Showtime(R) Releases Season Premiere of Hit Drama Series “The Chi” and Premiere of New Comedy Series “Flatbush Misdemeanors” Early for Free [VIDEO]

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SHOWTIME has released the upcoming premiere episodes of its hit drama series THE CHI, currently in its fourth season, and new comedy series FLATBUSH MISDEMEANORS for free online sampling, on streaming platforms, and on-demand. The season three premiere of the comedy series BLACK MONDAY will also be available for free sampling beginning Sunday, May 23. The premiere episodes will be available on YouTube, Showtime.com, and Sho.com, as well as across multiple SHOWTIME partner platforms. Season four of THE CHI, Season three of BLACK MONDAY, and the debut season of FLATBUSH MISDEMEANORS will officially premiere on SHOWTIME on Sunday, May 23.

Created and executive produced by Emmy(R) winner Lena Waithe (Twenties, Boomerang) and executive produced by Academy Award(R), Emmy and Golden Globe(R) winner Common (Selma), THE CHI is a timely coming-of-age story centering on a group of residents on the South Side of Chicago who becomes linked by coincidence but bonded by the need for connection and redemption.

This season will look at the wide-ranging effects of policing in the Black community after Jake (Michael V. Epps) has a fateful run-in with a group of officers. Newlyweds Emmett (Jacob Latimore) and Tiff (guest star Hannaha Hall) deal with the repercussions of his affair with Dom (guest star La La Anthony). Kiesha (Birgundi Baker) grapples with her pregnancy, while Jada (Yolonda Ross) finds love where she least expects. The relationship between Kevin (Alex Hibbert) and Jemma (guest star Judaea Brown) takes a turn, and Papa (Shamon Brown Jr.) launches a new venture. New mayor Douda (Curtiss Cook) harnesses his newfound power while navigating his complicated relationship with his wife Roselyn (guest star Kandi Burruss).

Meanwhile, Trig (Luke James) and Imani (guest star Jasmine Davis) are on a personal mission to help their community. Season four guest stars also include Tabitha Brown (Princess of the Row) as Octavia, a successful interior designer who crosses paths with Kiesha; Jason Weaver (Smart Guy, ATL) as Rashaad “Shaad” Marshall, an old friend of Trig’s struggling to rebuild his life; Vic Mensa as Jamal, whose fight to get help for his family places him at odds with Trig and Tracy (guest star Tai Davis); and Da Brat, who plays LaPorsha, a truck driver whose arrival in town will impact the Williams family. Cook and James were upped to series regulars this season. In addition to Waithe and Common, Aaron Kaplan (A Million Little Things, The Neighborhood), Rick Famuyiwa (Dope), Derek Dudley and Shelby Stone of Freedom Road Productions, Rishi Rajani, president of Hillman Grad Productions, and showrunner Justin Hillian serve as executive producers for season four. Produced entirely in its namesake city, THE CHI is produced by 20th Television.

New half-hour comedy FLATBUSH MISDEMEANORS, created and written by Kevin Iso (High Fidelity) and Dan Perlman (That’s My Bus!), who both star, is a raw comedy of city life following Dan and Kevin, who play characters struggling to thrive in their new surroundings in Flatbush, Brooklyn.

The show explores two long-time friends seeking to climb out of their heads and connect with others. For their work writing, directing, and starring in the shorts that form the foundation of the series, Iso and Perlman won Best North American Short Film at the London Film Festival, with the first installment becoming Oscar(R) qualified following a Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Short at the Florida Film Festival.

As with the original shorts, many of the roles will be cast with actors from Brooklyn or the Flatbush neighborhood, including Kristin Dodson (The Shivering Truth), in the role of Zayna, one of Dan’s outspoken high school students, Hassan Johnson (The Wire) as Drew, a bold and direct man whose demands come into conflict with the livelihoods of both Kevin and Dan and Kareem Green as Kareem, Dan’s new stepdad and self-appointed, an unwanted guide to Flatbush. FLATBUSH MISDEMEANORS is a co-production by SHOWTIME and Avalon (Breeders, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver), which act as lead studio in adapting Iso and Perlman’s digital series of the same name. The series is executive produced by Perlman and Iso, Nastaran Dibai (Dear White People) who serves as showrunner, Justin Tipping (Twenties) who directs the pilot, and Richard Allen-Turner, Jon Thoday, David Martin and Chloe Pisello for Avalon.

BLACK MONDAY, starring, and executive produced by Emmy nominee and Golden Globe winner Don Cheadle, is a comedy about a motley crew of underdogs who caused the worst stock market crash in the history of Wall Street. BLACK MONDAY also stars two-time Tony Award nominee and Grammy(R) winner Andrew Rannells (Girls) and Regina Hall (Little, Girls Trip), who serve as producers, Paul Scheer (Veep) and Casey Wilson (Happy Endings). Things are looking up for our motley crew as season three grooves into the ’90s. Mo (Cheadle) dips into the music business with the launch of KokoMo Co Records. But the crown jewel in his new venture, Nomi (guest star Adrienne Wells), a self-possessed young talent with the voice to prove it, might be too hot to handle.

Meanwhile, Dawn (Hall) is serving her sentence and herself by exploiting her business savvy behind bars. Freshman Congressman Blair (Rannells), a guppy navigating shark-filled political waters, is aided by his equally ambitious new Young Republican handler Werner (guest star Thomas Barbusca). Keith (Scheer) is morphing, literally and figuratively, into a lost Leighman Brother, while the red-hot success of Skants is catapulting Tiff (Casey Wilson) to mega-moguldom. But all their happy days are numbered when it’s revealed that a killer is lurking among them. As the body count climbs and the threats multiply, our band of traitorous traders will be running for cover before margin call. And how do jazz, drag queens, corndogs, and fart closets factor into it?! A co-production between SHOWTIME and Sony Pictures Television, the series is created by showrunners and executive producers David Caspe (Happy Endings) and Jordan Cahan (My Best Friend’s Girl). Emmy nominees Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (Good Boys, The Boys) executive produce.