The Chi ( ) is an American drama television series created by Lena Waithe about life in a neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. In May 2024, the series was renewed for a seventh season; which premiered on May 18, 2025. In May 2025, the series was renewed for an eighth season. Five months later, it was announced that the eighth season would be the final season. The eighth and final season premiered on May 22, 2026 on Paramount+.
Premise The Chi is described as following "a fateful turn of events that sends shockwaves through a community on the Southside of Chicago and connects the lives of Emmett, Brandon, Ronnie and Kevin in unexpected ways."
Cast Name Portrayed by Seasons 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Brandon Johnson Jason Mitchell colspan="2" colspan="6" Ronnie Davis Ntare Mwine colspan="3" colspan="5" Emmett Washington Jacob Latimore colspan="8" Kevin Williams Alex R. Hibbert colspan="6" colspan="2" Jerrika Little Tiffany Boone colspan="2" colspan="6" Jada Washington Yolonda Ross colspan="7" Detective Armando Cruz Armando Riesco colspan="2" colspan="6" Darnell Carway Rolando Boyce colspan="7" Reg Taylor Barton Fitzpatrick colspan="4" colspan="2" Stanley "Papa" Jackson II Shamon Brown Jr. colspan="7" Jake Taylor Michael V. Epps colspan="7" Kiesha Williams Birgundi Baker colspan="2" colspan="8" Victor "Trig" Taylor Luke James colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="5" Otis "Douda" Perry Curtiss Cook colspan="2" colspan="3" colspan="2" Alicia Lynn Whitfield colspan="5" Tiffany "Tiff" Hannaha Hall colspan="7" Rashaad "Shaad" Marshall Jason Weaver colspan="3" colspan="4"
Main Jason Mitchell as Brandon Johnson (seasons 1–2) Ntare Mwine as Ronnie Davis (seasons 1–3) Jacob Latimore as Emmett Washington Alex R. Hibbert as Kevin Williams (seasons 1–6, guest season 8) Tiffany Boone as Jerrika Little (seasons 1–2), Brandon's girlfriend Yolonda Ross as Jada Washington (seasons 1–7), Emmett's mother Armando Riesco as Detective Cruz (seasons 1–2), a South Side detective Rolando Boyce as Darnell Carway (seasons 2–8), Emmett's father Barton Fitzpatrick as Reg Taylor (seasons 2 and 7–8; recurring season 1), Trig's younger brother, Jake's older brother and reckless gang leader Shamon Brown Jr. as Stanley "Papa" Jackson II (seasons 2–8; recurring season 1), Kevin and Jake's friend Michael V. Epps as Jake Taylor (seasons 2–8; recurring season 1), Kevin and Papa's best friend and Trig and Reg's younger brother Birgundi Baker as Kiesha Williams (seasons 3–8; recurring seasons 1–2), Kevin's older sister and Emmett's girlfriend Luke James as Victor "Trig" Taylor (seasons 4–8; recurring season 3), Reg and Jake's estranged gangster older brother Curtiss Cook as Otis "Douda" Perry (seasons 4–6; recurring seasons 2–3), the leader of the 63rd Street Mob Lynn Whitfield as Alicia (season 7; recurring season 6), Quentin and Sonny's powerful younger sister Hannaha Hall as Tiffany "Tiff" (season 8; recurring seasons 1–7), the mother of Emmett's third child, EJ Jason Weaver as Rashaad "Shaad" Marshall (season 8; recurring seasons 4–7), Trig's best friend
Recurring Lucien Cambric as Jason Roxboro (season 1), "Q" and Tracy's son who is also Ronnie's stepson Jahking Guillory as Charles Frederick "Coogie" Johnson (seasons 1 and 5–6), Brandon's younger brother Brian King as Detective Wallace (season 1), a corrupted detective Steven Williams as Quentin "Q" Dickinson (seasons 1 and 5), a kingpin elder of the 63rd Street Mob and Trice's mentor Tosin Morohunfola as Trice (season 1), the underboss of the 63rd Street Mob Byron Bowers as Meldrick (season 1), a psychic gangster Sonja Sohn as Laverne Johnson (seasons 1 and 3–4), Brandon's mother Cedric Young as Sonny (seasons 1–3), Q's and Alicia's brother who is also Emmett's boss LaDonna Tittle as Ethel Davis (seasons 1–3), Ronnie's grandmother Tyla Abercrumbie as Nina Williams (seasons 1–6), Kevin and Keisha's overbearing mother Sherrice Eaglin as Vanessa "Peaches" Taylor (seasons 5–6; guest season 3) Jake, Trig and Reg's mother who is a recovering heroin addict José Antonio García as Mr. Gasca (seasons 1–2), Kevin's teacher Genesis Denise Hale as Maisha, Kevin's love interest and Andrea's cousin Mariah Gordon as Andrea (season 1), Kevin's first crush Chris Lee as Hannibal (seasons 1–3 and 6–7), Brandon and Rob's cousin Tai Davis as Tracy Roxboro (seasons 1–7), Jason's mother Common as Rafiq (seasons 1–2) Crystal Dickinson as Detective Alice Toussaint (seasons 2 and 7; guest season 6), a mob-obsessed detective Miriam A. Hyman as Dre (seasons 3–6), Nina's wife who is a high school counselor Jasmine Davis as Imani (seasons 3–4), Trig's love interest La La Anthony as Dominque "Dom" Morris (seasons 3–7), Jamal's wife and co-owner of Smokey's BBQ Cortez Smith as Isiah "Nuck" Rogers (seasons 3–8), Douda's former right-hand man who kills Douda and takes over as new leader of the 63rd Street Mob Judae'a Brown as Jemma (seasons 3–8), Jake's love interest and Kevin's former girlfriend Kandi Burruss as Roselyn Perry (seasons 3–7), Douda's estranged wife Lena Waithe as Camille Hallaway (season 3), Douda's rival mayoral candidate Lil Rel Howery as Zeke Remnick (season 3), Sonny's landlord L'lerrét Jazelle as Fatima (seasons 5–8), Victor's love interest Ahmad Ferguson as Bakari (seasons 3–8), Lynae's love interest and member of the 63rd Street Mob Tabitha Brown as Octavia (season 4) Vic Mensa as Jamal (seasons 4 and 6), Lynae's older brother who is a former gangster Da Brat as LaPorsha (seasons 4 and 6), Nina's new love interest Cory Hardrict as Dante (seasons 3–7), Tiff's fling Zaria Imani Primer as Lynae (seasons 4–8), Jamal's younger sister and Bakari's love interest Iman Shumpert as Rob (seasons 4–6), Tiff's love interest Amari Ferguson as Britney (season 6), Bakari's sister Kadeem Hardison as Professor Gardner (seasons 6–7), Lynae's college professor Jill Marie Jones as Bianca (seasons 6–7), Douda's lover Leon Robinson as Alonzo (season 6), Alicia's ex-husband and Rob's father Kennedy Amaya as Kenya (seasons 6–8), Papa's love interest and Zay's lover Aaron Guy as Zay (seasons 6–7), Nuck's cousin and Kenya's lover Daniel J. Watts as Pastor Zeke (seasons 6–7), Kenya's father Brett Gray as Damien (seasons 6–7), Darnell's son and Emmett's half-brother Rotimi as Charles (seasons 7–8; guest season 6), a former assistant of Pastor Zeke, who returns to church for a second chance Wendy Raquel Robinson as Riley Dalton (seasons 7–8), Darnell's new love interest Joel Steingold as Marcus St. John (seasons 3–7), Jemma's father Karrueche Tran as Zuri (seasons 7–8), Damien's love interest Reagan Gomez-Preston as Candice (seasons 7–8), Reg's new love interest Tammy Townsend as Nora (seasons 7–8), Rashaad's new love interest Liza Jessie Peterson as Patience (season 8), Rashaad's lawyer and new love interest
Episodes
Season 1 (2018)
Season 2 (2019)
Season 3 (2020)
Season 4 (2021)
Season 5 (2022)
Season 6 (2023–24)
Season 7 (2025)
Season 8 (2026)
Production
On January 30, 2018, Showtime renewed the series for a second season which premiered on April 7, 2019. On April 30, 2019, Showtime renewed the series for a third season which premiered on June 21, 2020. On May 20, 2019, it was announced that Jason Mitchell would not be returning to the show for the third season because of "misconduct allegations". His character was killed off in the latter season's premiere. On September 8, 2020, Showtime renewed the series for a fourth season which premiered on May 23, 2021. In March 2021, production on the series was paused due to a positive COVID-19 test. On August 2, 2021, after the conclusion of the fourth season, it was announced that the series was renewed for a fifth season. The fifth season premiered on June 24, 2022. On August 18, 2022, the series was renewed for a sixth season before the conclusion of the fifth season. On May 8, 2024, Paramount+ with Showtime renewed the series for a seventh season that wrapped production on early October 2024. The seventh season premiered on Paramount+ for subscribers of the Paramount+ with Showtime plan on May 16, 2025, before making its air debut two days later on Showtime. On May 29, 2025, the series was renewed for an eighth season. On October 1, 2025, it was reported that the eighth season is going to be the final season. Production on the eighth season started in January 2026. The eighth and final season premiered on May 22, 2026 on Paramount+.
Release The Chi premiered on January 7, 2018, on Showtime.
Home media 20th Century Fox Television (now 20th Television) released Seasons 1 and 2 of The Chi on DVD in Region 1.
DVD nameEp #Release date The Complete First Season10 November 10, 2018 The Complete Second Season10 December 17, 2019
Reception Critical response On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds an approval rating of 87% based on 47 reviews, with an average rating of 7.5/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Like an optimistic companion to The Wire, The Chi explores the complexities of life in the South Side of Chicago, with a tender touch and a clear affection for its captivating characters." On Metacritic, the season has a weighted average score of 73 out of 100 based on 22 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Accolades Year Award Category Nominee(s) ResultRef. 2018 Black Reel Awards Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series Rick Famuyiwa Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series Lena Waithe Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Jacob Latimore Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series Common Outstanding Drama Series Barry M. Berg, Common, Derek Dudley, Rick Famuyiwa, Aaron Kaplan, Erin Mitchell, Elwood Reid, Shelby Stone and Lena Waithe ReFrame StampIMDbPro Top 200 Scripted TV RecipientsThe Chi 2021Gracie Allen AwardsWriter Scripted - DramaLena Waithe NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited Series) Alex R. Hibbert ReFrame StampIMDbPro Top 200 Scripted TV RecipientsThe Chi Young Artist AwardsBest Performance in a TV Series - Leading Young ArtistAlex R. Hibbert 2022 GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Drama Series The Chi
References
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