When it was announced that an Eli Manning sketch for ESPN would be adapted into the television series Chad Powers, it was hard not to think that a studio was simply trying to replicate the success of Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso by taking a viral sketch about a silly sports story and turning it into a fully fledged series. However, despite the small similarities, Chad Powers not only succeeds in establishing its own identity but is also one of the funniest projects so far this year.
Glen Powell is incredible throughout the series, taking Eli Manning’s character and developing him into a deeply flawed human being, desperate for love and redemption. Unfortunately, despite Powell and the entire cast performing admirably, paired with witty and emotional writing, the six-episode format leaves much to be desired from a storytelling standpoint. While all six episodes are filled with comedy, heart, and surprising twists, the season finale relies on potential future seasons to carry forward the plot, rather than delivering a satisfying ending.
Glen Powell Turns In One of the Best Comedic Performances of 2025
From original one-liners to perfectly timed 2 Fast 2 Furious references, Glen Powell’s portrayal of both Russ Holliday and Chad Powers is the strongest comedic performance of his entire career. However, he doesn’t stand alone, as Perry Mattfeld, Steve Zahn, and Frankie A. Rodriguez all provide performances that match up with Powell’s comedically, while playing emotionally available characters that compensate for the lack of heart within Russ Holliday.
Despite Russ Holiday being someone everyone will love to hate, the transition into Chad Powers not only revitalizes his football career but also helps him develop into a more redeemable character. Despite certain events and character interactions within the show often being ridiculous and a parody of how professional athletes behave, the overarching themes of imposter syndrome and troublesome family dynamics keep the series grounded and relatable.
Hulu’s ‘Chad Powers’ Falls Just Short of Greatness
Each individual episode of Chad Powers is enjoyable and features significant plot development; however, much like Russ Holliday’s football career, the series comes to an abrupt halt. The finale doesn’t wrap up nearly enough of the storylines for the first season. Instead, it leaves most of the heavy lifting for a second season that has yet to be announced. Although cliffhangers to end a television season are exciting and set up future plotlines, there still needs to be a satisfying conclusion to the story being told.
‘Chad Powers’ Still Has More Story To Tell
Despite the abrupt end to the season, Chad Powers is absolutely still worth the watch. Powell’s chemistry with each character in the show is impeccable, with strong comedic timing and charisma. Although certain character interactions are so extreme and ridiculous that it can be difficult to take them seriously, the themes of self-worth and relatable emotional turmoil weigh the series down enough.
While Chad Powers shares thematic elements and certain story beats with shows like Ted Lasso and Blue Mountain State, it still maintains its own unique voice. Hopefully, a second season is on the horizon, so the creators, Glen Powell and Michael Waldron, can complete the hilarious and heartfelt story they set out to tell.
Chad Powers debuts exclusively on Hulu in the United States and on Disney+ internationally on September 30.