3 Reasons to Watch Chad Powers: Defender, Glen Powell’s New Series on Disney+

Chad Powers: Quarterbackthe new Disney+ series starring Glen Powell has everything going for it. Especially an actor, a star whose undeniable popularity makes him one of the greatest figures in Hollywood today. But beyond that, the production, which has already produced four episodes out of six, is a very unusual type of cynical satirical comedy. Moreover, one that moves away from the optimistic tone of hits like Ted Lasso And Khakito deepen your identity. And this, This is a story that uses the dark side of humor to achieve fame and recognition.

To do this, he follows Russ Holiday (Powell), a former college player whose public downfall turned him into a caricature of himself. Russ, once a star at the University of Oregon, lives in complete denial of his mediocrity. His life, reduced to the clichés of toxic masculinity – electric cars, cryptocurrencies, conspiracy theories and fragile ego – shown as a farce about the cultural obsession with male success.

When his attempt at professional redemption fails, he decides to deceive the world and return to football under a new name: Chad Powers. This premise sounds ridiculous, and it is, but that absurdity seems to be the point. The suit, literally made of latex and make-believe, allows him to hide not only from the judgment of others, but also from himself. In his flight forward, Russ embodies the American desire to rewrite our own history, even if it is through deception. So, the series, which in the first chapters seems to be just a simple comedy that shows its most unique and dark side step by step.

A character created specifically for a talented actor

Of course, one of the great advantages Chad Powers: Quarterback is to use the overwhelming charisma of its debut to support the story. And Glen Powell achieves this in a surprising new way. Oblivious to his role as the lovable and brilliant protagonist, Russ finds himself a failure in the worst hours of his life, mediocre, arrogant and inept. A combination hidden behind his undoubted athletic talent. But after failure, it becomes his letter of recommendation.

What’s even more interesting is that Glen Powell decides, apparently, to make a joke on himself. So Russ/Chad Powers is a caricature of mediocrity. From the ugly blonde wig, latex on his face, to his childish and clumsy behavior, he is the complete opposite of the actor’s persona. Something that allows the performer to show his undoubted talents to make people laugh. Especially when under the grotesque mask of Chad, Russ joins a fictional university team South Georgia catfishthe program is on the verge of collapse.

Once there, the disgraced Russ discovers a new world for himself. He is greeted by Jake Hudson (Steve Zahn), a coach defeated by his own routine, blinded by the player. And then there’s Trisha (Wynn Everett), a director hell-bent on saving the team’s reputation at any cost. The character soon reveals his most unique feature: realize that he can rebuild his lost career under the absurd guise of Russ.

A twisted comedy based on the film “Chad Powers: The Defender”

In the midst of this backdrop of failure, Russ’s disguised return takes on an almost surreal quality. His double life ultimately reveals a web of collective disappointments. About a coach who has lost his calling, about undervalued daughter Ricky (Perry Mattfeld) who fights for a place in a sport designed to exclude her. and a system that confuses spectacle with purpose.

In the midst of this chaos, Danny (Frankie A. Rodriguez), the team’s mascot, becomes an unlikely ally of the impostor. His role, as cliché as it is charming, brings a meta-ironic layer: the stereotype of the helpful gay friend, played out so literally that you don’t know whether to laugh or feel uncomfortable. In fact, much of the series delves into this controversy regarding satirizing what is politically correct or downright cruel. And while this combination doesn’t always work, it gives the show its best moments.

So the series is full of tasteless jokes. From links to Aladdin or Mulan, more grotesque than funny, even mockery and references to the banal and sentimental genre of sports drama. The show seems to use the very language of pop culture to satirize its own addiction to it. Even more interesting: the fact that Russ’s mask is just one of many in a hypocritical, annoying and obnoxious community.

Changed image of a lovable loser

Certainly, Chad Powers: Quarterback Much of its premise is based on the lovable loser trope. And he does it without disguise: from a pledge at the University of Oregon to a living meme, Russ descends into his own narcissism while driving a Cybertruck, talking about cryptocurrencies, and convinced that life is sabotaging him. Instead of a fallen hero, the show portrays him as a guy who hasn’t learned anything.

But as the chapters progress—and the script reveals his true intentions—it becomes clear that the character is more than an arrogant fool. Powell’s appeal underpins much of the experiment. Buried in latex, with a hideous wig and fake teeth, he makes Chad a grotesque but charismatic figure, a guy so awkward you can’t help but look at him. However, his performance works best when the script allows him to show vulnerability: the brief moments in which Russ, hidden behind his creation, he seems to enjoy the illusion of being someone less pathetic.

The irony is that in trying to redeem himself, he ends up acting more like an impostor than a human being. This reading causes the character’s storyline to take on a darker tone than the series consciously allows for. This is where the imprint of creator Michael Waldron (Loki) is felt. Tendency to controlled chaos, absurd situations who are hiding something deeply sad. One of the most interesting elements of the room.