The more I think about Chad Powers, the more I love the series. As someone who regularly rewatches my favorite shows, it is telling when I want to add a new one to my roster and Chad Powers is there for me.
But what I realized when talking with an actor about a completely different project was that the thing I love most about Chad Powers is the same thing I love about the best of comedies: It’s unhinged. But the one in particular I was reminded of was the comedy stylings of David Wain and Michael Showalter with the Wet Hot American Summer franchise.
The 2001 film had a bunch of adult comedians starring as teenagers at a summer camp on the last day of the season. With a talking can, one liners that feel like a fever dream, and Ken Marino running in place for way too long, the movie spawned a generation of comedy nerds with very specific taste. First Day of Camp and Ten Year Later ended up continuing that trend in a television format but all of it made me realize that I love when comedies say things you truly thought were unthinkable.
And that really does apply to Chad Powers. Russ Holliday (Glen Powell) is so bad at improv that he ends up saying thing that no real human being would believe. But because the rest of “Chad Powers” is such a lovely individual, they just let go of whatever Chad is saying about wolves (an improvisation from Glen Powell).
That though does, in my opinion, spiritually connect it with the absurdity that is the Wet Hot franchise. Or just any comedy premise that is a little more unhinged.
Unhinged is the best way to be, right?
Maybe it is because of my undiagnosed ADHD or maybe I’m just a little unhinged myself but I do tend to love comedies that go a mile a minute and have so many side quests/lore drops throughout it. Which is why Chad Powers delighted me. You constantly had to keep up with whatever nonsense thing Russ said as Chad so that you knew his lore. Poor Danny (Frankie A. Rodriguez), keeper of the Chad lore.
But I do think it is important to celebrate a show like Chad Powers because we’ve lost the beauty of fun, dumb comedies. More often than not, people want every bit of media they consume to be an emotionally devastating drama, even when it is a “comedy.” And to be fair, Chad Powers does that through Russ and his inability to see his own self-worth.
On the other side of that, sometimes you can have a hard hitting and beautiful story of personal growth and upset hidden behind a really weird premise and hilarious moments. And we lost that ability somewhere in the last 10 years. Shows like Parks and Recreation were my favorite because I’d find myself uncontrollably sobbing over emotional character moments while the ghost of a miniature pony was on screen.
Basically, I missed crying over unhinged things and I am grateful that Chad Powers gave that back to me. I just also am going to be annoying until I get news on a season 2.
(featured image: Disney/Daniel Delgado Jr.)
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