‘The Chi’ Season 5: Cast, Plot Details, and Everything Else We Know

'The Chi' is officially done with its fourth season, leaving off with a cliffhanger that has fans eager to see what happens next. The good news is, it's returning to Showtime in 2022. Here, let's discuss some things you should know in the meantime.

by Chelsea Stewart

Published on August 5, 2021

2 min read

Many TV shows came and went this year, but The Chi is still going strong. Created by writer, producer, and actor Lena Waithe, the show depicts Black life on the Southside of Chicago. Kevin, Emmett, Kiesha, Jake, and a handful of other people’s lives all become connected as they deal with ups and downs that come their way. The series premiered on Showtime in 2018 and has been praised for its storytelling and characters.

After being left with a cliffhanger, fans of The Chi are eager to see what happens next. Did Tiff really just do that to Emmett? Is Christian hiding something from Kiesha? How will Lynae fit in with the Williams family? While viewers will have to wait for exact answers, we know a bit so far. Learn more about The Chi Season 5, here.

Lena Waithe at a TV event, wearing a shirt and baseball cap — ‘The Chi’ creator Lena Waithe at an event in April 2019 in West Hollywood, California

‘The Chi’ is coming back

The fifth season of The Chi was confirmed on Aug. 1, right after the season 4 finale aired. Waithe added on Instagram Live that scripts have already been created and that production on season 5 will officially begin in September.

“We’re gonna be back at it,” she teased. “But I’m gonna take a little bit of a break, but it’s been a joy.”

An exact release date for The Chi Season 5 is not known, but Deadline reports it’s coming in 2022.

Here's to Season 5, here's to growth, here's to love. ❤️
ICYMI, #ChiFam: Lena Waithe made a major announcement about #TheChi during last night's After Show. pic.twitter.com/sfSxe77n2z
— The Chi on Showtime (@SHOTheChi) August 2, 2021

What to expect next season

Waithe stayed mum on the plan for the next chapter, but there’s definitely a lot to explore. That includes Tiff breaking her promise to Emmett, Lynae moving in with Kevin, Kiesha taking her relationship with Christian to the next level, and — of course — Douda skipping town.

But what showrunner Justin Hillian really wants to continue digging into is the community protection program, kickstarted after Douda’s decision to defund the police.

“We definitely want to continue to show what the possibilities could be for the neighborhood and for people looking after one another,” he told TVLine. “Lena [Waithe, executive producer] has very little interest in dealing with the police at all. So ideally, we’d be able to completely remove them and have the community deal with its own issues, because the show has always been about the community.”

Sunday nights won’t hit the same ?. Let’s discuss #TheChi finale or head to @Showtime to catch up now! pic.twitter.com/X2kDOHsjcx
— The Chi on Showtime (@SHOTheChi) August 2, 2021

That said, you can count on seeing your favorites again

Considering where the show left off, it’s likely the next season will bring back Jacob Latimore (Emmett), Alex Hibbert (Kevin), Curtiss Cook (Douda), Michael Epps (Jake), Birgundi Baker (Kiesha), Yolonda Ross (Jada), Luke James (Trig), Jasmine Davis (Imani), Kandi Burruss (Roselyn), Tyla Abercrumbie (Nina), Miriam A. Hyman (Dre), Shamon Brown Jr. (Papa), and Hannaha Hall (Tiff).

It’s also possible that Tabitha Brown (Octavia), Tai Davis (Tracy), Genesis Hale (Maisha), Jason Weaver (Rahsaad), and La La Anthony (Dom) could be back. Not to mention, any new characters that might be added on the road to season 5.

When any other details emerge, we’ll be sure to let you know.