Glen Powell, best known for his big-screen roles, is making a bold leap into television with Chad Powers, a new Hulu comedy series in which he stars as Russ Holliday. The show promises a blend of absurdity and heart, as it follows the disgraced former college quarterback’s outrageous attempt to return to the game under a false identity. Here’s a deep dive into what makes Chad Powers tick, how Powell prepared for the role, and whether this quirky experiment lands — or fumbles — at the goal line.
Release & Premise
Chad Powers premieres September 30, 2025, on Hulu, with an initial two‑episode drop followed by weekly installments through October 28. The first season consists of six episodes.
The series reinterprets a viral 2022 sketch from ESPN’s Eli’s Places in which Eli Manning disguised himself as a walk-on recruit. Here, Powell’s Russ Holliday—once a rising star whose career cratered following a spectacular collapse—crafts an alter ego, Chad Powers, using heavy prosthetics (wig, fake nose, exaggerated teeth, etc.) to try out for a struggling Southern college team, the South Georgia Catfish.
Cast, Creators & Behind the Scenes
Powell is not only the lead actor but also a co-creator and executive producer. He teamed with Michael Waldron to guide the show’s tone. As executive producers, Eli and Peyton Manning are directly involved, lending the show access to sports lore and credibility.
Supporting cast includes Steve Zahn (as head coach Jake Hudson), Perry Mattfeld (assistant coach Ricky Hudson), Toby Huss, Frankie A. Rodriguez (as Danny, the team mascot), Clayne Crawford, and more. Zahn recently admitted that he frequently broke character upon seeing Powell fully in prosthetics—and called Powell’s performance “remarkable.”
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Powell’s Transformation & Physical Commitment
To inhabit Russ and Chad convincingly, Powell embraced serious physical and aesthetic discipline. In interviews, he revealed he gave up alcohol entirely during shooting, because “the face will fall off” under sweat when wearing the prosthetic mask. He further noted that filming in Georgia’s heat, constant sweating, and physical football scenes made the restriction necessary.
Moreover, the football sequences are not merely for show. Powell explained that “all the football is legitimate,” sharing that he squared off against players who “played pro ball.” The production’s commitment to realism extends to makeup, prosthetic maintenance, and the challenges of preserving the disguise during drills, showers, or exertion.
Plot & Tone: Comedy, Identity, and Redemption
At its heart, Chad Powers is a double‑identity story. Russ’s reinvention as Chad gives the narrative a framework to explore themes of ego, integrity, and whether a man can outrun his own history. Early episodes lean into slapstick — prosthetic glue mishaps, awkward social interactions, and the absurdity of Russ disappearing into his alter ego. But along the way, the show deepens, probing moments of regret, insecurity, and the difficulty of sustaining a deception forever.
One common touchstone in critics’ coverage is the comparison to Ted Lasso, a high bar for a sports comedy with heart. The Guardian praised Powell’s “magnetic and magical” turn, saying he elevates even a derivative structure into something moving. But others say it fails to live up to its potential, calling the series “disappointing and underdeveloped” with weak emotional payoff.
Critical Reception: Mixed Hits & Misses
Reviews for Chad Powers are decidedly mixed. Variety describes it as “affable yet thin,” noting that the show struggles to transcend its gimmicky foundation. IndieWire argues that it is “all disguise and no character,” unable to sustain empathy for its protagonist. RogerEbert.com is harsher, complaining it “wastes the talents of Glen Powell,” urging that the transformation conceit can only carry so much narrative weight. Meanwhile, The Guardian is more bullish, calling Powell’s performance a rare anchor: “magnetic … totally irresistible.”
Still, even critics recognizing its limitations often concede that the show’s ambition—and Powell’s daring in leaning into the absurd—makes it at least watchable, if uneven. The tension between the superficial gag and deeper emotional stakes is, for many, the show’s central gamble.
Conclusion: Is Chad Powers Worth the Watch?
Glen Powell’s leap into television via Chad Powers is one of the year’s more audacious moves. His physical commitment—going sober to keep his prosthetic face intact—and willingness to wear the goofy disguise illustrate his belief in the material. On some level, the show works as a vehicle for Powell’s exuberant performance, a madcap experiment grounded by earnest emotional beats.
That said, Chad Powers doesn’t always stick its landing. Its core conceit is thin, many jokes miss, and the emotional arcs sometimes feel tacked on rather than earned. But if you’re curious to see an actor lean hard into absurdity—and you enjoy sports comedies with identity at their core—there’s something here to latch onto.
For better or worse, Chad Powers is Powell’s showcase: a high‑risk, high‑visibility effort. Whether it becomes Hulu’s next surprise breakout or a cult oddball remains to be seen. But it’s certainly one of the most talked-about comedies heading into the fall 2025 slate.
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