According to Deadline, following its strong seventh season, Showtime has decided to renew the dramatic series The Chi for an eighth season. The seventh season generated two million viewers across different platforms in the first seven days of its premiere, becoming the series’ most-streamed premiere. This renewal has tied the series with Dexter, Homeland and Weeds for the second longest running series on Showtime behind Shameless, which holds the first spot with 11 seasons.

As per Deadline, The Chi was created by Lena Waithe (Ready Player One, Master of None) and has been on a renewal track since the start of the year. By early February, the series had commissioned writers for the eighth season, although at the time there were no deals with the cast themselves.

Deadline notes that The Chi follows a group of residents in the South Side of Chicago who become connected and bond over the need for connection and redemption. During this season Alicia was at the helm as the women of The Chi rise to reclaim their power.

According to Deadline, the seventh season of the series cast included Lynn Whitfield (A Thin Line Between Love and Hate), Jacob Latimore (Black Nativity, Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Yolonda Ross (Absolution, Stranger Inside), Michael V. Epps (Chicago Fire, Primary Position), Shamon Brown Jr. (Peppermint Spiral, Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Birgundi Baker (Praise This, The Last Shift) and Luke James (The New Edition Story, Them).

“Following record-breaking viewership, we’re thrilled to announce The Chi has been renewed for Season 8, joining the ranks of Showtime’s most iconic series like Homeland and Dexter,” said Chris McCarthy (The T Word, Out of Iraq), Co-CEO of Paramount Global and President of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios via Deadline. “Thanks to Lena Waithe and her incredible team, our talented cast and crew, and devoted fans — the South Side story continues!”

The seventh season of The Chi is currently airing on Paramount+ with Showtime with new episodes every Friday.