UPDATED: “The Chi” will end its run at Paramount+ with Showtime with its upcoming eighth season, Variety has confirmed.
The show was renewed for Season 8 back in May not long after the Season 7 premiere. The cast of the series includes Lynn Whitfield, Jacob Latimore, Yolonda Ross, Michael V. Epps, Shamon Brown Jr., Birgundi Baker, Luke James, and Wendy Raquel Robinson.
With the Season 8 renewal, “The Chi” became one of the longest-running Showtime shows in the network’s history. It now ranks alongside shows like “Dexter,” “Homeland,” and “Weeds,” which all ran eight seasons at the premium cabler. Only “Shameless” has run longer, with that show wrapping up after 11 seasons in 2021. Production on Season 8 of “The Chi” is set to begin in early 2026.
Lena Waithe is the creator of “The Chi” and executive produces under her Hillman Grad banner. Justin Hillian serves as co-showrunner and executive producer via Hillianaire Productions, with Jewel Coronel co-showrunning and executive producing via Uncut Gems, Inc. Common is also an executive producer along with Aaron Kaplan, Rick Famuyiwa, Resheida Brady-Anderson, Derek Dudley and Shelby Stone of ID8 Multimedia as well as Naomi Funabashi, who oversees for Hillman Grad and Rishi Rajani, CEO of Hillman Grad. Supervising producers Deondray Gossfield and Quincy LeNear Gossfield directed multiple episodes in season seven. 20th Television is the studio.
Waithe isssued a statement on the series ending, which can be read below.
With “The Chi” ending, the only remaining shows on the Showtime slate are “The Agency,” “Yellowjackets,” and “Dexter: Resurrection.” As Variety exclusively reported, the “Dexter” prequel “Dexter: Original Sin” has been canceled despite the fact a Season 2 renewal was announced earlier this year.
Statement from Lena Waithe:
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“When I created The Chi, it wasn’t just about making a TV show—it was about owning our narratives and telling our stories with truth, care, nuance and complexity. It was about showing the soul of the South Side—the beauty, the pain, the grit, and the magic that lives in every block, and in every family.
After much reflection, we have made the decision to end The Chi with season 8. I know, for the sake of our story and our characters, it’s the right thing. I am committed to delivering a final season that our Chi Family deserves.
It’s been the honor of my life to build a platform for artists to shine—not just in front of the camera, but behind the scenes as well. To helm the longest-running Black drama on television is a huge honor and it’s something I don’t take lightly.
I’m deeply grateful to every single person who helped build this world—our writers, actors and crew who give so much of themselves to make this show what it is.
As for what the future holds, I still plan on telling stories, continuing to build community, and making space for us all to be seen.”
Deadline first reported the series ending.
From Variety US