As monumental as adolescence is in a person’s life, I always appreciate when artists underscore just how ridiculous it is, too. “Chad,” starring and created by “SNL” alumna Nasim Pedrad, joins the likes of “PEN15,” “Never Have I Ever,” and “Derry Girls” in its refusal to be overly precious about teendom. (In the vein of “PEN15,” Pedrad, an adult in her late 30s, portrays a 14-year-old boy — so you know this show doesn’t take itself too seriously.) There’s a lot of heart in this half-hour comedy, but there’s also a clear-eyed view on how obnoxious, mercurial, and nonsensical the pubescent set can be. Yet, there’s never a lack of empathy: with hormones raging, self-esteem plummeting, and adulthood looming, how can teenagers not be at least a little bit terrible?
And with his all-consuming desire to be popular and his inability to ever read the room, the titular character can be pretty terrible. Donning faux bushy eyebrows and adopting a husky voice, Pedrad plays Chad as a bundle of insecurities and affectations. All he wants is to fit in with the cool kids, so of course he acts like a dick to the people who love him just as he is. Luckily for Chad, he’s surrounded by family and friends with an apparently limitless supply of patience and understanding: his single mom Naz (Saba Homayoon), kind uncle Hamid (Paul Chahidi), mature younger sister Niki (Ella Mika), and self-possessed best friend Peter (Jake Ryan).
Cringe comedy is the name of the game in “Chad,” but the TBS series is also a thoughtful exploration of the intersection of adolescence and cultural identity. As Chad says time and again, he wants more than anything to be an average American kid. The way he sees it, his Muslim Persian background is holding him back — he even jettisons his given name, Ferydoon, in order to blend in. Of course, the cruel irony of it all is that Chad’s lack of self-confidence is what alienates him from the popular bros, not his Persian identity. In one of the best episodes of the first season, the cool guys Chad is obsessed with hanging out with end up clicking with Hamid, who is proud of his culture, comfortable in his own skin, and genuinely fun to be around.
As insufferable as Chad the character can be, “Chad” the show soars. It’s as weird, specific, awkward, and moving as high school itself.
“Chad” premieres at 10:30 p.m. EST tonight on TBS.
