The comedy series "Rotter" starring Steve Carell has been released on HBO Max

The Comedy Series "Rooster" Starring Steve Carell Premieres on HBO Max

HBO Max has released the new comedy series "Rooster," with Steve Carell taking the lead role.

The story centers on a writer and his daughter — she’s a college prof, he’s pulled into campus life — and, oddly, starts to act like the savage alter ego from his own bestseller, who goes by Rooster. Expect some outsize behavior, awkward faculty meetings, and the kind of fiction-becomes-farce trouble that letters home might not capture.

The show is the brainchild of Bill Lawrence (yes, the same person behind "Scrubs" and "Ted Lasso"), who created, wrote, and directed the series. A quick, human note: if you watch it, don’t be surprised if a few moments feel intentionally off-kilter — that’s part of the point.