alone made it worth watching for some viewers. One viewer said, “Everybody Hates Chris continues with his high-paced humor mixed with real life, masterfully tackling some delicate subjects.” And that pretty succinctly sums up why this show has managed to maintain such a fanbase, even nearly two decades after its initial release.
Will you be binging Everybody Hates Chris now that it’s streaming on Prime Video? Do you have a favorite episode? Let us know in the comments. And don’t forget to check out the forum to see what other fans are saying about the show.
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