Just as he’s looking for whipped cream in the fridge, with Cristle yelling from the bedroom about all the things she’d like to do, Tommy walks into the kitchen and overhears it because, welp, he’s Cristle’s son. Talk about a found family. I guess the clue was planted when Tommy called Greg “everybody’s dad” earlier, huh? Greg finds himself in an interesting position because instead of moving on at a steady pace, he’s smack dab in the middle of a real relationship. Knowing him, the connection he feels with Tommy will likely drive his decisions with Cristle. This is a man who doesn’t like disappointing people; it’s why he memorizes everyone’s coffee orders on Ludlow’s board and why he keeps trying to impress Katie, Dylan, and those around him. But I like the significance of this reveal because it shows that a fresh start at any age comes with curveballs.
Katie experiences this, too, because she’s finally seeing how sickening and selfish Archie (Phil Dunster) can be. They’re still sleeping together, although Katie conveniently regrets it whenever they do, especially after Archie tells her he’s also sleeping with Sunny (Lauren Tsai) as a backup, in case Katie decides to move forward with their split, and he has to stick with Sunny, who is pregnant with his child. (“Are you trying to make sleeping with two people simultaneously the moral high ground?”) Yeah, I hate this guy. In Ted Lasso, Dunster took a while to make Jamie Tartt feel like a three-dimensional character, and the show was better off for it. For all our sakes, I hope Rooster finds a way to either render Archie less insufferable or have him pay for his poor choices soon.
At least Sunny, guided by Mo (Robby Hoffman), has started to see that Archie isn’t good for her. After going to New York City for those internship interviews, she learns from Walt (John C. McGinley) that she landed a full-time job at a biotech company. It’s great news, and yet, she doesn’t share it with him because deep down, she likely knows she can’t trust him if they try a long-distance relationship. I’m sorry to keep saying this weekly, but girl, break up with him! The two of you haven’t had a single honest conversation in a long time! Rooster keeps dragging their breakup, and it feels padded. I also have to wonder why the show hasn’t talked more openly about why Sunny even wants his kid, especially when she’s so young and about to start her dream job.
There’s also a shaky focus on Dylan, one of the strongest characters. In “Cop Hawk,” she’s finally starting to do well as the interim dean. She’s decorating her office and everything, and she even got the Ludlow Review back on track. So, of course, that’s when Riggs (Alan Ruck) cockily strolls back onto campus, having recovered from his heart attack, to reclaim his position. Sigh. Perhaps this was a way for Dylan to realize she wants more out of her career, but for now, it appears Rooster isn’t entirely sure what to do with Deadwyler’s promising character. On the other hand, her chemistry with Carell is off the charts. Dylan is being propped up as his soulmate, as seen when she’s the only one genuinely excited by and willing to take a ride on Greg’s new bike. I’m all in on their slow-burning romance, but with only four outings left in season one, Rooster still has its work cut out for itself before reaching Shrinking levels of comfort.
Stray observations
- • Walt: “I like to ask questions and answer them myself. It’s how I command the room.”
- • Whenever Rory Scovel’s cop pops up to yell at Greg, it’s a reminder that Rooster doesn’t know what to do with his character. For now, he’s incoherent comic relief. At least in “Cop Hawk,” his scene allows Carell to show off an exaggerated Boston accent.
- • I really appreciate a storyline in which a professor actually sets meaningful boundaries. In this case, it’s Katie explaining to her student about not interfering in her personal life by going around distributing “Free Katie” T-shirts.
- • Must we see Walt in his sauna so often? I do sense marriage trouble brewing for him because it sounds like he contacted an ex to help Sunny secure her internship interview, and his wife is not happy when she finds out.
- • To no one’s surprise, HBO has renewed Rooster for season two.
Saloni Gajjar is The A.V. Club‘s TV critic.
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