Major Showtime Show Ending After 8 Seasons

The Chi is coming to an end. The Showtime drama, created and produced by Lena Waithe, will end at the conclusion of its upcoming eighth season. 

The decision to end the show comes ahead of production beginning for Season 8, which allows for writers to curate a proper ending for the series. Waithe reflected on the show’s impact in a statement.

“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,” she said in a statement to Deadline. “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,” Waithe added. “To helm the longest-running Black drama on television is a huge honor and it’s something I don’t take lightly.”

Throughout its run, The Chi has broken massive records. It has tied Dexter, Homeland and Weeds for the second-longest running series in Showtime’s history, coming behind Shameless and its 11 seasons. It also made history as the longest running Black drama on premium cable/streaming, which was previously held by Showtime’s Soul Food, a television adaptation of the 1997 film.

The Chi is a coming-of-age story highlighting residents on the South Side of Chicago who become linked by coincidence but bonded by the need for connection and redemption. It debuted in 2018, and films in Chicago with many of its stars as Chicago natives and first-time actors.