Just ask: Glen Powell emailed Johnny Depp for surprise finale cameo in his new series

Right, so Glen Powell's latest dabble in television, Chad Powers, is about as meta as broadcast telly gets. In this case, being 'meta' isn't some lazy buzzword—Powell's entire approach is self-aware, tongue in cheek, and stacked with more Hollywood nods than your average pub quiz. They're riffing on that viral Peyton Manning skit, with Powell's character, Russ Holliday, committing to his real/fake sports persona with the sort of obsession bordering on the sort you saw from Kirk Lazarus in Tropic Thunder. If you like shows that play with layers and break the fourth wall, this one is for you.

Hollywood References Everywhere

From the outset, Chad Powers has loaded up on movie and telly references—sometimes subtle, sometimes about as subtle as a sledgehammer. Series one had running gags nicked from Mrs. Doubtfire, the opener did its best Armageddon impression, and for the season two finale, they went fully rogue: a full-on Johnny Depp cameo, or close enough. Well, sort of.

Season two sees the noose tightening around Russ, as his big secret teeters closer to being found out. In the finale, there's a cracking scene where Russ is holed up in a deserted cinema, meeting with a mate who, surprise surprise, is about to betray him. On screen: nothing, just a blank projector. Only later did the editors slap on footage from Depp's Edward Scissorhands, after getting clearance from Depp himself. Powell explained the hows and whys to Gold Derby. Here’s how Powell described how they pulled that off:

I have to give a shout out to Johnny Depp for giving us the rights. Johnny had to give us the OK, so I sent him an email and he did.

Powell also pointed out that every throwback or reference in Chad Powers is loaded with intention—not just for a cheap gag. He compared the emotional beats of the finale to Edward Scissorhands, where isolation and regret hit their peak. The parallel is pretty on the nose: Russ, like Edward, has stitched himself into a corner, hurting those around him, now forced into exile. Powell went on to emphasize how much effort goes into each nod:

He's hurt everybody, and he's retreating to the castle. We talked about how we could conjure that sort of feeling; every reference that you've seen throughout the show has intention behind it. It may seem like a funny, silly show, but I promise there's a lot of brain power around trying to make every moment work.

Tone Shift and What Comes Next

The vibe in season two isn't just heavier for fun—they deliberately borrowed tension tricks from the Safdie Brothers' playbook (if you've sat through Good Time or Uncut Gems, you know the sort: characters whirling through self-inflicted chaos, consequences looming). What started off as an easygoing sports comedy has morphed into something closer to a psychological thriller, even touching on the likes of JFK or Any Given Sunday for its edge and realism. It's also the season where a proper reckoning gets baked into the story, upping the stakes for Russ and everyone caught in the fallout.

For those who've stuck with the series, the big arc was mapped out ages ago. Powell, who co-created the show with Michael Waldron, has always eyed a three-season journey for Chad Powers. There are only two ways this story ends for Russ Holliday: either sporting glory or an almighty public shaming. Season two did at least resolve the will-they-won't-they saga between Russ and Ricky Hudson (played by Perry Mattfield), though naturally they couldn't resist leaving that on a neat little cliffhanger involving Ricky's dad maybe about to rumble Russ's entire scam.

• Despite the story arc being finished, Hulu hasn't confirmed a third season yet—but Glen Powell insists, if and when it happens, that will be the last. The creators don't want to drag it out, and apparently the end is already set in stone. The only question is whether Hulu lets them shoot it before the pitch invades the clubhouse for good.