Paramount+ Reveals Premiere Date for Final Season of ‘The Chi’

April 23, 2026, 9:58pm

Paramount+ has announced that the eighth and final season of the drama series premieres on Friday, May 22, exclusively on Paramount+ Premium.

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New episodes of the 10-episode final season will premiere weekly. Per Paramount+, as The Chi enters its final season, “and its coldest winter ever, life or death choices must be made. The question becomes, who is willing to make them? Legacy, conflict, joy, and pain. It all collides in the biggest, most emotionally riveting way ever seen.”

Created by Lena Waithe, The Chi premiered on Showtime in 2018 and is centered on life in a neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. It was renewed for Season 8 in May, and Paramount+ announced in October that it would be the final season.

“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 said in a statement to Deadline at the time of the announcement. “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,” she continued. “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.”

(L-R): Ahmad Nicholas Ferguson as Bakari, Michael V. Epps as Jake and Shamon Brown Jr. as Papa in The Chi, Season 8, streaming on Paramount+ Photo Credit: Sandy Morris/Paramount+

The Chi stars Jacob Latimore, Birgundi Baker, Luke James, Shamon Brown Jr., Michael V. Epps, Hannaha Hall, and Jason Weaver. Waithe executive produces under her Hillman Grad banner. Additional EPs include co-showrunners Justin Hillian for Hillianaire Productions and Jewel Coronel for Uncut Gems.

All seven seasons of The Chi are streaming on Paramount+ Premium Plan. The first episode of the 10-episode eighth and final season premieres on Friday, May 22. Subsequent episodes will be released weekly on Fridays.