Steve Carell is finally back on HBO. Honestly, it’s about time. After years of voice work as Gru and a few heavy-hitting dramatic turns like The Patient, he’s returning to the world of the single-camera sitcom, and people are already losing it. The show is called Rooster, and if you’ve been keeping an eye on the trades, you know this isn't just another throwaway streaming comedy. It’s a 10-episode HBO Original series that feels like a massive pivot for everyone involved.
We’re not talking about Dunder Mifflin here. We aren't talking about outer space either. This project puts Carell in the middle of a messy, ego-driven, and slightly heartbreaking college campus setting.
The Rooster Backstory You Actually Care About
So, what is it? Basically, Carell plays Greg Russo, a successful author who’s hit that weird mid-life phase where professional wins don't cover up personal failures. He lands a gig at a prominent university, but the "hook" isn't just the ivory tower politics. It’s his daughter.
Charly Clive plays Katie, Greg’s daughter, and their relationship is described as, well, "complicated." That’s Hollywood speak for "they probably haven't talked in three years and now they have to see each other at the campus coffee shop."
What’s wild about Rooster is the DNA behind the scenes. You’ve got Bill Lawrence—the guy who gave us Ted Lasso, Shrinking, and Scrubs—teaming up with Matt Tarses. If you remember the golden age of NBC or the "comfort TV" vibes of Apple TV+, you know exactly what to expect. It’s that specific blend of "I’m laughing" and "Oh wait, now I’m crying."
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Why the Rooster Hype is Real
The show officially wrapped filming late last year. They spent a huge chunk of time at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California. If you’re a local there, you probably saw Carell wandering around campus in June 2025. HBO is aiming for a March 2026 premiere date.
It’s Sunday nights. That’s the "prestige" slot.
The cast is stacked. It’s not just the Steve Carell show. You’ve got:
- Danielle Deadwyler as a poetry professor who basically becomes Carell’s only intellectual equal (and maybe more?).
- Phil Dunster (yes, Jamie Tartt himself) in a role that is definitely not a professional footballer.
- John C. McGinley, reuniting with Bill Lawrence after their Scrubs days.
People have been asking if this is just The Office in a classroom. It’s not. From everything we’ve seen in the first-look photos and production notes, Greg Russo is a much more grounded, flawed, and "real" character than Michael Scott ever was. He’s a guy trying to reinvent himself before he becomes irrelevant.
The "Other" New Steve Carell Show (Don't Get Confused)
Look, it’s easy to get mixed up because Steve has been busy. Before Rooster hits HBO in March, you probably saw him in The Four Seasons on Netflix. That was the big 2025 project with Tina Fey.
That show was a reboot of the 1981 Alan Alda movie. It was great, sure, but it was an ensemble piece about three couples on vacation. Rooster is different. It’s more intimate. It’s darker. It feels like the kind of show that wins Emmys rather than just "most watched on Tuesday" trophies.
There was also that Jesse Armstrong movie, Mountainhead, which dropped on HBO in May 2025. Carell played Randall Garrett in that satirical tech-pocalypse film. It was brilliant, but again, a one-off. Rooster is the long-term investment. It’s the show that Bill Lawrence said was a "career highlight" just to get on paper.
What Most People Get Wrong About Steve Carell's Career Now
There’s this weird misconception that Steve Carell is only good when he’s being a "goof." Space Force was funny, but it didn't have the soul people were looking for. Then he did The Patient and went full "serious actor," which was incredible but arguably too depressing for a casual Sunday night watch.
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Rooster is the middle ground. It’s the "reinvention" he’s been chasing.
The show addresses the reality of being a "legacy" person in a modern world. Greg Russo is an author who probably still uses a typewriter while his students are using AI to write their term papers. It’s about the friction between old-school ego and new-school reality.
What to Watch Next and How to Prepare
If you’re waiting for the March premiere, you’ve got a few things to do to get in the right headspace. This isn't a show you just "put on." It's an HBO Sunday night ritual.
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- Watch Shrinking on Apple TV+: Since Bill Lawrence is the showrunner for Rooster, Shrinking is the closest spiritual cousin you’ll find. It has that same "sad but funny" energy.
- Catch up on The Four Seasons: If you missed the Netflix series with Tina Fey, watch it now. It shows Carell's range in 2025 before he makes the jump back to HBO.
- Track the University of the Pacific social media: They’ve been dropping tiny hints and "easter eggs" about the filming locations that will definitely pop up in the first few episodes.
March 2026 is closer than it looks. Keep an eye on the HBO Max (or just "Max" depending on the rebrand of the week) trailers dropping in February. That’s when we’ll finally see if Greg Russo has the staying power to become the next iconic Carell character.
The era of the "Prestige Carell Sitcom" is officially here. Get ready.
Next Steps for Fans
- Mark your calendars for the Sunday night premiere in March 2026 on HBO.
- Check out the first-look production photos released by Warner Bros. Discovery to see the campus vibe of the series.
- Review Steve Carell’s 2025 filmography, specifically Mountainhead, to see his recent collaboration with HBO before the series launch.