Glen Powell takes on dual identities in the new Hulu comedy series Chad Powers, based on the character created by Eli Manning for the docuseries Eli’s Places.

Powell created the series with MCU veteran Michael Waldron. Back in 2022, Manning had originally disguised himself to go undercover as Penn State walk-on Chad Powers. The only difference between real life and fiction is that Manning was announced as ineligible after his try-out and Penn State coach James Franklin was also in on it. Everything else, not so much. Manning didn’t really disguise his voice as Chad Powers so that is another key difference between him and Powell.

Russ Holliday (Glen Powell) used to be the star quarterback for the Oregon Ducks before throwing his entire career away after an unforgivable mistake—dropping the ball at the 1-yard line and then getting into it with fans on the sidelines after losing the game, including a kid with cancer. It’s the type of mistake that can haunt a player, especially after throwing the National Championship in the final seconds. For Holliday, it meant losing out on the NFL. Eight years later, he’s living in his father’s garage when he gets an offer from the XFL. But as fate would have it, the kid died and they withdrew his contract.

Resigned to working for his makeup designer dad, Mike (Toby Huss), Russ drives to the Fox Studios lot to drop something off for a Michael Bay movie when inspiration comes. First, an ESPN clip mentioning that South Georgia Catfish football coach Jake Hudson (Steve Zahn) is going to be holding open tryouts to find the team’s next quarterback. As Russ Holliday, he would have no chance of making the team and that’s when he sees his inspiration: one of the huge posters on the lot for Mrs. Doubtfire. Forget dropping off the kit, he changes plans and makes the trek from Los Angeles to Georgia.

Mistaken for a school shooter, Russ eventually befriends team mascot Danny (Frankie A. Rodriguez), who ends up becoming his accomplice as he disguises himself as Chad Powers. Powers has no online history and has to be careful in the identity that he does create. His idea? Telling people that he was homeschooled and video of his competitive career doesn’t exist. The changes in college football and NIL means that Coach Hudson is not working for the school’s AD but the boosters, led by Tricia Yeager (Wynn Everett). He’s assisted on the sidelines by Coaches Byrd (Quentin Plair), Dobbs (Clayne Crawford), and Ricky (Perry Mattfield).

Chad Powers is not the first time in which Powell plays a character with multiple identities, let alone disguises himself. The series does display his range as a comic actor and shows that his rise in the past decade is not a fluke. That Powell is behind the series as both a co-creator, writer, and star is what drew my interest in watching the show. This is an actor who can star in a drama, comedy, or action role without missing a beat. The hair and makeup job is stunning because he is completely unrecognizable when Chad is front and center.

A perk of ESPN being behind Chad Powers is that a number of personalities make cameo appearances. This adds to the show’s authenticity and the fact that it’s also executive produced by the Manning brothers should bring in some eyeballs from football fans. Of course, it goes without saying that comedy is subjective and this show won’t be for everyone. There are a few derogatory slurs in one episode that wouldn’t be acceptable in many places and it’s rightfully called out by one of South Georgia’s quarterbacks, Gerry Dougan (Colton Ryan).

I don’t know if Chad Powers will last beyond its first season. It packs a lot of punch into its six episodes of various runtimes. Some run closer to 40 minutes, others just a tad bit under a half hour. But because of the shorter length, they have to develop characters quickly while putting Russ/Chad into incidents where he accidentally cuts it a bit too close in revealing himself. As Chad, Russ grows close to Ricky after making the team. They do not really work to build friendships between Chad and his Catfish teammates. The series really begins to gel together in its later episodes.

Another Loki veteran, Natalie Holt, composes the score. Holt perfectly underscores the scene where Coach Hudson offers Chad Powers a spot on the team. It’s one of the many ways in which Holt finds the balance between the emotional highs and comedy. In addition to the underscore, Holt also composed just about everything we hear during the series, whether it’s brass-heavy stadium anthems or the marching bands. Watch for a Loki easter egg, too!

Chad Powers isn’t perfect, but it’s a strong showcase for Glen Powell’s talents both in front of and behind the camera. The premise stretches believability at times, yet Powell’s commitment and the sharp supporting cast keep it entertaining. With only six episodes, the series doesn’t overstay its welcome and leaves room for growth if Hulu orders another season. For football fans and comedy fans alike, it’s worth checking out—even if you’re just here to see how unrecognizable Powell can be under the disguise.

CREATORS: Glen Powell & Michael Waldron
DIRECTORS: Tony Yacenda (1-2, 5), Payman Benz (3-4), Michael Waldron (6)
WRITERS: Glen Powell & Michael Waldron (1), Michael Waldron & Paloma Lamb (2), Jamie Lee (3), Ben Dougan (4), Jordan Mendoza (5), Luvh Rakhe & Gaelyn Golde (6)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Michael Waldron, Adam Fasullo, Glen Powell, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Jamie Horowitz, Ben Brown, Burke Magnus, Brian Lockhart, Kati Fernandez, Luvh Rakhe, Tony Yacenda
CAST: Glen Powell, Perry Mattfeld, Quentin Plair, Wynn Everett, Frankie A. Rodriguez, and Steve Zahn

Hulu will premiere the first two episodes of Chad Powers on September 30, 2025. New episodes will premiere weekly on Tuesdays through October 28. Grade: 4/5

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