Steve Carell’s Rooster Is a Fresh Take on Prestige Comedy TV

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HBO’s new comedy, Rooster, will return for a second season after its first season ends in April. The show centers around a successful novelist who takes a teaching position to be near his daughter, which isn’t a typical sitcom setup. This unique premise may be what drew Steve Carell back to comedy – a genre not often seen in high-quality, dramatic television. This is fantastic news for Carell’s fans and comedy lovers, and it could also mean a positive change in what kind of shows are being made.

Steve Carell became a major comedy star in the early 2000s with films like The 40-Year-Old Virgin and his iconic role as Michael Scott on The Office. While on The Office, he continued to appear in comedies, but after leaving the show, he began taking on more serious and complex roles, even playing characters people loved to hate in high-quality series like Apple TV+’s The Morning Show. That’s why his return to sitcoms with Rooster is so intriguing. It suggests we might see genuinely funny comedies on streaming services again.

Rooster Could Help Break a Trend of Prestige TV Comedies Not Being All That Funny

I’ve been thinking about how comedy changed with cable and streaming, and nothing captures it quite like that old Saturday Night Live commercial parody, “Funny New Comedy.” It’s so clever – they showed Tom Hanks and the SNL cast looking genuinely sad, delivering these really downbeat lines. The announcer’s voiceover was the kicker: a sitcom about a whole family of adjunct professors, all diagnosed with depression. It felt like a perfect, slightly dark, commentary on the times.

I’ve been noticing this interesting thing – even though shows like Transparent and Orange is the New Black have paved the way, the tendency to categorize everything is still happening, especially when it comes to awards. And honestly, this show is fantastic, truly deserving of recognition, but I don’t really see it as a comedy, and that feels a bit off to me.

This advertisement parody highlights Rooster’s role as Greg Russo, a divorced professor at a made-up university. The show follows Greg as he navigates his daughter’s failing marriage – a situation he understands all too well. Despite his personal struggles, the series quickly establishes a comedic tone, filled with clever and surprisingly accurate jokes about the often-pretentious world of college writing programs.

As a total movie and TV nerd, I immediately clocked this one scene as a hilarious dig at a specific type of student writer. There’s a professor telling a story about her mom proudly sticking one of her stories on the fridge, and this character, Eva (played by Madison Hu), just bursts out laughing. She says her stories wouldn’t make the fridge because she writes about, well, gritty, realistic stuff – and by that, she means lots of graphic sex. That’s just one example of the wonderfully weird, super-specific humor in Rooster. But the best part is, even if you didn’t study writing, the show still manages to be really funny and relatable.

Rooster Shares DNA With Both Classic Sitcoms and Prestige Stealth-Dramas on Streaming

Bill Lawrence, the creator of the show, is enjoying a successful year. However, he’s well-known in the world of classic sitcoms, having worked in the genre for a long time.

Having written for popular shows like Boy Meets World and Friends, Lawrence went on to create Spin City, Cougar Town, and Scrubs. Recently, Scrubs returned for a new season on ABC fifteen years after it originally ended. Rooster aims to capture the charm and wit of classic comedies while also having a high-quality, modern feel.

Although Steve Carell leads the cast, you’ll recognize other actors from previous projects by Lawrence. John C. McGinley delivers a wildly energetic and over-the-top performance as the college president, Walter Mann – Dr. Cox wouldn’t approve! Phil Dunster plays Archie, a history professor who also happens to be Greg’s son-in-law.

The cast also includes new faces to the series, like Charly Clive as Katie Russo and Danielle Deadwyler (from The Bear) as poet Dylan Shepard. They all deliver performances that are both funny and believable, creating characters that feel genuinely authentic.

Steve Carell’s return to television comedy was a major reason why Rooster gained attention. After his time on The Office, he’d been focused solely on movies. Then, eight years ago, a new role was announced. However, his character, Mitch Kessler, wasn’t simply someone you disliked – he was much more complex than that.

The character was modeled after the scandal surrounding Matt Lauer from The Today Show, playing a predatory figure. Though not a central role, he was written off the show in its second season. One of the best parts of Rooster was Steve Carell’s performance as the charming and humorous Greg Russo.

Could Rooster Be the Harbinger of a Course Correction for Prestige TV Comedy?

The trend that Saturday Night Live satirized is a result of our current age of high-quality, dramatic television. However, the idea that comedy isn’t serious art isn’t new. While making people laugh is the main aim, it’s difficult to do without a well-developed story. And even when comedies do have strong narratives, there’s a tendency to view humor as if it somehow undermines the storytelling itself.

Despite its humor, Rooster might face an uphill battle winning awards traditionally reserved for more dramatic shows like The Bear. However, it could demonstrate to studios and streaming services that a comedy can still be considered high-quality, ‘Prestige TV’.

Steve Carell previously helped change the landscape of sitcoms. For decades, most sitcoms – like The Office – were filmed with multiple cameras, stationary sets, and laugh tracks. The Office was innovative and influenced shows like Parks and Recreation and The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins with its style. However, Rooster differs from these shows; it doesn’t use quick scenes or rely on characters acknowledging the audience, like Jim Halpert often did.

Similar to real life, Rooster blends humor and heartfelt moments. One episode shows Greg Russo enjoying a night out with Max and his friends, ending with a surprisingly believable scene of Steve Carell, as Greg, reflecting on life’s regrets while playfully sporting two 40-ounce bottles of malt liquor taped to his hands. Despite dealing with serious topics, the show always maintains a lighthearted and fun atmosphere.

It’s not surprising for a show about writers, but the heart of Rooster is its story. This makes even the funny parts feel genuine. The show handles dramatic moments with seriousness, but avoids being overly dramatic, and it works really well. Despite Steve Carell’s history of playing comedic and dramatic roles, Rooster allows him to portray a believable character—not a cartoonish one like Michael Scott, or an unlikeable one like Mitch Kessler. Even characters who are a bit exaggerated, like Walter Mann or Max, feel realistic because those types of people exist in every college.

That’s what makes it a success, even if it doesn’t spark a revolution in .

Rooster debuts new episodes on Sundays at 10 PM on HBO, and Season 2 is expected in 2027.

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2026-04-20 18:45