Showtime’s The Chi continues to build on its seventh season’s success, with its recent mid-season episode drawing 1.78 million cross-platform viewers in its first three days. According to the network, this figure represents a 23% increase over the season’s average viewership and sets a new record as the most-streamed episode in the series’ history, though specific streaming numbers were not disclosed.
The performance is particularly notable as it nearly matches the seven-day viewership of the season premiere, which attracted 2 million viewers and previously held the series’ streaming record. The consistent growth throughout the season demonstrates strong audience engagement.
This strong viewership has been rewarded with an early renewal for an eighth season, signaling confidence from parent company Paramount Global. The renewal positions The Chi alongside Dexter, Homeland, and Weeds as the second-longest-running scripted series in Showtime’s history, surpassed only by the 11-season run of Shameless.
Created by Lena Waithe, The Chi is a coming-of-age drama that follows a group of residents on the South Side of Chicago whose lives are intertwined by coincidence as they seek connection and redemption. The ensemble cast features Jacob Latimore, Lynn Whitfield, Yolonda Ross, Shamon Brown Jr., Michael V. Epps, Birgundi Baker, and Luke James.
The series is produced by 20th Television. Waithe serves as an executive producer under her Hillman Grad banner, alongside co-showrunners Justin Hillian and Jewel Coronel, as well as Common. Additional executive producers include Aaron Kaplan, Rick Famuyiwa, Resheida Brady-Anderson, Derek Dudley, Shelby Stone, and Hillman Grad’s Naomi Funabashi and Rishi Rajani. Deondray Gossfield and Quincy LeNear Gossfield served as supervising producers and directed multiple episodes in the seventh season.
