Lawrence Fine

Rooster is an American comedy television series developed by Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses, with Steve Carell in the lead role. The show premiered on HBO on March 8, 2026, and was subsequently renewed for a second season in April of the same year. The narrative unfolds on a college campus, focusing on the complex relationships within the family of author Greg Russo. The series was ordered straight-to-series by HBO in 2024. Production involved filming at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, which stood in for Ludlow College, as well as at Occidental College and the University of Southern California for additional exterior shots. Interior scenes were shot at Warner Bros. Studios Burbank. The series garnered generally favorable reviews, with a Metacritic score of 67 out of 100, and achieved significant viewership, becoming HBO's most-watched comedy premiere in over a decade.

Set against the backdrop of a college campus, Rooster centers on the life of author Greg Russo and his intricate family dynamics. The main cast includes Steve Carell as Greg Russo, Danielle Deadwyler as Dylan Shepard, Phil Dunster as Archie, Katie's estranged husband, and Charly Clive as Katie Russo, Greg's daughter. Lauren Tsai portrays Sunny, a graduate student, and John C. McGinley plays Walter Mann, the president of Ludlow College. The series explores the relationships and interactions among these characters within the academic environment.

The ten-episode series was written and created by Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses, with Steve Carell also serving as an executive producer. Filming commenced in June 2025 at the University of the Pacific, which was transformed into Ludlow College, with exteriors filmed over two weeks. To achieve the look of an East Coast liberal arts institution, the production team considered various locations, eventually settling on sites within driving distance of Los Angeles for interior shooting. Additional filming locations included Occidental College and the University of Southern California, while interiors were completed at Warner Bros. Studios Burbank. Principal photography concluded in August 2025.

Rooster received a positive critical reception, holding an 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 50 reviews. The consensus highlighted Steve Carell's performance and the series' kind-spirited nature. Metacritic assigned the show a score of 67 out of 100, indicating generally favorable reviews. The series also achieved strong audience numbers, becoming the most-watched comedy premiere on HBO in the U.S. in over a decade, with 2.4 million viewers across platforms in its initial three days.