The idea was great. A viral sketch by two-time Super Bowl champ Eli Manning in a wig, sneaking into Penn State try-outs under the pseudonym Chad Powers. So, when it was announced that the sketch would be spun out into a streaming series starring Glenn Powell, a charismatic cannon and Hollywood's new-age leading man, it felt like a no-brainer. However, Chad Powers takes a while to figure out its own playbook.

Powell portrays Russ Holliday, a collegiate quarterback with the world at his feet. One play away from immortality, a national championship (the highest accolade in college-level football), and a shot at the NFL draft. This, however, doesn't quite go to plan. One fumble, and an ill-timed swing later, and Russ finds himself a pariah, ditched by those around him, dropped by his agent (a blink and you'll miss Gabriel Labelle) and barely tolerated by his Father (Toby Huss), a make-up artist with his own flair for the theatrical. Enter, Chad Powers, an eccentric fish out of water with a thick accent, as he attempts to glue Russ' life back together as the QB1 of the aptly named South Georgia ‘Catfish'.

Chad Powers opens with promise, but stumbles through the first few episodes as it tries to decide what it wants to be. Is it satire? Is it a redemptive sports drama? Is it a Ted Lasso inverse? At times, it's all three. At others, it's none. And while it moves at quite a pace, with the entire series run clocking in under 200 minutes, that breakneck rhythm comes at a cost, namely, breathing room. Unlike Ted Lasso, Chad Powers doesn't leave much space for its characters to grow roots. The themes pile up: social media fame, nepo babies, collegiate sports corruption, masculinity, legacy. Though they're all relevant, they crowd the field and clog the emotional lanes. It's funny and sometimes sharp, but it's also a little overstuffed and just out of sync.

At its best, though, Chad Powers hits hard. Episode four, in particular, is a comic high point. Later, the show finds a real emotional gear as it digs into Russ' inner conflict. Plus, the addition of a few well-timed twists that remind you there's still heart under the hair gel. But just as it hits its stride, the series fumbles, leaving a nagging feeling that there should have been more.

Powell is Chad Powers' undeniable draw, and honestly, the show knows it. Charisma, presence, timing; Powell makes Russ watchable even when he's completely detestable. Which is also kind of the problem. His performance as Russ is almost too good at selling the broken, unlikable version of the character. He's cocky, bitter, lost, and borderline cruel, and in a show already light on characters you can root for, it skews the balance. Plus, with such a short runtime and so many themes, tones, and subplots on the table, it never quite finds time to let you get properly invested in anyone.

The supporting cast does their job, but it's Perry Mattfeld as Coach Ricky who gives the show its spine. When she and Powell go toe-to-toe, the whole thing does come alive; it's those scenes that deliver on the show's promise: comedy with bite, and drama with a bit of heart.

Chad Powers doesn't quite win the championship, but it's not a total loss either. It's at its best when it remembers that athletes are still human beings, even if sport feels like life and death. There is a charm to it come the end, and Powell really is the only actor alive who could play someone this inherently unlikeable and keep us watching.

6 out of 6 episodes were available to view.

Chad Powers is available to stream on Disney Plus from 30th September.