New Sitcom That’s Perfect for Fans Of Scrubs & The Office Becomes a Top 3 Streaming Hit

The Office has endured as one of the most popular sitcoms of all time, and Steve Carell’s iconic performance as Michael Scott is a major reason why. It was one of his first breakout roles, establishing Carell as one of the funniest comedic talents of his generation. Since that time, he’s amassed an impressive list of credits in a wide variety of projects, including critically acclaimed dramas and voiceover work, showcasing his impressive range. While Carell has proven he can do much more than comedy, that’s the genre most people associate him with. So it shouldn’t come as any surprise that Carell’s new sitcom is a big hit on streaming.

According to FlixPatrol, which measures the popularity of titles across various streaming services, Rooster is the No. 2 TV show on HBO Max, trailing only The Pitt. The series hails from Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence, so Rooster is an ideal choice for fans of that show and The Office.

Why Rooster Is a Streaming Hit on HBO Max

The talent on both sides of the camera (Lawrence was also behind well-received shows like Ted Lasso and Shrinking) meant Rooster was going to generate some buzz heading into its premiere, but the show isn’t coasting by on big names alone. It’s earned positive reviews; as of this writing, Rooster has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 88% from 40 reviews, and there’s always a chance that score can go up once more reviews come in. So not only is it the latest comedy series starring Steve Carell, it’s also something worth watching, adding to HBO’s ever-growing list of well-received programs.

Carell is well within his wheelhouse playing Greg Russo, the father of college professor Katie, who is going through a life crisis. After Katie’s husband leaves her to pursue a relationship with a grad student, Greg comes to check in on his daughter to make sure everything is okay. The character of Greg is a perfect fit for Carell’s sensibilities, as he once again relishes in his signature awkward brand of comedy. Based on the trailer, part of the fun of Rooster seems to be Greg going on a journey of self-discovery at college, which creates humors situations where he and several students get up to hijinks and mischief together. There’s also fish out of water elements, with Greg adjusting to modern campus life.

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It will be interesting to see if Rooster can surpass The Pitt at any point during its run. Right now, based on FlixPatrol’s metrics, there’s a fairly sizable gap between the two; The Pitt has a score of 483 while Rooster is at 303. However, Rooster has just started. Only one episode is available as of this writing, and new episodes will be releasing weekly through the middle of May. The Pitt Season 2 wraps up in mid-April, so there’s a chance Rooster could become HBO’s No. 1 show by the time its first season is over, especially if the show continues to generate positive buzz. That will encourage more people to check it out, particularly those looking for comfort viewing on a Sunday night.

Rooster hasn’t been renewed for a second season yet, but that could always change if the show proves to be a major success. It’s certainly off to a strong start, and now it remains to be seen if it can keep up the momentum. Sitcom fans have a lot of intriguing options to choose from (including a revival of Scrubs, coincidentally enough), but Rooster has the makings of becoming a new fan favorite.

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