Hulu debuts Chad Powers, a six-episode Powell-Waldron sports comedy

Hulu premiered Chad Powers on Sept. 30, introducing a six-episode sports comedy co-created by actor Glen Powell and writer-producer Michael Waldron. Powell stars as Russ Holliday, a disgraced college quarterback who adopts a new identity, Chad Powers, using prosthetics and a wig to walk on to the struggling South Georgia Catfish team in an effort to revive his career. The first two episodes dropped together, with the remaining installments released weekly through Oct. 28.

The series draws directly from a 2022 segment in which former NFL quarterback Eli Manning went undercover as Chad Powers during a college walk-on tryout. Eli Manning and his brother Peyton Manning serve as executive producers on the Hulu project, alongside Powell and Waldron. The cast includes Steve Zahn, Toby Huss, Perry Mattfeld, Clayne Crawford and Wynn Everett, with several supporting players and real-life athletes enlisted to heighten on-field authenticity.

Waldron framed the story as a redemption arc focused on a flawed protagonist. "He's Russell, a guy who made mistakes, made big mistakes, and the world hates him for it, and he's decided he hates himself too," Waldron said, adding that the character's...