SHOWTIME announced today that the second half of the sixth season of the hit drama series The Chi will return on Friday, May 10, on streaming and on-demand for Paramount+ subscribers with the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan before making its on-air debut on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME on Sunday, May 12, at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
The series is currently in production in Chicago on the remaining eight episodes of the supersized 16-episode season.
The Chi was created and is executive produced by Emmy winner Lena Waithe (Twenties, Master of None) under her Hillman Grad banner and executive produced by Academy Award and Emmy winner Common (Selma).
The series is a timely coming-of-age story centering on a group of residents on the South Side of Chicago who become linked by coincidence but bonded by the need for connection and redemption. Produced entirely in its namesake city, The Chi is produced by 20th Television.
The record-breaking season-six premiere, which ranks among the top SHOWTIME premieres ever in streaming viewership, kicked off a season that careened between the highest highs and lowest lows.
In the season’s first eight episodes, Emmett’s (Jacob Latimore) and Kiesha’s (Birgundi Baker) blissful blended union is tested by his perilous partnership with Douda (Curtiss Cook), who is dealing with the fallout of Q’s murder and its effect on the shifting loyalty of his inner circle.
Victor’s (Luke James) tangled past impacts his new role as a city councilman. Newlyweds Jada (Yolonda Ross) and Darnell (Rolando Boyce) fear for their son Emmett after he makes a desperate, life-threatening move.
Rob (Iman Shumpert) and Tiff’s (Hannaha Hall) cannabis business and Jake’s (Michael V. Epps) apparel line took off, and Papa (Shamon Brown Jr.) falls for an older woman while questioning his faith at the senseless loss of his beloved father.
Kevin (Alex Hibbert) landed a big gaming opportunity in Los Angeles, leaving Maisha (Genesis Denise Hale) to fight for her own big career move in spite of manager Jemma’s (Judae’a Brown) newly divided attention.
But danger lies in wait… no one is safe, and everyone will be tested as never before over the course of the sixth season’s shocking last eight episodes.
The guest stars for season six include Emmy winner Lynn Whitfield, Jill Marie Jones, Kandi Burruss, La La Anthony, Vic Mensa, Carolyn Michelle Smith, Jason Weaver, Iman Shumpert, Nia Jervier, and L’lerrét Jazelle.
The guest stars are rounded out by Hannaha Hall, Ahmad Ferguson, Genesis Denise Hale, Joel Steingold, Judae’a Brown, Miriam A. Hyman, Tyla Abercrumbie, Tai Davis, Rolando Boyce, and Tory O. Davis.
Along with Lena Waithe and Common, the series is executive produced by Aaron Kaplan (A Million Little Things, The Neighborhood), Rick Famuyiwa (Dope), Derek Dudley and Shelby Stone of ID8 Multimedia, and Rishi Rajani, CEO of Hillman Grad. Executive producers Justin Hillian and Jewel Coronel are co-showrunners for season six.
The co-executive producers for Showtime include Naomi Funabashi, who oversees for Hillman Grad, and Resheida Brady. Producers Deondray Gossfield and Quincy LeNear Gossfield are set to direct multiple episodes in season six.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills in 2018 to cover the latest news on streaming, movies, TV, and video games.