Waithe commemorated being able to explore &34;the beauty, the pain, the grit, and the magic that lives in every block&34; of the series' Chicago setting for 8 y

Waithe commemorated being able to explore "the beauty, the pain, the grit, and the magic that lives in every block" of the series' Chicago setting for 8 years.

The Chi will end with season 8 — creator Lena Waithe explains why

Waithe commemorated being able to explore "the beauty, the pain, the grit, and the magic that lives in every block" of the series' Chicago setting for 8 years.

By Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman is a news writer for with previous work in MUBI Notebook, Slant, and the LA Review of Books.

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October 1, 2025 5:55 p.m. ET

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The cast of 'The Chi'. Credit:

Sandy Morris/ Paramount+ with SHOWTIME

After eight seasons of loving, fighting, and living on the South Side of Chicago, *The Chi *is finally coming to an end.

Series creator Lena Waithe's exploration of the historic Black community that dwells within the noted neighborhood will conclude after the forthcoming eighth season, * *can confirm. Waithe noted in a statement shared with EW, "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."

Waithe continued, "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."**

Lena Waithe in Los Angeles in 2025.

Jerritt Clark/Getty for Epic Records

She added, "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."

Waithe concluded by saying, "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."**

Jason Mitchell dropped from Showtime's 'The Chi' amid allegations of misconduct

'E! News' to end its daily TV show after more than 30 years on the air

Showtime, which has served as *The Chi*'s home since it premiered in January 2018, renewed the series for an eighth season back in May. The network noted in a release at the time that the previous year's season 7 premiere "scored two million cross-platform viewers and became the most streamed premiere in series history, shattering streaming viewership records."

The series broke significant records and earned a spot within Showtime's hall of fame as it concluded season 7 and set plans for season 8. Production on *The Chi *season 8 is set to begin in 2026, but once that season airs, the series will have tied heavy hitters like *Weeds*, *Dexter*, and *Homeland *for second-longest running series in network history, behind *Shameless*, which holds the gold medal with 11. ****

As Waithe noted, *The Chi *also became the longest-running Black scripted drama on American television in 2024, after it surpassed *Empire*, which ran for six seasons.

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*The Chi *currently stars Lynn Whitfield, Jacob Latimore, Michael V. Epps, Shamon Brown Jr., Yolonda Ross, Luke James, Birgundi Baker, and Wendy Raquel Robinson. Previous stars include Curtiss Cook, who left after season 6, Ntare Mwine, who left after season 3, and original series star Jason Mitchell, who was dropped from *The Chi *in 2019 amid misconduct allegations.**

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