Chad

Pedrad captures the many contradictions of early adolescence. Chad moves stiffly through the world, swinging from bouts of loud hyperactivity to a muttery, almost physical self-effacement. The actress is so natural in the role that it's not long before the device is overshadowed by the character, a kid coming to terms with his identity.

Chad is often hilarious, bracing and sweet.

Chad works mainly because Pedrad doesn’t treat her role as a gimmick, and has built a world around Chad that will be fodder for stories this season and (hopefully) however many other seasons the show gets.

Because Pedrad is playing this character, with such affection and physical dedication, the show works. She nails the antsy tugging of a backpack strap while talking to a new classmate, or the brittle posture walking through the halls, or the brief stolen moments in a bathroom, wiping away tears before throwing yourself back out there.

Every episode made me laugh out loud more than once. Every episode also made me want to look away out of horror for what Chad had wrought upon himself.

The show offsets the absurdity with heart.

“Chad” is sure to gain a cult following but it’s too niche to steal the thunder of the grand poobah of uncomfortable comedy, “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

The squirm factor often becomes too much. [12 - 25 Apr, p.11]

While the show features some sporadic moments of genuine growth and connection, Chad himself mostly operates in extremes. That his most defining characteristic throughout the first season’s eight episodes is “insecure” can make him hard to watch. ... Should “Chad” get a second season, it would be more interesting to see what he does with even an ounce more confidence, even if it doesn’t make for as many obvious punchlines.

Chad has none of [Pen15's] Maya and Anna’s deep-down sensitivity, their love for one another, or their incredible weirdness. Chad is rude, he’s tone-deaf, he’s unpleasant, and I suspect some of that is just because of the way the character is written. ... There are sections where Chad itself seems unconvinced that this is working. ... The parts of Chad that work best are those relating to his family and how much he wishes he were more culturally American and less Persian.