TV Review: Chad Powers is (For Now) Simply a Fun Series to Pass the Time

Plenty of big-time movie stars are moving to television. Enticing stories take time to be told, which means two-hour movies simply won’t suffice. That pivot to television includes one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood, Glen Powell. Powell has proven himself to be a big-time movie star with hits such as Top Gun: Maverick, Anyone But You, and Twisters. Now, Powell is pivoting to television with the Hulu series Chad Powers. Based on the Eli Manning prank video, Powell has taken the Chad Powers character into a six-part comedy series. Being based on a video, the results end up being a mixed bag.

Chad Powers tells the story of a disgraced and arrogant college football quarterback, Russ Holiday (Powell). After dropping the ball (literally) in a championship game, Holiday becomes a laughingstock in the college football world. He eventually sees a hopeful shot at redemption when a small college town in South Georgia is holding open tryouts for a new quarterback. With the supplies of his makeup artist father (Toby Huss) and posters of the Robin Williams film Mrs. Doubtfire, Russ comes up with an idea. He can use his father’s makeup to create a character and try out for the team. When Russ makes the team, it’s up to him to keep his newfound lie going strong.

What follows is Russ creating the character of Chad Powers, a mysterious “countryman” attempting to make a name for himself. This includes maintaining the lie among his coaches and teammates, while also making some new friends. In theory, such a combination of ingredients could prove a success. Which, in the case of Chad Powers, doesn’t quite reach those levels. That said, the show has some fascinating elements primarily stemming from Glen Powell’s central performance. Even though audiences have seen these types of “shows based on lies,” Powell makes the most of the material.

As a performer, Powell knows how to balance both arrogance and charm as Russ Holiday. The character is your typical unhealthy, egotistical Playboy. At the same time, Chad Powers is a likable, nevillish, and admittedly strange person. Yet, it’s easy to see why this college team, particularly its coach (Steve Zahn), likes him. Besides being a great player, Chad offers something beyond the typical machismo of a football player. He conveys a sense of sincerity and vulnerability beautifully. It’s a fun and exciting performance that makes the six episodes consistently funny, if not entirely engaging.
That makes what surrounds Powell’s central performance all the more frustrating. Every other character in Chad Powers is reduced to nothing more than an archetypes. No other character is given much depth, besides an attribute or two to define them. That includes the coaches of this college team, Russ’s father, and even Russ’s one ally, who knows his secret, Danny (Frankie A. Rodriguez), the team’s mascot. The standout of the supporting cast is Zahn as the coach of this losing team. While the character isn’t richly defined, Zahn brings a surprising level of warmth and humanity to the role. Besides that performance, the problem of Chad Powers comes down to its length.

At a mere six episodes, everything about the series simply moves too quickly. This includes rushed characterizations and emotional catharsis that often fail to land as intended. The series certainly goes through the motions of a journey that involves reconciliation. Yet, as an audience, we never feel that emotional catharsis deeply enough. The results of which make a series that fails to leave a lasting impression. It’s an admittedly disappointing product that lacks a meaningful purpose. With a lead performance as strong as Powell’s, it definitely makes Chad Powers a light and fun watch.

There is one saving grace in Chad Powers, making the series something unique. To avoid spoilers, the show clearly gives itself plenty of story for a second season. With that, it leaves room for the depth that I was left craving. Time will tell if the series gets renewed for a second season, but much like its central character, a second season could offer a chance at redemption. If that does happen, then Chad Powers could be a building block for the meaningful and redemptive sports story it aspires to be. For now, it’s a fun series to pass the time, but unfortunately, not much else.