HBO’s new comedy Rooster has closed out its freshman season with major momentum, officially becoming the network’s most-watched comedy debut in more than 15 years, according to Warner Bros. Discovery.
Set on a college campus, Rooster follows an acclaimed author, played by Steve Carell, whose complicated relationship with his daughter (Charly Clive) anchors the series. The ensemble also includes Danielle Deadwyler, Phil Dunster, John C. McGinley, and Lauren Tsai, with Connie Britton recurring.
The Season 1 finale drew 2.2 million U.S. viewers in its first three days, a slight dip from the 2.4 million who tuned in for the premiere. Across its 10-episode run, the series remained remarkably steady, with each episode landing between 2.2 million and 2.5 million viewers in the L3 window, per Deadline.
Episode 8 emerged as the season’s most-watched installment, while the series ultimately averaged 6.5 million U.S. viewers per episode to date—marking HBO’s strongest comedy performance in well over a decade.
That figure places Rooster in rare company, surpassing recent HBO comedy staples such as Veep, Silicon Valley, Girls, Insecure, and Enlightened. Only Sex and the City (1998) and Hung (2009) have posted higher 90-day averages in the network’s history, according to reporting.
The series is co-showrun by Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses, with executive producers including Jeff Ingold, Liza Katzer, Jonathan Krisel, Barbie Adler, Annie Mebane, David Stassen, Anthony King, and Carell. It is produced by Warner Bros. Television.
Following its strong debut performance, Rooster has already been renewed for a second season.