The Glen Powell led and co-created series Chad Powers stumbles due to a lack of believable depth and escalation. The idea of a once disgraced athlete attempting a comeback via an obvious subterfuge already requires the viewer to enter Chad Powers with a high suspension of disbelief, but without more detail, fleshed out characters, and better jokes during its supposedly funnier moments, the show fizzles more than sizzles. It feels every bit like this production was rushed to capitalize on its star’s rising fame and to fill a hole in their schedule with a passion project of sorts, but these kinds of things need more time and resources than what’s afforded to them here.
Russ Holiday (Powell) blew his chance at the big time and has been paying for it ever since. The once promising star quarterback from the University of Oregon lost the Rose Bowl for his team via an idiotic display of showboating in the game’s closing minutes, only to make things even worse for himself by pitching an epic tantrum that forever solidifies his place in the Sore Loser Hall of Fame. Now struggling to maintain a high profile while being hated by the public at large (spouting conspiracy theories, driving a Cybertruck, loving crypto, and generally coasting through life), Russ concocts a scheme – or a Mrs. Doubtfire, as he calls it – to get back into the game. Swiping some high quality facial prosthetics from his Hollywood effects artist father (Toby Huss), Russ attempts to disguise himself as “Chad Powers,” a mysterious walk-on candidate competing for the quarterback position with the (aptly named) South Georgia Catfish. The team’s coach (Steve Zahn) is both impressed and perplexed, but landing the job could prove tough because they already have an established quarterback with a squeaky clean image of their own (played by Colton Ryan).
In addition to being a run of the mill sports comedy (spun off from an idea and sketch made by series producer Eli Manning), Chad Powers is an equally basic story of a jerk who learns to be less of a jerk. The arc of Chad Powers – the character and the series – is never in doubt for a second, but the thing that sours the show from Powell and co-creator Michael Waldron (Rick and Morty, Heels, Loki) is the accelerated pace. With only six episodes to work with and each of them hovering just around the middle part of an hour, nothing is given much room to breathe or take shape here.
What could’ve been a good movie is both stretched out and filled with gags where more interesting storytelling could take root. The jokes in Chad Powers are unexceptional and obvious, many of them leaning on Russ’ tendency to be a massive tool or a wide range of dated pop culture references from different eras that can’t quite decide on who this show wants to pander to. The sight of Powell donning the make-up and wig is mildly amusing, but the show never finds a way to make the viewer credibly believe that everyone around him can’t figure out this ruse.
Powell delivers a committed comedic performance, even if not everything the character does is all that funny. The series also makes sure to give Russ some interesting characters to play off of, but almost to a point where one wises they had more of these people and less of Chad. Frankie Rodriguez shines as Danny, the team mascot who’s the only person aware of Russ’ true identity; a role that could’ve devolved into vaguely queer stereotypes, but instead comes across as wholesome and likeable. Zahn’s coach gets some quality moments of befuddlement along the way, but it’s Perry Mattfeld as his daughter and put upon assistant coach that makes for a more interesting character. But because the show wants to cover a lot of ground in a short period of time, everything around the periphery of Chad Powers suffers in comparison to a main through-line that’s only passable at the best of times.
By the time it wraps up, one wonders if this character will come back, with a conclusion that’s both tidy and open ended. It’s an unsatisfying and unearned finale to the season because one can feel a more interesting show starting to emerge just beyond the point where this one stops. A second season might be able to get into all that’s missing from this first instalment, and Chad Powers could fulfil some of the potential that’s being left on the table here. At any rate and in spite of the conclusion, Chad Powers is a show that needed more time to cook and fine tune its concept. Only chuckle worthy in spots and admittedly boasting some good looking football action, Chad Powers doesn’t have much to recommend it or condemn it. The whole thing feels curiously flat, satisfying neither sports buffs, comedy fans, or Powell’s ever growing fan base.
The first two episodes of Chad Powers are now available to stream in Canada on Disney+, with new episodes releasing every Tuesday until October 28, 2025. It is available on Hulu in the U.S.
