Hulu’s new sports comedy series Chad Powers premiered on September 30, 2025, bringing audiences a uniquely absurd take on the redemption story. Created by Glen Powell and Michael Waldron, the show stars Powell as Russ Holliday, a former narcissistic college football quarterback who disgraces himself in a championship game. When his reputation is destroyed beyond repair, Holliday hatches an outlandish plan: he’ll undergo a physical transformation using prosthetics and a wig to disguise himself and walk onto a struggling football program under the name Chad Powers.

From Viral Sketch to Full Series

The show’s origins trace back to an Omaha Productions skit created by retired NFL quarterback Eli Manning for his ESPN+ series Eli’s Places. In 2022, Manning successfully fooled Penn State’s assistant head coach during open tryouts by wearing prosthetics and a shaggy wig, posing as an undiscovered talent named Chad Powers Time. What began as a lighthearted prank proved to have deeper storytelling potential, catching the attention of Powell and Waldron.

The series transforms Manning’s brief stunt into an examination of failure, accountability, and what drives someone to literally become another person—exploring the psychology of reinvention when the world won’t let you forget who you once were.

The Cast and Production

The ensemble includes Steve Zahn, Toby Huss, Perry Mattfeld, Clayne Crawford, Wynn Everett, Frankie A. Rodriguez, Colton Ryan, Keese Wilson, Xavier Mills, and Quentin Plair. The Manning brothers, Eli and Peyton, served as executive producers, helping secure football arenas and props while coaching Powell on authentically portraying a star quarterback.

Hulu gave the show a series order in February 2024, with filming beginning in late August of that year. The first two episodes launched simultaneously, with subsequent episodes rolling out weekly.

Reception and Performance

The show’s arrival generated immediate buzz. Following its premiere, Chad Powers ranked number one on both Disney+ and Hulu’s daily lists of most-watched titles. However, critical reception has been mixed. On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a 57% approval rating based on 46 reviews, with critics noting that Powell’s charms are paired with a frequently off-putting role that throws comedic curveballs which often backfire but don’t necessarily strike out.

Stuart Heritage of The Guardian awarded the season four out of five stars, praising it as “a funny, touching, deliberately uncomfortable character piece with one of the most magnetic central performances in recent memory”. Meanwhile, Variety‘s Alison Herman felt the season was rushed, lacking time to fully develop character dynamics, particularly between Russ and his father, and noted the show shares similarities with Ted Lasso but lacks its emotional depth.

Why Powell Took the Role

For an actor riding high on major film successes like Top Gun: Maverick, Twisters, and Anyone But You, taking on a TV comedy might seem unexpected. But Powell was drawn to the project’s themes, stating: “This show is really about hope, second chances, and redemption, which is something I think we all need right now” Time. The role allows him to showcase his comedic range while exploring the psychological depths of a man desperate enough to erase his identity for another shot at his dreams.

Chad Powers offers a blend of sports comedy, character study, and underdog narrative—all wrapped in the absurdity of a mustached, mulleted alter ego. Whether it earns a second season remains to be seen, though Powell is already dreaming of potential cameos. For now, audiences can watch all six episodes of this unconventional redemption tale on Hulu.

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Netflix has scored a sleeper success with The Hunting Wives, the sultry psychological thriller, which premiered on the platform in July 2025. After launching quietly with little formal promotional campaign, the series became a fixture on Netflix’s U.S. Top 10 for six weeks, including time at the number one spot.

From Starz Castoff to Netflix Phenomenon

The show has an unusual backstory—produced initially for Starz, The Hunting Wives found itself without a home when the network split from Lionsgate Television. Netflix licensed the U.S. rights for one year, and the gamble paid off handsomely when the series premiered on July 21, 2025.

Created by Rebecca Perry Cutter (Hightown) and based on May Cobb’s bestselling 2021 novel, the eight-episode series follows Sophie O’Neil (Brittany Snow), who relocates with her husband Graham from Massachusetts to the fictional East Texas town of Maple Brook. There, she becomes entangled with Margo Banks (Malin Akerman), a charismatic socialite who leads an exclusive circle known as the “Hunting Wives”.

A Dangerous Web of Secrets

Sophie’s darker past—she killed a pedestrian while driving under the influence in Cambridge—adds another layer to her desperation to fit into this new world. As she grows closer to Margo, Sophie becomes consumed by obsession and seduction, eventually finding herself caught up in the murder investigation of a teenage girl found dead in the woods where the Hunting Wives gather.

The ensemble cast includes Dermot Mulroney as Jed Banks, Margo’s oil tycoon husband; Chrissy Metz, Jaime Ray Newman, and Katie Lowes as members of the elite social circle; and Evan Jonigkeit as Sophie’s husband.

Critical Reception and Cultural Impact

The series earned a 76% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 25 critic reviews. NPR praised the show’s pacing, noting that while it employs a familiar murder mystery structure, relevant facts emerge gradually rather than forcing viewers to wait until the finale for answers.

Viewers have been surprised by the show’s explicit content, which features considerably more nudity and sex than typical Netflix fare—a legacy of its Starz origins. In an interview with Vulture, Akerman revealed the creative team used Melania Trump as a reference for her portrayal of Margo Banks.

The show’s success extended beyond the screen. The week following the premiere, Cobb’s original novel saw a staggering 5,000% increase in sales across all formats compared to the previous year.

Season 2 on the Horizon

Netflix renewed the series for a second season in September 2025 as a global Netflix original rather than a U.S.-only license. The eight-episode second season will continue the original storyline from the Season 1 finale, with the main cast returning.

According to the Season 2 logline, Sophie and Margo begin at odds, but old secrets and new adversaries force them back together, raising the question: are they the hunters or the hunted?

The Hunting Wives demonstrates that sometimes the most unexpected paths lead to success. What began as a discarded Starz project transformed into one of Netflix’s standout dramas of 2025, proving that compelling storytelling—even when wrapped in Texas glamour and scandal—always finds its audience.

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Black Rabbit

Fans of Jason Bateman’s work in Ozark won’t be disappointed with his latest Netflix venture, the crime thriller miniseries Black Rabbit. Released on September 18, 2025, the show, which Bateman also executive produced and directed two episodes of, pairs him with actor Jude Law in a dark and gritty exploration of brotherhood, crime, and ambition.

The Premise: A Brother’s Return

The story revolves around two brothers, Jake (Jude Law) and Vince Friedken (Jason Bateman), who have a complicated and trauma-filled past. Jake is a successful restaurateur in New York City, poised to make his restaurant and VIP lounge, the titular Black Rabbit, a hotspot. His carefully constructed life is upended when his estranged, ne’er-do-well brother, Vince, returns to the city. Vince, a troubled individual with a gambling addiction and a host of enemies, quickly drags Jake back into the criminal underworld. The series starts with a robbery at the Black Rabbit, then flashes back one month to reveal the chain of events that led to the chaos.

The Cast and Characters

Black Rabbit features a strong ensemble cast alongside its two leads. Jude Law plays Jake, the seemingly put-together but deeply flawed restaurateur who is addicted to trying to save his brother. Jason Bateman’s Vince is the unkempt, self-destructive, and often frustrating source of all the trouble. Other notable cast members include Troy Kotsur as a terrifying loan shark, Cleopatra Coleman as an interior designer, and Sope Dirisu as a successful recording artist and investor in the restaurant. The series is at its best when it focuses on the dynamic between Bateman and Law, who have a palpable, brotherly chemistry.

The Downward Spiral

The show is a fast-paced descent into a world of deceit and violence. As Vince’s six-figure debt to a mobster comes to light, Jake is forced to get involved, and the brothers find themselves caught in a dangerous web of schemes and lies. Black Rabbit explores how the brothers’ codependent relationship, rooted in their shared childhood trauma, fuels a cycle of self-destruction. The constant bickering and palpable tension between the two leads make for a compelling watch, even if the subplots and side characters are sometimes underdeveloped.

Is it Worth the Watch?

For those who enjoy a dark, character-driven thriller, Black Rabbit delivers a tense and entertaining ride. While some critics have pointed out a few flaws, such as a predictable plot and a messy narrative, the strong performances from Jason Bateman and Jude Law elevate the series. Their nuanced portrayals of two brothers struggling to escape their past make the show an engaging look at how love and loyalty can become a dangerous force.

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