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South Side

South Side

America's hardest working comedy.

2019–2022Ended3 seasons28 episodes~22 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

Two recent community-college graduates get stuck working at Rent-T-Own in the Chicago neighborhood of Englewood and work to achieve their entrepreneurial dreams.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch South Side?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists South Side streaming on HBO Max and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

Rent / Buy

BuyBuy

Highlights

What stands out about South Side?

South Side earns 8 badges, led by Universally Loved and Top 10% of shows.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is South Side worth watching?

South Side's Midcredits score is the 90th percentile of all shows, from 2.7K ratings across 2 sources. 89% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

90th percentile

Better received than 90% of shows

89th percentile among Comedy90th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)85th
Approval (how many liked it)91st

Acclaim

Universally Loved: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

79 /100

85th percentile of all shows

86th percentile among Comedy84th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

89% liked it

91st percentile of all shows

90th percentile among Comedy90th percentile among 2010s
89% rated it 7–1011% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

70th percentile

2.7K ratings across platforms

55th percentile among Comedy73rd percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 36% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The show is a fast-paced, character-driven comedy set in Chicago's South Side, with a tone that's silly and irreverent.

Fans praised

  • Hilarious, fast-paced joke delivery with rapid-fire editing
  • Strong ensemble cast and authentic Chicago setting and details
  • Smart, witty writing with layered characters and improvisational energy

Detractors panned

  • Not actually funny despite the hype
  • Season 2 decline into gross-out, try-hard humor
  • Choppy editing and underdeveloped characters

What stands out

Atmosphere90

Authentic Chicago South Side setting with local landmarks and vibe

HumorDivisive88

Laugh-out-loud silly humor, but detractors find it unfunny

Dialogue88

Witty, quotable, and filled with Chicago references

Acting85

Ensemble praised for chemistry and improvisational skills

CharactersDivisive85

Quirky, layered characters but some underutilized

Originality85

Fresh take on workplace comedy with unique cultural perspective

Plot and story78

Situation-driven comedy with standalone arcs, but season 2 loses focus

PacingDivisive78

Fast and energetic in season 1, but later seasons criticized as choppy

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 14 points higher than men.

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 59 points higher than non-US viewers.

Episodes

3 seasons

Season 3 · 2022 · 8 episodes

  • S3E1

    Heartless

    Dec 8, 202229 min
  • S3E2

    College

    Dec 8, 202230 min
  • S3E3

    The Laughter

    Dec 15, 202233 min
  • S3E4

    South Suburbs

    Dec 15, 202229 min
  • S3E5

    The Spirit of Kwanzaa

    Dec 22, 202230 min
  • S3E6

    DJ Alderman

    Dec 22, 202227 min
  • S3E7

    Super Speed

    Dec 29, 202228 min
  • S3E8

    Littlepalooza

    Dec 29, 202233 min

Watch experience

What is South Side like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, light and charged — an even-paced watch that leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
WarmAbsurdJoyful
Heaviest: throughout
Register
PlayfulWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedOne continuous story
ToneThe show treats its characters and their ambitions with affectionate comedy, playing the absurd situations straight for laughs.
The rideThe series maintains a consistent warm-comedic tone, with each episode offering a blend of humor and heart.
StructureThe show uses a conventional episodic structure within a serialized arc, telling the ongoing story of the duo's entrepreneurial efforts in a straightforward manner.
Episode formatThe show's episodes build a continuous narrative of entrepreneurial misadventures, with ongoing character development.
Season formatEach season continues the same story, following Simon and K's evolving schemes and relationships.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves audiences entertained and cheerful, with its quick-witted humor and affectionate characters.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rags
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3% (this title): Underdog triumph 2% (this title) · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Rags to riches: A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition. · Underdog triumph: Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).

3% of shows fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe series follows two recent community college graduates trying to become entrepreneurs in Chicago's South Side, an underdog rise story played for comedy.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfPurposeSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% (this title) · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27% (this title): Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% (this title) · Purpose 16% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Self

PurposeFriendshipAmbition · 14% of shows
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe show centers on the duo's pursuit of a meaningful hustle, testing their worth and drive within their community.
StanceThe show celebrates the resilience and humor of its characters, finding joy in their everyday struggles and ambitions.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticStylized realism
Supportive music · licensed compilation
SettingChicago's South Side
MusicThe soundtrack features Chicago artists, grounding the series in its setting.

Content guide

Is South Side okay for kids?

TV-MA

South Side is rated TV-MA.

Ratings in 2 other countries
  • Brazil16
  • MexicoC

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does South Side have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in South Side?

Cast

Sultan Salahuddin
as Simon James
Kareme Young
as Kareme 'K' Odom
Chandra Russell
as Officer Turner
Bashir Salahuddin
as Officer Goodnight
Quincy Young
as Quincy 'Q' Odom
Zuri Salahuddin
as Stacy
Diallo Riddle
as Allen Gayle
Nefetari Spencer
as Keisha
Will A. Miles
as Jay-Mal
Aaron J. Hart
as Aaron

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What are shows like South Side?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like South Side include The League (2009), The Bob Newhart Show (1972) and Chicago Party Aunt (2021).

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What other shows share a tag with South Side?

394 other shows share the rarest tag below, kind of show: buddy comedy. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.