Nasim Pedrad was the co-host of one of my favorite SNL recurring sketches, “Underground Rock Minute” (R.I.P. Ass Dan), therefore I will watch anything she’s in. New Girl? Obviously. People of Earth? Super underrated. Mulaney? I might be the only person who watched every episode, and that includes John Mulaney. Pedrad is finally getting the lead role she’s long deserved in Chad.
The TBS comedy stars Pedrad as Chad, a “14-year-old pubescent Persian boy [who] navigates his first year of high school on a mission to become popular,” according to the official plot synopsis. “Chad’s friendships and sanity are pushed to the limits as he uses every tactic at his disposal to befriend the cool kids, while enduring his mother’s new dating life and reconciling with his cultural identity.”
Pedrad, who also serves as creator, writer, producer, and showrunner, developed a character with “nuance and specificity and flaws that are relatable,” she said last year. “It’s been a five-year journey from when I had the idea and started developing the world and character. It’s different creating a show for network. [TBS] really has been [an ideal home]. I don’t know if I would have got away with [it] on network television. How far can we push the envelope?” I realize one show is on TBS and the other’s on Hulu, but: can we get a Chad / Pen15 crossover? Netflix’s Big Mouth pulled it off, so I can’t see why not.
Chad premieres on TBS on April 6. Watch the trailer above.
