“I’m gonna do a Mrs. Doubtfire but with football,” Chad Powers tells us in the trailer for the new Hulu show that goes by the same name.
But this new comedy show about a dumb football dude (Russ Holliday) who pretends to be another college football dude (Powers) for “reasons” seems to have more connective tissue with The Waterboy or the football sequence from Forrest Gump than anything else.
But that might be overly high praise, we’ll have to see.
To take a step back, the Chad Powers Origin Myth dates to New York Giants legend Eli Manning starring in a 15-minute mockumentary entitled “Eli Manning goes undercover as a College Football walk-on” for ESPN.
It’s one of those mildly amusing clips that you watch part of and feel no compelling need to finish. Manning is surprisingly good in it, playing off his earnest, aw shucks persona.
And so maybe you’re also tracking my larger point here, which is: does Chad Powers the TV show have enough firepower, to kind of borrow a football-ish term, to be a watchable show over the course of an entire season?
A lot will hinge on the ability of Glen Powell, who plays Chad in the Hulu edition, to pull off the role – much of which is played for laughs in a wig that looks like it’s straight out of a Halloween clearance bin. Based on what we can see from the trailer, I’m a bit skeptical to be honest. His performance seems to be a one-note “isn’t it hilarious how dumb I am?” thing.
And for people for whom that is their thing, maybe they’ll love the hell out of Chad Powers. But like I said, color me suspicious.
We also get this in the trailer: “Russ was an asshole, Chad doesn’t have to be.” So be on the lookout that we’re gonna get some Lessons Learned, people.
The only other character that gets any real focus in the trailer is Coach Jake Hudson, and this is where I’m basing most of my hopes for the show. My entire rationale is that Hudson is played by Steve Zahn, who is great in everything.
Recent-ish great Steve Zahn performance example: The White Lotus Season 1. And all-timer Steve Zahn performance: in the zany and wonderful Saving Silverman.
On a final note, someone in the trailer says, “I like you Chad Powers, but you are a puzzle.”
For Chad Powers the TV show, I fear that puzzle may be one of those four-piece ones that are called something like My First Puzzle for toddlers.
Chad Powers premieres on Hulu on Tuesday, September 30th 2025 with six planned episodes for its first season.