Steven Prusakowski
There’s nothing quite like hanging out with close friends where you can truly unwind, unload, and be completely at ease. Watching the new HBO series Rooster feels just like being with friends who really get you. They’ll lend an ear, offer a shoulder to lean on, hit you with a playful dig, or simply be there when you need it most. At a moment in my life and in the world’s history when it’s easy to feel lonely, this series delivers the warm, comforting hug so many of us could use.
The series stars Steve Carell as Greg Russo, a bestselling author known for his “beach read” novels about a detective named Rooster. He becomes writer-in-residence to fill in a staff vacancy at the same New England college where his daughter Katie (Charly Clive), an art history professor, teaches. The show centers on their father-daughter relationship as both hit personal crossroads. Katie’s life falls apart when she learns her husband Archie (Phil Dunster) is having an affair with a younger woman (Lauren Tsai), and being a good dad, Greg instinctively and eagerly steps in to help, even if his help is not requested.
While Greg arrives on campus to help his daughter, he struggles to fit in as his midlife quirks and some of his outdated novel’s themes clash with the modern college campus mindset. Imagine a 60+ year old man acclimating to a college campus and navigating his way among the Gen Zers of the world. He already feels inadequate as a professor because he writes pulpy novels and never went to college, as well as feeling overshadowed by his successful philanthropist CEO ex-wife (Connie Britton). She is so revered by the university that the new student center is named after her.
The show title may not be the most appealing, but do not let that stop you from watching, with the talented minds behind it of Bill Lawrence (Scrubs, Ted Lasso, Shrinking) and Matt Tarses (The Goldbergs, Scrubs) you can rest assured they know how to make a crowd pleaser. Rooster is an easy watch that is rooted in positivity, but just beneath the surface is a surprisingly poignant thread of loneliness that grounds it. Carell’s Greg is not just a father checking on his daughter, he carries with him the pain of isolation, a feeling he experienced even through a long marriage that had left him feeling profoundly alone. The fact that his daughter is going through some struggles herself is probably just the excuse he needs to break free of his normal routine to travel to be at her side.
Carell is firing on all cylinders here, delivering one of his best performances to date as he balances the comedic with the drama perfectly. He puts on a comedy clinic, fumbling his way through situations with spot-on line delivery that nails every awkward foot-in-mouth moment as well as some truly hysterical physical comedy – one episode-two sight gag is particularly ballsy. Rooster quickly reminds you how funny Carell is, yet at the same time his ability to make midlife dreariness feels authentic as he attempts to reinvent himself. You never get the idea that Greg is a broken man or on the opposite end of the spectrum, smug or egotistical. Instead he floats somewhere in the middle ground, accomplished and successful on paper, but still a little lost as life passes by. He is easy to root for, relatable and likeable, with his heart in the right place.
Speaking of which, home is where the heart is, and Greg’s heart is with his daughter. That’s why his relationship with Katie works so well. It’s the heart of the series and their chemistry, which feels completely effortless, had me instantly hooked. Even though Greg’s help isn’t exactly wanted, he can’t help himself, often making things worse but in the most comedic ways possible. Together they fumble through this new chapter of her life… and his. Clive and Carell’s screen time is heartfelt and hilarious, believable and touching. Clive is an absolute gem as Katie. She turns her into a believable mixed bag of strength and insecurities, who is suddenly forced into existential chaos. She evokes real empathy for her situation while still conveying the messiness of it all.
The actress more than holds her own comedically with Carell. She also elevates her other screen pairings. Katie doesn’t have it all together, and Clive makes every scene better with standout work that taps into the pain and confusion she is feeling. Mining comedy as she unleashes the impulsive side of herself, involving a lot of punching, some screaming, and just a little bit of arson. Clive was new to me before the series, and now she has a permanent place on my radar going forward.
The setting adds to the comforting, nostalgic escape of the show, taking me back to my college year. The series is a visually stunning love letter to New England autumns, relying on natural light, softer slightly desaturated colors. You can practically walk the fictional Ludlow College campus, smell the leaves and the occasional scent of patchouli, if that’s still a thing. It is lovely to look at with its ivy covered walls, red brick and fall foliage.
At Rooster’s core, like many of Lawrence’s series, this is an ensemble piece. While Greg and Katie’s antics can take up the full half hour, it is hard to go wrong with the array of characters that fill out the campus. Lawrence’s dialogue is often witty, stuffed with heart and finds ways to add layers to characters who in most shows would be one dimensional.
As Greg’s colleague and potential love interest Dylan, Danielle Deadwyler is a joy to watch as she spreads her comedic wings while also letting her guard down to reveal how unseen she feels even while among so many other people. Her no-nonsense ways and openness make her charged relationship with Greg feel authentic and quietly transformative for both characters.
Phil Dunster (moving beyond Jamie Tartt from Ted Lasso) shines as the egotistical husband of Katie, Archie. It is a role that could easily be a one-note villain, but Dunster adds depth and charm, successfully walking that line where he is much more likable than you would probably want from the guy who cheated on Katie. Punchable and unavoidably forgivable at the same time. Maybe one reason Archie is more tolerable than he should be is his grad student girlfriend, Sunny (Tsai) who is reserved with a dry wit, carrying her own problems that go beyond just being the ‘other woman’ making her a surprisingly sympathetic character.
Officer Donnie, the campus cop, played by Rory Scovel is straight-up hilarious as the thorn in Carell’s side. The comedian/actor steals scenes as every one of his lines lands, whether he’s trying to match wits with Greg or exposing his own incompetence by misplacing his gun yet again. He carries some Barney Fife energy and stays funny without trying too hard or overstaying his welcome as he keeps a somewhat untrained eye on Greg’s every move.
There’s also longtime Lawrence and Tarses collaborator John C. McGinley, reuniting from Scrubs, who plays the quirky, sauna and ice bath obsessed college president Walter Mann. He’s funny and eccentric in every scene. And if you were hoping to see Mr. McGinley shirtless, you’re in for a treat, early and often making the majority of his interactions a bit more awkward.
Add to this group Maximo Salas as a twenty-something student that bonds with Greg, the always unpredictable Robby Hoffman as Sunny’s sarcastic roommate, Annie Mumolo as Cristle, the Dean’s assistant who handles more than the paperwork, and the campus quickly fill up with interesting characters for Lawrence and Tarses to play with keeping every scene lively with a variety of comedic avenues to tap into. There are times it may feel like there may be a little too much character ground to cover, especially in the bite sized half hour episodes. (Did I mention Alan Ruck’s part of the cast too? You can’t go wrong with Ruck.)
This comedy is consistently funny, brilliantly smart, effortlessly charming, packed with genuine surprises. Lawrence’s dialogue is witty and stuffed with heart. It feels like reuniting with an old friend, it is comfort viewing, easy to consume and keeps you wanting more. If you are a fan of Shrinking, Scrubs, and/or Ted Lasso, then Rooster should fit right into the viewing queue .
Carell’s Greg shares some qualities with other Lawrence lead protagonists, namely Ted Lasso’s title character (Jason Sudeikis) and Jimmy (Jason Segel) from Shrinking. All three are dedicated dads, each with their own quirks and flaws, each finding direction in life long after they should have. Thinking about the three characters, I’d love to see a crossover episode where we learn they’re all friends, grabbing a beer and swapping parenting stories.
Life isn’t always perfect and for everyone on Rooster that is evidently true. It can be easy to feel lost and full of regrets no matter your age, career, or situation. Rooster taps into that while never bringing viewers down in the dumps. It is why I compared it to hanging with those friends that know you.
To that effect it is kind of Cheers-like in its ability to make you feel part of the room. You wanna be where you can see, our troubles are all the same, you wanna be where everybody knows your name. Rooster never drowns in negativity, it simply acknowledges that we’re all navigating our own quiet struggles and sometimes, that’s enough to feel seen. It’s comforting, lived-in, and inviting, more naturalistic than some of Lawrence’s other outings.
Sure, it occasionally leans into midlife wish-fulfillment territory; beer pong triumphs, co-worker hookup opportunities that fall into place, and a general lack of lasting repercussions for character missteps, but those moments never derail the heart. The show strikes a perfect balance: grounded enough to ring true, escapist enough to uplift. As long as the emotions stay authentic (and they do), a little fantasy is welcome. Carell, Clive, and the ensemble ace the exam. Rooster is more than a show, it’s a warm reminder that second chances and shared troubles can still feel like home.
SCORE: ★★★★★ out of 5 stars (after viewing six of the ten episodes)
New episodes of Rooster drop weekly on Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and HBO Max.
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