The Chi

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."

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

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)

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+.

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.

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