Everybody Hates Chris is an American TV sitcom that humorously portrays the challenging teenage years of comedian Chris Rock in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City. The series is set from 1982 to 1987, although Rock’s actual teenage years were from 1978 to 1983. A significant influence on the show was Rock’s childhood friend, Kenny Montero, whom Rock credits in many interviews as a major inspiration for his comedic career. The show’s title is a playful twist on the popular CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, with Rock humorously noting, “Everybody Loves Raymond, but Everybody Hates Chris!” The main cast includes Tyler James Williams, Terry Crews, Tichina Arnold, Tequan Richmond, Imani Hakim, and Vincent Martella.

In 2008, The CW network shifted Everybody Hates Chris and The Game to the less favorable Friday night time slot. The fourth season debuted on Friday, October 3, 2008, at 8:00 PM Eastern/7:00 PM Central. On May 21, 2009, The CW announced the cancellation of Everybody Hates Chris. Before this announcement, Rock had mentioned that the conclusion of the fourth season aligned with his own life story—leaving high school to pursue comedy—and that it was an appropriate time to wrap up the series.