Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Language, drugs in absurd but sweet high school sitcom.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Chad
What's the Story?
In middle school, he was a great big dork who never talked to girls and only went to one party over the summer (and it was a brunch thrown by his best friend's aunt), but CHAD (Nasim Pedrad, a 39-year-old woman playing a 14-year-old boy) is starting high school this year, and things are going to be different. He's successfully concealed his Persian heritage by legally changing his name from Fereydoon Amani to Chad, and he's ready with a series of smooth lies about who he is and what he's been up to. His best friend Peter (Jake Ryan) doesn't understand the stress; his supportive mother (Saba Homayoon), clever younger sister (Ella Mika), and kind-hearted uncle (Paul Chahidi) think Chad should just accept who he is. But as a teen in search of popularity and, naturally, the enduring happiness that will follow, that's just not something Chad's willing to do.
Is It Any Good?
Zippy writing, lovable characters, and a keen sense of absurdity distinguish this sitcom from a bumper crop of other "high school is sooooo awkward!" comedies which all blend together. And like sitcoms with similar settings, Chad does share some tropes. The high school where most of the action happens is inhabited by polarized cool kids and very-much-not-cool kids; Chad himself is an awkward freshman trying to pass himself off as a smooth upperclassman; there are unrealistically huge parties, unrealistically old classmates, and so on. Even the idea of an adult playing a goofy adolescent isn't new; PEN15, please report to the principal's office.
So it's not fresh, but Chad is fun enough that it charms anyway, mostly because of the loopy gags that play out unacknowledged by the cast. When Chad agrees to meet a scary goth girl behind the school, he walks nervously past trash can fires and discarded couches. Why's the goth girl so scary? Chad tells his mom that she doesn't come to class with a backpack, just a broken pencil and ripped piece of paper. Chad's best friend Peter wears a pair of leather shorts to school. They're his mom's, he explains; his dad's clothes are too small for him. "Stop wearing your parents' clothes!" Chad rants at him. "You're your own boy, Peter." Chad is a gruff, unpleasant teenage boy (trapped in the body of a generation-older woman in funny fake eyebrows), but with relatable people surrounding him like Peter, Chad's understanding mom, and gentle Uncle Hamid, it's easy to care about what happens to him, and everyone on this eccentric semi-gem of a comedy.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why high schools are such a common setting for shows about teenagers. What's the dramatic or comedic potential for a high school? How many high school shows can you name? What does Chad have in common with those, and how does it differ?
What do you think about the fact that the series stars and is written by an adult woman pretending to be a teen boy? How might the show have been different if they hired a real 14-year-old to play Chad? Does his true age affect how you view the character in any way?
Some of the humor in Chad is rather mature for the age characters are playing on the show (early teens). Would the show be as funny without jokes about sex, drugs, and other ticklish topics? Does the humor make you uncomfortable, or do you ever think it's inappropriate?
TV Details
- Premiere date : April 6, 2021
- Cast : Nasim Pedrad , Jake Ryan , Ella Mika
- Network : TBS
- Genre : Comedy
- TV rating :
- Last updated : April 13, 2021
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate