Chad Powers Season 2 review: Glen Powell scores in heart-pounding tight-wire act

About a year after the first season premiered, Chad Powers Season 2 is here and features more hijinks from co-creator and star Glen Powell.

The second season gets off the ground running, immediately catching up with Russ Holliday’s (Glen Powell) tight-wire act. The stakes are higher, as the Catfish are on the brink of a playoff berth.’

Beneath the surface of the zany comedy, which was based on an Eli Manning sketch, Chad Powers is a bit of a Shakespearean tragedy. Russ faces a problem usually exclusive to superheroes given that his identity is known by his closest friends, Danny (Frankie Rodriguez) and Ricky Hudson (Perry Mattfeld).

Season 2 of Chad Powers might not be as funny as the first pound-for-pound, but the heightened stakes make it a nonstop sprint to the end zone.

Of course, there is a limit to how far Powell and Michael Waldron can take this concept. However, the end shouldn’t be in sight soon, as the show is finally hitting its stride, much like a football team finding its way after the bye week (except, in this case, there was a year-long bye).

Chad Powers Season 2 review

The second season of Chad Powers picks up right where the first left off. Ricky discovered Chad’s true identity right before a game, putting their season in jeopardy.

Reluctantly, she agreed to go along with the bit, only because of the Catfish’s success. However, the more people that learn about Chad’s identity, the more dangerous it becomes.

In Season 2, he’s faced with new obstacles, ranging from his future at the school and backup quarterback Gerry (Colton Ryan), whom he leapfrogged to become the starter.

The first episode, which was directed by Waldron, set the tone immediately. Chad suffers an injury, testing his alliance with Ricky. Every obstacle feels monumental to the viewer, as the stakes are raised in the second season. Pressure is building for the team to find success without head coach Jake Hudson (Steve Zahn).

Mattfeld is the biggest beneficiary of a second season of the show. She gets to show more range than in the first season. In Season 1, she’s positioned as a no-nonsense coach who’s trying to fight against the system as a female football coach. However, in Season 2, she’s trapped in the web of Chad Powers, forced to lie to keep the facade up.

The wife of former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez makes her mark on the season. As it progresses, her interactions with Powell intensify, and Mattfeld rises to the occasion.

Glen Powell understands the role of Russ Holliday

Powell, of course, delivers in the second season as well. Russ Holliday is a jerk, but as the show progresses, he evolves. His rapport with Rodriguez is just as witty as it was in the first season, and he has some memorable encounters with Mattfeld and Zahn.

Some may not agree with Powell’s decision to go to the small screen amid his breakthrough as a movie star. He had a fast rise to fame after Top Gun: Maverick, but he has done everything he can to showcase his range, from appearing in rom-coms like Anyone but You to action movies like Twisters and The Running Man. Hit Man was his magnum opus because, like in Chad Powers, his character is always in disguise.

Chad Powers appears to be a passion project for him. He co-created it and is an executive producer. His fingerprints are all over the second season, including the Catfish’s final opponent in the season.

Just because it’s TV doesn’t mean Powell can’t do good work. Russ Holliday/Chad Powers is probably the most complex character he has played. He toes the line between good and evil so well, and he deserves awards for his performance in Season 2.

Naturally, Powell retains his signature charm, even as Russ. Chad is as affable as ever, frequently excusing himself to use the bathroom whenever awkward conversations with his coaches arise, but it’s nearly impossible for Russ not to grow on you in Season 2 of Chad Powers.

The surprise MVP

Perhaps the biggest surprise is Ryan, who plays Gerry. Gerry, who initially appears as affable as Chad, embodies the Las Vegas Raiders’ quarterback room with the Christian values of Kirk Cousins and distinct optimism of Fernando Mendoza, almost to a fault.

Gerry, somewhat understandably, spirals a bit in Season 2. After all, he has been passed over for a quarterback who literally fell into their hands, seemingly out of nowhere.

Ryan doesn’t overdo it this season, hiding the rage behind his smile. It’s borderline creepy at times, but that’s what the script calls for.

It’s yet another example of the writing being as good as it is this season. Season 1 of Chad Powers was a hoot, but suddenly, it feels like the writers are freer to be more creative and fun in the second.

Should you stream Chad Powers Season 2 on Hulu?

Some may dismiss Chad Powers as a strange detour from Powell’s path to stardom. However, beneath the prosthetics, it’s actually one of his most clever and unique roles.

Season 2 is still funny, but it ramps up the intensity due to the house of cards Russ has built. His identity has already been discovered by a couple of people, but he can’t stop now.

Chad Powers is about the addiction to the rush. If you really want to get heady about it, it represents Hollywood stardom in many ways. After all, actors are constantly applying and removing makeup as they bounce from role to role.

Despite how crazy the vehicle may seem, Chad Powers is a great metaphor for that. Powell, who, by all accounts, is still in his prime, seems to care a lot about this project.

There’s way more heart and soul than one would expect about a show that, at its core, is about a grown adult cosplaying as a college football player.

The first season of Chad Powers was like a long, methodical drive down the field. Thanks to its cliffhanger ending, it felt like the drive stalled at the goal line.

Chad Powers Season 2 is a relentless, quick-strike attack down the field for a touchdown. The series’ stakes are raised, and Powell and Waldron have earned the faith to believe they will score again when an inevitable third season is made.

Chad Powers Season 2 will premiere on Hulu on Sep. 3.

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