The Chi (2018)

The Chi ( SHY) 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

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 released Seasons 1 and 2 of The Chi on DVD in Region 1.

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

References

Notes

External links

Official website

The Chi at IMDb