The fifth episode of Chad Powers unfolds with Chad and Ricky strolling towards the field, their steps almost in unison, hands almost touching. Coach Byrd halts them, introducing a friend who once walked the gridiron. The friend's kid is a raving fan of Chad's, so the coach prompts him to sign something for the little one. Chad takes the ball, the kid's prize possession, and begins to inscribe his name. Midway through, he realizes he's scrawling "Russ" instead, so he scribbles it out. But with no idea what else to do, he continues to scribble over it, oblivious to the confusion it's causing.
Once in the field, he sits down for an interview, and as is his habit when faced with questions, Russ conjures up the worst possible answers. The interviewer asks him who or what inspired him to play football, and he stumbles, unable to form a coherent thought. He tries to sidestep the question but can't, so he settles on the most unconventional answer: Benjamin Franklin. The interview disintegrates into chaos, and the journalistic team gives up on him. Tricia is appalled and berates him for not giving the media what they want.
Later, she appeals to Coach Hudson to schedule another interview with Chad, this time with Ricky by his side. She'll help him with his answers and serve as a sort of interpreter.
Meanwhile, Russ and Danny discuss Chad's future in their new house, a gift thanks to the player's fame. There's always a mishap after a good run for Russ. And that's exactly what happened in his last game. So he's convinced the same will happen now. Afterward, he returns to college for training, with Ricky watching him work out and clearly interested in him. Then the girl invites him to watch a game in preparation for his next one.
As they delved into strategies, she whispered in his ear about the upcoming interview. He bristled at the thought, confessing his insecurity over others' expectations. He feared he might not live up to the player they thought he was. Ricky reassured him that he was good enough, even if he weren't. And in that moment, he stumbled. Chad inadvertently slipped into his usual "Russ" persona, and he bolted, telling Ricky he needed to use the bathroom as an excuse.
Russ escaped, stripped off his disguise, and headed to a bar. As he watched the news show discussing Chad, a blonde woman recognized him. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they hooked up in his Cybertruck. Before departing, the woman tried to understand his presence there. She understood his defensiveness but couldn't fathom why people cared so much about football. But he finally admitted that everything bad that had happened to him was his fault, contrary to what he had told Danny.
Nonetheless, the woman disagreed with him. She told him that everyone deserved a chance for happiness, regardless of their circumstances. And those words resonated with him deeply.
The next day, Danny woke up to find Chad singing and admiring himself in the mirror. Then, Russ announced that he would never be Russ again. From now on, he would pursue his happiness as Chad. It was the only way for things to work out for him.
With a gleeful heart, he headed to his interview at Coach Hudson's house. When he arrived, Ricky, who was a vision of beauty, opened the door and welcomed him. Everything seemed perfect. But as feared at the beginning, things took a turn for the worse. Hudson introduced him to his wife, Wendy, who turned out to be the same woman he had hooked up with the day before. She didn't realize his true identity, but he didn't know what to say to her.
After their awkward interaction, the interviewers wanted to record the Hudson family enjoying a pleasant family lunch with Chad. It started well, but Wendy snapped at one of her husband's answers, casting a dark shadow over the occasion.
Wendy laments that he is solely consumed by football, neglecting her in the process. Their scheduled dinner and heart-to-heart conversation yesterday was canceled without so much as an explanation. He attempts to rationalize his late-night work sessions, insisting their importance, but she's unmoved. She yearns for a life in harmony, one where he makes room for her.
As their discourse deepens, he confesses to knowing for months that she was cheating on him with her trainer. Yet, she counters, unrepentant, that he wasn't the only one being jilted; he was constantly overshadowed by the sport he loved so much.
The situation reaches a boiling point when Wendy shocks him by revealing her infidelity with Russ the day before. In a huff, Ricky gathers her things and exits, dragging Chad along with her.
The icing on the cake is Ricky's conviction that Russ is stalking her family; she's even spotted him at the hotel they recently stayed in. Her father arrives, fueling the fire by badmouthing Russ as well. He recounts how he had the opportunity to recruit him a few years back but the man turned him down. Hudson asserts that he could see the guy was a cancer waiting to spread, even before the recent controversy.
Suddenly, Hudson experiences difficulty breathing and urges Ricky to dial 911. He fears he's suffering a heart attack.
