In the high-stakes world of Chad Powers, where a disgraced quarterback’s shot at redemption hinges on a ridiculous wig and some questionable prosthetics, Episode 5—”5th Quarter”—delivers the series’ most chaotic hour yet. With the South Georgia Catfish riding high at 5-0, Chad Powers (Glen Powell) is no longer just the team’s unlikely hero; he’s a national sensation drawing ESPN’s spotlight. But as creator Glen Powell (also starring as Russ Holliday/Chad) and co-creator Michael Waldron crank up the cringe-comedy dial, what starts as a feel-good fame arc spirals into a web of awkward hookups, marital meltdowns, and a gut-punch ending that leaves everyone gasping. Airing today on Hulu, this penultimate episode (the season finale drops next Tuesday, October 28) proves Chad Powers isn’t afraid to mix laugh-out-loud absurdity with raw emotional stakes.
Inspired by Eli Manning’s viral 2022 SNL skit, the series follows Russ Holliday, a once-arrogant college QB whose career imploded in spectacular fashion eight years ago—fumbling a championship-winning touchdown and assaulting a fan on live TV. Desperate for a do-over, Russ transforms into the bumbling but brilliant Chad Powers to walk on at a floundering Georgia D-II program. Powell’s dual performance is a masterclass in physical comedy: Russ’s brooding intensity clashes hilariously with Chad’s wide-eyed doofus energy, amplified by Perry Mattfeld’s sharp-witted Ricky Hudson (the coach’s daughter and offensive coordinator) and Steve Zahn’s gruff but paternal Coach Jake Hudson.
Spoiler Warning: What follows is a full recap of “5th Quarter.” If you haven’t watched yet, bookmark this and sprint to Hulu—new episodes drop Tuesdays at midnight ET.
The episode kicks off on a high note for the Catfish, fresh off their upset win over Tennessee in Episode 4’s nail-biter. Chad’s star is rising faster than a Hail Mary, but Powell leans into the discomfort: At a team meet-and-greet, a brave kid named Dex (with leukemia) asks for Chad’s autograph on his football. In a moment that’s equal parts heartwarming and horrifying, Chad nearly scrawls “Russ” before doodling over it in a frantic, childlike frenzy. “That’s just how Chad signs balls,” he deadpans, turning potential disaster into endearing eccentricity. It’s a subtle reminder of the blurring lines between personas—Russ’s curse of bad luck threatening to seep into Chad’s charmed run.
Fame’s double edge sharpens during Chad’s disastrous ESPN College GameDay interview. Grilled on his origins, Chad blurts that Benjamin Franklin “taught me everything I know about football,” leaving producer Tricia (Wynn Everett) apoplectic. Desperate to rehab the Catfish’s image (and secure those sweet sponsorships), Tricia pitches a “family-friendly” redo at Coach Hudson’s lake house: casual vibes, no pressure, just Chad charming America like a normal guy. Ricky, ever the voice of reason, preps Chad in the film room, coaxing vulnerability from the big lug. “Even if you start flopping, I’ll still like you,” she says, sparking a tender beat that hints at the slow-burn chemistry brewing between them.
But Russ? He’s unraveling. Back home, he practices his “Chad” signature like a man possessed, ranting to mascot confidant Danny (Frankie Rodriguez) about his jinxed life. “Russ is cursed,” he mutters, convinced his old baggage will tank Chad’s momentum. Danny’s pep talks fall flat—until Russ hits the bar for some liquid exorcism.
Enter one of the episode’s boldest swings: Russ’s booze-fueled hookup in his absurdly angular Cybertruck, a running gag since its stealthy woods-parking debut earlier in the season. Alone at the Rustic Lodge, drowning sorrows in whiskey, Russ catches the eye of a sharp-tongued blonde (Megan Ketch). Their banter—philosophical jabs at happiness, football’s futility—escalates to fogged windows and fervent bouncing under neon lights. But true to form, the scene skewers the truck’s hype: “It’s not the most comfortable hookup car, is it?” she quips amid the squeaks. Russ defends his “apocalypse-proof” ride (“with charging stations,” she fires back), but her parting wisdom—”All anybody deserves is to be happy, however they get there”—hits home.
Sober and stirred, Russ wakes determined: Delete the Truth Social, list the Cybertruck for sale, and torch Russ Holliday for good. “I’m going to kill myself,” he tells Danny with deadpan hilarity—meaning his old self, of course. Danny begs him to pump the brakes, sensing the breakdown beneath the bravado, but Chad marches to the lake house interview anyway, prosthetics glued tighter than ever.
What Tricia envisions as a cozy “picnic with the Hudsons” detonates like a trick play gone wrong. Chad arrives to warm welcomes from Jake, Ricky, and… Wendy? The mystery blonde from the bar? Russ’s stomach drops harder than that championship fumble. Unaware (thanks to the Cybertruck’s dim lighting and Russ’s panic-sweat vibe), Wendy clocks Chad but not her one-night stand—yet guilt gnaws at her.
The cameras roll, but Wendy cracks first, unleashing years of resentment at Jake’s football obsession. “You were never there for me!” she screams, confessing infidelities (including with her trainer—in Jake’s house) and pinning it all on his priorities. Jake fires back, accusing her of sabotage, and the brawl spills into accusations about Russ Holliday himself. Ricky, fresh off spotting “Russ” in Knoxville last episode, piles on: “He’s stalking us!” Jake seethes, revealing a grudge—he snubbed Russ as a recruit in high school, calling him “a cancer.” Muzzled in makeup, Chad/Russ absorbs the blows in silent agony, his dual life fracturing live on tape.
As Wendy storms out, Jake joins Ricky and Chad for a raw vent session, his face flushing with rage—and something worse. Clutching his chest, he gasps, “Call 911,” collapsing in what looks like a full-blown heart attack. The screen fades on Chad’s horrified stare, a cliffhanger that yanks Chad Powers from sitcom slapstick to gut-wrenching drama.
Has Russ “betrayed” Jake? Not intentionally—the hookup was a blind cosmic joke, no malice in the mix. But in this cursed timeline, coincidence feels like karma. Jake’s not just a coach; he’s Russ’s surrogate dad, the man who gave Chad a shot when no one else would. If he pulls through (fingers crossed—Zahn’s too good to sideline), the reveal of Chad = Russ + slept with your wife could shatter everything. And if not? Russ’s “curse” goes fatal, forcing a reckoning with the mascot buddy who sees through the glue and the assistant coach who’s cracking his shell.
Ricky’s suspicions are mounting too—her hotel sighting and this Russ rant could connect the dots soon. Meanwhile, Tricia’s sponsorship dreams hang by a thread, and Danny’s loyalty is tested as the only one in on the secret.
“5th Quarter” is Chad Powers at its peak: Powell’s elastic face sells every freakout, from Cybertruck creaks to chest-clutch terror, while Ketch steals scenes as the unapologetic Wendy. The comedy lands (that Franklin flub is gold), but the emotional undercurrents—imposter syndrome, loneliness, redemption—elevate it beyond bro-sports tropes. It’s a “delightfully bold” pivot toward the finale, where the Catfish’s ESPN glow-up collides with Russ’s imploding facade. Will Chad fumble the big reveal? Or does Russ finally deserve that happiness, charging stations be damned?
Stream Chad Powers now on Hulu. What did you think of the cliffhanger—curse or coincidence? Sound off in the comments.
