Pratik Handore
‘Chad’ is a sitcom created by Nasim Pedrad (‘Saturday Night Live’) that follows the eponymous awkward Persian-American teenager who faces many struggles while blending into his surroundings. The show is unique because Pedrad stars as the fourteen-year-old boy, Chad, despite being almost thrice his age. The series reminds audiences about their embarrassing teenage experiences, and Chad’s quest for acceptance is one many will relate to. Therefore, wondering about the show’s connections to reality is natural. Is it really based on real incidents or a true story? Here’s what we found out.
Is Chad Based on a True Story?
No, ‘Chad’ isn’t based on a true story. The show is based on an original concept from the multi-talented Nasim Pedrad. The ‘New Girl’ alum stars as the lead character while also serving as the showrunner and producer. She also wrote the pilot, among other episodes. We know you must be curious to discover what prompted Pedrad to create such a grounded yet bizarre television show and star in it as a male character much younger than herself.
It turns out the answers to both questions are closely tied to one another. Pedrad sat down to discuss her new show with EW. In the interview, she spoke about her desire to create an honest and grounded series about the plight of teenagers while simultaneously developing a role she could have fun playing. This gave birth to the character of Chad and, in turn, the show’s concept.
Pedrad explained that she wanted to bring adult sensibilities to the world of teenagers. ”I also just thought it would be cool to tell a coming-of-age story where the teenager at the center of it wasn’t a teenager, but an adult who is in on the joke. Because teenagers don’t know what’s so funny about being a teenager, whereas an adult could bring that perspective and specificity to the character,” she said.
Pedrad, who is no stranger to playing male characters, having played multiple such roles on ‘Saturday Night Live,’ also noted that developing the character of Chad was a much different process than her previous experiences with male roles as audiences must be able to connect and empathize with Chad to sustain the narrative over the half-hour.
However, in doing so, the show also embraces the cringe tone generally synonymous with teenagers. Nasim worked hard with her writers to tread the fine line between what’s acceptable “cringe” and what’s difficult to watch. She wasn’t afraid to sometimes cross the line either. This unique approach sounds ridiculous in theory but works in favor of the show on screen, adding a layer of nuanced realism.
Since Pedrad doesn’t share her character’s age, does she share any other attributes or similarities with her character? In the same interview, she revealed she closely resembles Chad in many ways. She said, “I loved sports, I was a tomboy, I had all guy cousins. Like Chad, I also was a late bloomer, and that’s one of the things I wanted to explore in the show, that at that age, everyone is just maturing emotionally at such insanely different rates.” In conclusion, ‘Chad’ borrows its realism and sensibilities from the show’s star and creator, who is the driving creative force.
Read More: Where Is Chad Filmed?
