"Everybody Hates Chris" might be the story of comic Chris Rock's childhood, but Rock has never actually appeared on the show other than as narrator. That changes tonight in the season premiere of the show on the CW. Rock plays a school guidance counselor in the episode and will advise the television version of his younger self.
Tichina Arnold, who plays Chris' mother on the series, told me recently that she thinks this could be the year that the show gets more notice: "We're in our third season which I'm very proud of. We were thrown by the wayside for a second but we're finding out way and I think this third season is definitely gonna prove it."
Most of that being thrown by the wayside was due to the merger of the old WB and UPN networks into the single network CW. "Chris" and some of the other established UPN sitcoms got shuffled around, making it difficult for the audience to keep track of.
Arnold, who previously co-starred opposite Martin Lawrence in his FOX sitcom "Martin," wants people to know that if they haven't seen "Chris" up until now,"they're missing a wonderful show. It's actually the only family [sitcom] that is on the networks right now. It's great being different in that regard. Our show, we kind of stay in our little box. It's done in a specific time and during a sepcific decade and we're having fun in terms of just pushing the envelope this season, doing more outlandish things and more outrageous things. More flashbacks and fantasies."
"This is a season I'm very proud of. Please watch!"