Rooster (TV series)

The series is set on a college campus, centering on an author Greg Russo's complicated relationship with his daughter Katie. == Cast and characters ==

Main • Steve Carell as Greg Russo • Danielle Deadwyler as Dylan Shepard • Phil Dunster as Archie, Katie's estranged husband who left her for a graduate student • Charly Clive as Katie Russo, Greg's daughter • Lauren Tsai as Sunny, the graduate student for whom Archie left Katie • John C. McGinley as Walter Mann, Ludlow College's president Recurring • Annie Mumolo as Cristle, Walter's executive assistant • Rory Scovel as Officer Donnie Mullins, a campus police officer • Alan Ruck as Dean Vincent Riggs • Robby Hoffman as Mo, Sunny's friend and roommate In addition, Maximo Salas co-stars as Tommy Newton, a student who befriends Greg. == Episodes ==

The ten-part series is written and created by Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses and received a straight-to-series order from HBO in 2024. The cast is led by Steve Carell who is also an executive producer alongside Lawrence, Tarses, Jeff Ingold, Liza Katzer, Jonathan Krisel, Barbie Adler, Annie Mebane, David Stassen and Anthony King. It is produced by Warner Bros. Television and Doozer Productions. Phil Dunster joined the cast in November 2024, with Charly Clive joining the cast as Carell's daughter the following month. In February 2025, Danielle Deadwyler, Lauren Tsai and John C. McGinley joined the cast. In June 2025, Annie Mumolo and Connie Britton joined the cast in recurring roles. In July 2025, Robby Hoffman and Scott MacArthur joined the cast in recurring roles. On April 9, 2026, HBO renewed the series for a second season. Filming Principal photography for Rooster began in June 2025 at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California which served as Ludlow College. Exteriors were filmed at the University of the Pacific over the course of two weeks. Looking to emulate an elite East Coast liberal arts school, co-creator Matt Tarses originally envisioned shooting Rooster at his alma mater Williams College in Massachusetts. However, the studio had approved shooting interiors in Los Angeles so they needed to find a college within driving distance of Los Angeles. Extras during the university shoot had to wear autumnal clothing in 100°F / 37°C heat. Additional footage for Ludlow College was shot at Occidental College and the University of Southern California. Studio filming for interiors took place at Warner Bros. Studios Burbank. Principal photography wrapped in August 2025. == Release ==

The series premiered on HBO on March 8, 2026. == Reception ==

Critical response The series holds an 88% approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 50 reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Rooster nestles in with humor and heart thanks to Steve Carell's soothing performance and Danielle Deadwyler's exuberant support, leading Bill Lawrence's kind-spirited, good-time new series to lovely heights." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 67 out of 100 based on 26 critics, indicating "generally favorable". Audience viewership The series became the most watched comedy premiere on HBO in the U.S. in over a decade. Rooster drew 2.4 million viewers in the U.S. across platforms in its first three days of availability. == References ==