HBO's New Show From Creator of 'Ted Lasso' & 'Scrubs' Is the Best TV Comedy of 2026 So Far

For nearly 30 years, Bill Lawrence has been championing mental health. From Scrubs to Ted Lasso to Shrinking, his projects heal the soul without descending into melodrama.

In the new HBO series Rooster, Lawrence is back in his element with a story that is both wise and funny about a man in crisis who must reinvent himself.

Steve Carell in the lead role is reason enough to watch – add in the film-like stylization and unexpectedly sharp jokes, and you have a major comedy hit of the spring.

What Is 'Rooster' About?

Greg Russo is the author of pulp novels about Rooster, a character who crushes enemies with one hand and holds his hot partners with the other. Russo himself is the complete opposite of his hero, however – he is shy and insecure.

Greg goes to college to support his daughter, Katie, who is an art history professor going through a high-profile divorce from Archie, a Russian literature professor. Archie had an affair with a graduate student and somehow managed to avoid being fired.

Upon arriving on campus, Greg is drawn into the turbulent campus life: he rejects a poet, kicks Archie's ass on live television, and eventually agrees to teach.

'Rooster' Is Different From Bill Lawrence's Previous Projects – It's Sharper and Visually Bolder

Lawrence remains true to his style – Rooster is easily recognizable, and John C. McGinley's appearance only confirms Lawrence's authorship. However, the new show is strikingly different from its predecessors in other ways.

The jokes are snarkier and the situations are more absurd – the first episode culminates in the burning of a rare copy of War and Peace, and the second features a massive brawl. Lawrence ditched studio brightness and isolation, adding grain, blurred backgrounds, and a rich autumnal color palette.

Rooster evokes nostalgia and a pleasant melancholy from the very first scene. At the same time, the series retains its naive mumblecore feel, with sincere dialogue and a restless camera that captures life's truths.

'Rooster' Delves Into the Dark Side of Kindness and Trust

The central topic of Rooster is the unexpected flaw in seemingly positive qualities. Although Archie and Katie try to make their divorce as amicable as possible, their mutual avoidance of conflict prevents them from finding freedom.

Greg is a loving father, but his overprotectiveness prevents his daughter from learning from her mistakes. Dean Walter is sharp-tongued but hides his loneliness behind a happy facade.

Once again, Lawrence bucks pop psychology trends – instead of impenetrable personal boundaries, he proposes building shared spaces.

However, unlike in Ted Lasso, he no longer glorifies optimism and engagement, but instead finds unexpected flaws in mindfulness and a special beauty in melancholy.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Rooster'?

• Rooster has 89% from critics and 62% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the series has a score of 7.2/10.