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‘Chad Powers’ Gut-Punch Finale Sets Up an Even Darker Season 2 for Glen Powell

November 1, 2025

Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Chad Powers’ Season 1 finale.

When Chad Powers premiered in September, it felt like Hulu had given viewers their next comfort watch for the next six weeks. The wild Mrs Doubtfire-style premise forced disgraced former football player Russ Holliday (Glen Powell) into increasingly bizarre and comedic situations. Not only that, but the enjoyable yet predictable narrative seemed to be leading to an outcome where Russ would eventually reveal his true identity and be forgiven by Ricky (Perry Mattfeld) and the rest of the Catfish team. However, in the season finale, “6th Quarter,” Chad Powers completely subverts expectations and, in doing so, sets up a potentially darker Season 2 that will push Russ and Ricky to their potential limits.

In just one scene between the two characters, Chad Powers satisfyingly concludes Russ’s current character arc and allows Ricky the chance to call him out for all the objectively manipulative things he has done, showing the consequences of his lies. With Russ’s choice to combine both his darker personality with his kinder side, Powell is taking audiences on a journey akin to Breaking Bad‘s Walter White (Bryan Cranston) while showing off his acting skills in the process.

‘Chad Powers’ Smartly Subverts Expectations In Its Finale Bus Scene

Image via Hulu

When Russ confronts Ricky on the bus as Chad, it initially seems like the show has reached a predictable climax. This isn’t to say Chad Powers was a weak story, as there is certainly a place for shows that don’t take viewers out of their comfort zone — but the moment that occurs between Russ and Ricky pushes the show to a level where a Season 2 is not just deserved, but needed. Russ’s speech crescendoes to the possibility of a classic rom-com moment where Ricky forgives him, accepting that everything that happened, and the bonds formed during it, were “real,” with a big old Hollywood smooch to seal the deal. Instead, Ricky slaps Russ, and it’s a shocking return to reality.

Mattfeld’s acting is exquisite in this scene. Her darting eyes communicate Ricky’s thought process as she feels Russ’ prosthetic face, the softness in her expression showing she is considering forgiveness, before her steely gaze hints at the slap that serves as an explosion of tension. While her rejection of Russ’ apology is a shock, it is a more realistic reaction to someone manipulating another person for weeks, if not months, on end.

However, Ricky’s next words are the show’s most heart-wrenching subversion. When she tells Russ that she wishes that he had killed himself, it goes beyond a reasonable response to betrayal, to a sign of hatred not often seen on-screen. This isn’t just a different route than viewers would have expected; it’s the worst possible way the scene could have gone for both characters, as Russ’s turn puts Ricky in an even more impossible position than before.

Russ’s Dark Turn Makes ‘Chad Powers’ Season 2 a Must-Watch

The first season of Chad Powers has been a fascinating exploration of just what it takes to earn redemption, especially when it seems the entire world has condemned you for life. While Russ’ choice to become Chad is problematic, it does allow for a kinder side of the character to flourish, and it seemed he had been able to come to terms with how he could bring Chad’s kindness to Russ’s personality when he and Danny (Frankie A. Rodriguez) meet with his dad, Mike (Toby Huss). However, when Russ tells Ricky she can’t expose him without destroying the Catfish football program as well as her own father, Coach Hudson (Steve Zahn), it is a manipulation that can be argued to be both selfish and selfless. Is this a case of Russ truly doing bad things for good reasons, or is it an entirely manipulative journey where he’ll dump the team given the slightest opportunity to improve his own life?

At first, Chad Powers genuinely seemed like an exploratory yet ultimately forgettable step in Powell’s career, but his performance in the finale showcases the true talent he possesses. During an interview with Collider, Powell discussed how “This is a show that operates on a frequency of pressure that most comedies don’t get to operate on, but that pressure adds intensity to the drama and adds intensity to the comedy.” While Powell may have been referring to the writing, the same can be said for his performance, and it is that kind of nuance that made performances such as Bryan Cranston’s and even James Gandolfini‘s as Tony Soprano, so electric to watch.

If Powell can emulate this range moving forward, then viewers are in for a treat if Chad Powers returns for a second season. Not only is Ricky and Russ’s exchange on the bus shocking and surprising on multiple levels, but it’s also completely turned Chad Powers on its head. With the stakes only set to become higher as the Catfishes’ season continues, Ricky and Russ’s ensuring conflict could push them to take extremes we never would have guessed after watching Chad Powers‘ first episode.