Lena Waithe says ‘The Chi”s upcoming eighth season will be its last

The Chicago-set series The Chi will end after eight seasons, creator Lena Waithe said in a statement to Deadline Wednesday. She said it’s “the right thing” to do “for the sake of our story and our characters.”

“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,” Lena explained. She promised fans “a final season that our Chi Family deserves.”

She called the experience the “honor of my life to build a platform for artists to shine” and thanked all those who helped in the show’s success.

“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,” Waithe said.

The Chi is the longest-running Black drama on premium cable/streaming, according to Deadline, and the second-longest-running series in Showtime’s history, along with Dexter, Homeland and Weeds.

It centers on a group of residents from Chicago’s South Side who become linked by a series of coincidences, tragic events, and the desire for community and redemption.

Jacob Latimore, Yolonda Ross, Shamon Brown Jr., Michael V. Epps, Birgundi Baker, Luke James and Hannaha Hall star in the ensemble series.