Fans have known him as Lieutenant Jake "Hangman" Seresin, and as Tyler Owens, or even as Chad Radwell, but now they are getting to know Glen Powell as Chad Powers. This week, the Top Gun: Maverick actor released the new sports comedy series on Hulu, in which he stars as Russ Holliday, a formerly arrogant, narcissistic college football quarterback who attempts a comeback by posing as a walk-on player, Chad Powers, for a struggling football team. The series has so far only released two episodes, but as fans wait for next Tuesday, when episodes drop, see below what viewers are already saying if you still need some convincing to watch.
While on Rotten Tomatoes, the show's first round of episodes have received a tomatometer of 57% and a popcornmeter of 59%, viewers' thoughts on social media tell a different story. "I'm not a fan of football shows and only started it because Frankie A. Rodriguez (an actor I LOVE) is in it. And I'm really liking the show. It's cute and funny, surprisingly well-written. No, not groundbreaking, but it's not trying to be. And it has some heart too," one Redditor candidly wrote.
© Disney"It is hilarious! Get through the set up and it's awesome. [In the] second episode I was laughing out loud immediately. Like 40-year Old Virgin and SuperBad. It's great," a second suggested, as another over on Instagram wrote: "I kinda like it. It's one of those shows where you know going in that it's probably not going to be the best but you watch it anyway because you like football and comedy. It's good for what it is."
Others followed suit with: "So far, this show is hilarious. This wolf scene had me cracking up. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time! The crap that keeps on coming out of his mouth is amazing!" and: "They need to drop every episode now because I can't wait for the rest of it," as well as: "It's a crime having to wait till next week for another episode."
Another person that had opinions on the show? None other than the New York Giants' former star quarterback Eli Manning. The show is actually based on a viral sketch of his from several years ago, in which, in an attempt to get a sense of what the walk-on tryouts experience is like, Eli undergoes a full transformation and tries to try out for the Penn State Nittany Lions football team.
© WireImageGlen, speaking with his co-creator Michael Waldron on The Rich Eisen Show, revealed that he and Michael were the ones to pitch the show to Eli and his fellow football star brother Peyton Manning, both of whom are producers on the show. He recalled his initial interactions with Eli, among them a time when he told Glen he was "worried" about his "form."
© GettyEli went on to explain to Glen that it was in the famous beach football sequence from Top Gun: Maverick that he first got a look at the "form" he was dubious of. Glen argued: "First off, those balls were covered in coconut oil, everyone was greased up, everybody knows that dog fight football doesn't exist, and it's not about the form, it's about the flexing."
© GettyGlen said he assured Eli with: "Once you get me on the field, there will be no coconut oil in sight, this is about a different thing." He added that he went on to connect with some great NFL coaches, including one of Kansas City Chiefs' quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and that both Manning brothers saw the videos of Glen playing football and gave feedback. "The thing I'm really proud of in the show is that — it is funny as hell, and I've shown it to people across the board, people love the show — but the people that really know football are gonna go, 'Wow, that's head to toe legit.'"
