Showtime has renewed The Chi for an eighth season after series-best ratings. Created by Lena Waithe, The Chi is an ensemble drama, which follows the residents of a tough and dangerous South Chicago neighborhood. With huge ratings and positive reviews, the series shows no signs of slowing down.
The renewal comes after the premiere drew 2 million viewers in the first seven days, becoming the series' most-streamed opening episode. Paramount Global co-CEO and president of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios Chris McCarthy praised Waithe for raising the bar creatively and helping shatter viewership records.
“Lena’s storytelling defies convention and cuts through cliché, revealing the depth, power, and complexity of life on the South Side of Chicago with fearless honesty,” McCarthy added. With the season 8 renewal, The Chi will join Dexter, Homeland, and Weeds in a tie for the second longest-running scripted series in Showtime’s history. Shameless still leads the pack with its 11 seasons.
This season sees Alicia (Lynn Whitfield) helping the women of The Chi reclaim their power. That’s not to say loyalties aren’t tested and rivalries aren’t stoked. Only one person can take the crown and getting the top can come at a heavy cost. Season 7 has been touted as the most female centric season of the Showtime show yet.
The Chi has been praised for highlighting the average day of people living in a tough and dangerous neighborhood from parents trying to make a living to children prepping for school and the elderly sitting on their front porch.
The show has gone strength to strength over the year, slowly becoming one of Showtime’s most watched series. Season 6 of The Chi had a strong showing, earning the series’ most watched premiere and was most-watched season of the show at the time. The press frequently praise the writing for tenderly exploring the realities of life for people on the South Side of Chicago.
Directed by Nancy C. Mejia, the opening episode of season 7 focused on Alicia’s mission to find her son's killer. It also sees Fatima giving Victor an ultimatum and Bakari make a deal which cost become costly. The seventh season of the drama earned praise from critics, especially as it follows one of the best seasons of The Chi. The upcoming season smoothly deals with the tension and sadness following the tragic events of season 6.
The show was created by Lena Waithe, who gained fame for her work on Netflix’s Master of None and won a Primetime Emmy Award for her writing. Born in Chicago, Waithe used her own experiences growing up on the South Side to make The Chi. Alongside her role as showrunner, she has written eight episodes and appeared in two.
The Chi also stars Jacob Latimore, Yolonda Ross, Michael V. Epps, Shamon Brown Jr., Birgundi Baker, and Luke James. Joining the cast this season are Phylicia Rashad, Wendy Raquel Robinson, and Karrueche Tran, appearing in guest roles. The Chi has one especially famous fan. In September 2024, Beyoncé told GQ that The Chi was one of the shows she was currently enjoying. If it’s good enough for Bey.