Politics & Government

'Chicagoland' Airs Tonight on CNN

"It's important because Chicago's problems are America's problems," says narrator Mark Konkol.

The world knows Chicago by its most recent luminaries, suggests columnist Robert Feder — Oprah, Mayor Daley, Michael Jordan.

    "With the debut tonight of 'Chicagoland,' CNN's extraordinary eight-part documentary series, a new Chicago emerges — a vibrant, vital and often violent 21st century metropolis — along with a new set of iconic figures (all of whom seem to be connected in one way or another to Mayor Rahm Emanuel)," he writes on RobertFeder.com.

    My friend Mark Konkol, the Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for DNAInfo.com in Chicago, co-wrote the series and narrates. Robert Redford served as executive producer. Filmed by award-winning filmmakers Marc Levin and Mark Benjamin, the series digs deep into parts of Chicago few see and even fewer really know.

    Find out what's happening in Lincoln Squarewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

    "Even before 'Chicagoland' made its CNN debut, there were a lot of opinions about the show, everything from the access filmmakers got to Mayor Rahm Emanuel to the tough-to-watch visuals of what life's like for folks navigating tough parts of our town," Konkol writes in his column today. "As the series unfolds there will be a lot more to talk about. That's the idea, really. 'Chicagoland' is a look at what real Chicagoans are up against, put on display for the world to see.

    "It's important because Chicago's problems are America's problems."

    Find out what's happening in Lincoln Squarewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

    Watch at 9 p.m. tonight on CNN. And tell us what you think.

    Want to Know More?


    Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

    We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here