Since its debut in 2016, Queen Sugar has garnered praise for portraying complex stories around a Black family in rural Louisiana struggling to preserve their late father’s 800-acre sugarcane farm. OWN network has yet to confirm an eighth season renewal for the emotional drama. But if greenlit, what storylines might unfold next for the resilient Bordelon clan?
We can only imagine how the cast and crew who’ve tirelessly brought the show to life each season are grappling with this potential finale. The bonds forged telling such layered stories must run deep, making any separation difficult after so much has been shared. To lose Queen Sugar’s platform for spotlighting little-seen narratives around race, family, incarceration, addiction and more leaves an undeniable ache.
Queen Sugar Season 8 Release Date
Yet we must remember all that DuVernay, Oprah Winfrey and countless others have gifted us across these seven seasons—the moments of sorrow and joy, struggle and triumph. We’ve been honored to watch talents like Rutina Wesley, Kofi Siriboe and Bianca Lawson inhabit such richly-drawn characters. Should this be the end, we can only offer our profound gratitude for the show’s immeasurable impact, while coping with its absence.
Farewells are never easy, even for beloved fictional families that feel real after walking alongside them so long. We can only keep Queen Sugar’s spirit of telling vital untold stories alive as we hold its characters in our hearts. Though gone from the screen, the Bordelons and their community will linger in memory as an unforgettable television treasure we were lucky to call our own, if only for a time. What a gift to have had.
| Title | Queen Sugar |
|---|---|
| Genre | Drama |
| Created by | Ava DuVernay |
| Based on | “Queen Sugar” by Natalie Baszile |
| Developed by | Ava DuVernay and Oprah Winfrey |
| Starring | Rutina Wesley, Kofi Siriboe, Omar Dorsey, Dawn-Lyen Gardner, Nicholas L. Ashe, Bianca Lawson, Tina Lifford, Ethan Hutchison, and Timon Kyle Durrett |
| Theme music composer | Meshell Ndegeocello |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 7 |
| No. of episodes | 89 |
| Production company | Array Filmworks, Harpo Films, and Warner Horizon Television |
| Distributor | Warner Bros. Television Distribution |
| Original network | Oprah Winfrey Network |
| Original release | September 6, 2016 – present |
Queen Sugar Season 8 Cast: Who Would Return?
If granted a season 8, Queen Sugar would likely see principal cast members reprise their roles as the central Bordelon family members:
- Rutina Wesley as Nova Bordelon, an activist and journalist
- Dawn-Lyen Gardner as Charley Bordelon West, an entrepreneur struggling to save her family legacy
- Kofi Siriboe as Ralph Angel Bordelon, a formerly incarcerated father fighting for his son and their farm’s future
- Bianca Lawson as Darla Bordelon, Ralph Angel’s formerly addicted girlfriend turned steadfast life partner
Queen Sugar has always excelled at developing rich backstories for supporting characters integral to the Bordelons’ personal growth. As such, OWN would hopefully welcome back actors playing fan favorites like:
- Tina Lifford as Aunt Violet Bordelon, the wise family matriarch
- Omar Dorsey as Hollywood Desonier, Charley’s confidante and farm manager
- Henry G. Sanders as Prosper Denton, a friend and father figure to Ralph Angel
The season 7 finale tragically killed off beloved Violet, so Lifford would likely only return in spirit, memory or dream scenes if season 8 moves forward.
Queen Sugar Season 8 Plot Details
Over seven seasons, Queen Sugar deftly evolved its lens examining broader societal issues like inequality, mass incarceration, and environmental justice through emotional milestones in the Bordelons’ family saga.
The season 7 finale set up plenty of narrative springboards should OWN order new episodes. Nova launched her long-desired run for local parish council against an establishment incumbent. Charley dealt fallout after exposing the grinding poverty ingrained in rural towns like St. Josephine.
Meanwhile Ralph Angel and Darla prepare to parent teenager Blue through new challenges after a life-changing trip to Nigeria. Aunt Violet’s death will undoubtedly fuel more introspection around ancestry and carrying on enduring cultural traditions.
A season 8 would expand these conversations while likely injecting some new external threats to the family’s unity and Jamison sugar mill’s future. More revelations surrounding the Bordelon patriarch’s mysterious death could arise as well.
Will OWN Renew Queen Sugar for Season 8?
OWN has yet to announce a renewal decision for season 8 as Queen Sugar airs its seventh installment through early 2023.
Back in 2020, creator Ava DuVernay (@ava) tweeted that the seventh cycle would be Queen Sugar’s last. However, she later backtracked by affirming the show could continue if OWN wishes.
For now fans continue relishing the current season while crossing fingers that strong viewership and critical acclaim might convince OWN to order more episodes into the ever-resilient Bordelons’ pursuits of passion and purpose.
Did Queen Sugar Get Cancelled After Season 7?
While creator DuVernay originally indicated season 7 would be Queen Sugar’s farewell run, the show has not been definitively cancelled as of February 2023.
OWN network has not issued any series finale language in its season 7 promotions. DuVernay also left the door open for potentially more seasons depending on the network’s wishes.
The show remains one of OWN’s highest-rated scripted series. As such, Queen Sugar could still score a season 8 renewal depending on multiple factors like future audience data and cast availability.
For now fans brace for major emotional moments playing out through the current season without absolute certainty that new episodes won’t arrive down the line.
Is Season 7 the Final Season of Queen Sugar?
OWN has not officially designated season 7 as Queen Sugar’s last, though initial announcements from creator Ava DuVernay billed it as the farewell run.
DuVernay later indicated she’d welcome continuing the show if OWN elects to order more seasons. With solid viewership, Queen Sugar perhaps stands a chance of outpacing its originally intended seven-season arc.
Fans may gain more clarity after the season 7 finale airs in early 2023. Until then, they can relish the current episodes as if the end while holding out faint hopes for the Bordelon’s empire to potentially persevere another year.
In summary, while Queen Sugar heads toward an finale for season 7 in Spring 2023, devotees cling to slim chances that the resilience of the beloved Bordelon family may mirror real life by continuing on in new episodes beyond expectations. Either way, the show leaves an incredible legacy portraying powerful social themes through relatable personal storylines focused on a fierce family bonded by blood and shared adversity.
Thanks for making #QueenSugar the #1 new scripted cable series of 2016 for women. 👑 #GimmeSugar pic.twitter.com/2vDbrVcFc3
— Queen Sugar (@QueenSugarOWN) September 16, 2016