ROOSTER
Review Scores (how we rate) Watch trailer →
Rooster drops Steve Carell into a messy academic-family comedy where a socially awkward famous author takes a teaching job at the college where his daughter works to help save her job.
He Said / She Said
“The funny parts are funny without trying too hard, and the more serious moments give the characters some real depth. Steve Carell is great, the cast works well together, and the 30-minute runtime makes this an easy quick watch. I do think the energy can feel oddly flat at times, and Katie can be a bit annoying, but overall I was entertained and will keep watching.”
“Steve Carell is doing what Steve Carell does well here, playing the cute, awkward, inept father figure, and there are definitely laughs. But something feels slightly undercooked. The show packs a lot into the half-hour format, yet it still somehow feels slow, and the sadness hanging over everyone can make it a bit rough to sit through. I will probably finish the season, but right now it feels more enjoyable than memorable.”
Critical reception (so far)
- Funny, warm, and character-driven, with enough dramatic depth to keep it from feeling too lightweight.
- Easy to watch in short bursts.
What it’s about
Greg is a socially awkward, divorced author of what some think are misogynistic detective novels who visits the college where his daughter Katie teaches after her husband leaves her for a student. What starts as a concerned dad visit quickly turns into something bigger when Greg gets pulled into working at the college.
Overall vibe
Warm, funny, and lightly sad, with that specific kind of cringe-comedy energy where people are constantly embarrassing themselves but you still feel for them.
Episode-by-episode (1–3)
Greg visits the college where Katie teaches to give a book reading and check in on her after her husband leaves her for a student.
Katie quits, things spiral, and Greg ends up taking the artist-in-residence role to in a desperate attempt to help secure her job at the college.
Greg begins teaching and immediately struggles to fit in. Katie is still spiraling, Greg is still trying to hold everything together, hinting that his whole identity may be built around being needed.
Content warnings
- Language
- Mature themes
- Smoking
- Emotional distress
Who will love it / who should skip it
Will love it if:
- You like funny family shows with heart
- You enjoy socially awkward characters who still feel human
- You want a quick 30-minute watch that still has some emotional weight
- You like comedy that has a little sadness underneath it
Should probably skip it:
- You want bigger, meatier storylines right away
- You dislike characters who spend a lot of time being sad, messy, or frustrating
- You are not interested in academia as a setting
- You prefer sharper energy and less low-key emotional awkwardness