Steve Carell's 'Rooster' hits JioHotstar: Plot, cast, episode schedule
What's the story
The highly anticipated comedy-drama series Rooster, featuring Hollywood actor Steve Carell, arrived on JioHotstar on Monday. This marks Carell's much-awaited return to the comedy genre, blending his signature humor with a modern college setting. The show was brought to screens by Bill Lawrence (writer-developer of Ted Lasso) and Matt Tarses (showrunner of Bad Monkey). It premiered in India simultaneously with its international debut on HBO. Here are more details about the show.
Story
What happens in 'Rooster'?
The series revolves around Greg Russo (Carell), a famous pulp noir writer known for his "beach read" books. Following a divorce, he creates a fictional hero named Rooster, who is his complete opposite. The story begins with Greg visiting his daughter Katie (Charly Clive) at Ludlow, a New England college. After her husband Archie (Phil Dunster) leaves her for a graduate student, Katie has an emotional breakdown and faces professional repercussions.
Plot twist
Greg's life becomes complex due to sudden twist
Walter Mann (John C. McGinley), the college president, offers Katie a deal: she can keep her job if her famous father agrees to stay for the semester as a writer-in-residence. Greg agrees and is thrown into the chaotic world of modern academia, where he hopes to reconnect with his daughter while navigating his personal challenges.
Reception
Cast and crew
Dunster, known for his role as Jamie Tartt in Ted Lasso, plays Archie. McGinley essays Mann, a sauna-loving administrator obsessed with "activating brown fat" through cold plunges. The show has received mixed reviews from critics worldwide, with some praising the father-daughter dynamic between Carell and Clive, while others critiquing its "dated" storyline.
Show details
Episode release schedule
Rooster has a total of 10 episodes in its first season. The first episode, titled Release the Brown Fat, is 33 minutes long. New episodes will be released every Monday on JioHotstar in India, following the Sunday night airing on HBO in the US. The show is expected to stream its season finale on May 11, 2026.