‘Chad Powers’ Season 2 Debuts With a Perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes Score, Leaving Season 1’s Reception in the Dust

Sophomore seasons carry a particular kind of pressure, especially for shows that debuted to lukewarm critical reception the first time around. Audiences might have embraced a series right away, but winning over critics after an uneven first outing is a considerably tougher climb.

Glen Powell’s Hulu comedy faced exactly that challenge heading into its second season. Season 1 had split opinion right down the middle, with critics remaining lukewarm even as audiences embraced the show’s absurd premise about a disgraced quarterback disguising himself to sneak back onto the football field.

That gap between critics and audiences has now completely flipped. ‘Chad Powers’ Season 2 is currently sitting fresh at 100 percent on the Tomatometer with seven reviews, a dramatic leap from Season 1’s considerably more divisive 59 percent critics’ score. Audiences have responded just as enthusiastically, awarding the new season a strong 92 percent approval rating on the Popcornmeter.

That kind of unanimous critical praise is rare for any comedy, let alone one whose first season struggled to win over reviewers in the first place. Several critics have specifically pointed to the show’s willingness to shift genres as the key factor behind its dramatically improved reception this time around.

Reviewers have highlighted Season 2’s willingness to lean into darker, more thriller-adjacent territory at points throughout its run, without sacrificing the comedic tone that defined the first season. RogerEbert’s Cristina Escobar praised the season for rehabilitating a selfish, flawed character in a way that simply feels satisfying to watch, even while acknowledging the story doesn’t always make logical sense.

ScreenRant’s Felipe Rangel similarly praised the season for building on established plot threads from the first season, crafting an easy-to-follow story filled with hilarious moments, emotional conversations, and a genuinely shocking final stretch. That combination of comedic momentum and unexpected dramatic weight appears to be exactly what won critics over this time around.

The new season picks up after Ricky Hudson discovered Chad’s true identity at the end of Season 1, with her father, Coach Jake Hudson, growing increasingly suspicious and threatening to expose the secret entirely. That escalating tension gives Ricky, played by Perry Mattfeld, a much larger role this season as Chad’s reluctant ally in keeping his cover intact.

Reviewers have specifically praised how the season allows Glen Powell to show off his range playing both Russ and his alter ego Chad, with the longer format across two six-episode seasons giving him considerably more room to develop the character’s arc. That deeper focus on genuine character growth, rather than leaning solely on the show’s comedic gimmick, appears to be a major factor behind the show’s improved standing with critics.

Combined across both seasons, ‘Chad Powers’ now holds an overall 80 percent critics’ score and an 88 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, a significant improvement from where the show stood after its freshman run. Given how sharply divided critical opinion was on the first season, that kind of complete reversal in reception marks a rare feat for a comedy series.

With a cliffhanger ending already setting up potential storylines for a third season, ‘Chad Powers’ appears to have found its footing at exactly the right moment. Whether that critical momentum continues building if the show returns for another season remains to be seen, but for now, Season 2 stands as a genuine turnaround story in its own right.

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