Rooster closes its first season this Sunday with Episode 10, “Songs for Raisa,” airing May 10 at 10:00 p.m. ET on HBO and streaming the same night on Max. It’s the finale of the show’s 10-episode run, and it lands after a stretch where Greg’s presence at Ludlow has shifted from novelty to disruption—his classroom success, his pull with students, and his inability to stay out of Katie’s life all catching up at once.

The finale picks up right as Katie starts holding that line. The preview sets a clear spine: she has to make a decision about her marriage to Archie after everything that’s come up around her parents, Archie sits down with Sunny to figure out what his next move actually looks like, and Greg is forced to confront the idea of leaving Ludlow without being able to shape how Katie moves forward. It reads like a closing loop on the season’s core tension—Greg trying to stay involved, Katie deciding how much of that she’ll allow, and everyone else adjusting to the fallout.

Rooster notes: Episode 10

Greg came to Ludlow thinking he could teach a few classes, reconnect with Katie, and leave with a clean version of the story. By Episode 10, that’s gone. His class has become a draw on campus, students are treating him like something closer to a figure than a professor, and his presence has started to affect Katie’s standing in a way she can’t ignore.

Katie’s decision about Archie sits right in the middle of that pressure. Their relationship has been stretched all season—distance, timing, the pull of other people—and now she has to decide whether to commit to it or step away. Archie’s conversation with Sunny forces that same question from his side: stay in something that’s been drifting, or choose a direction and live with it. Greg is left watching both of those choices happen without being able to steer them. He’s preparing to leave Ludlow, but the version of the semester he thought he was controlling doesn’t line up with what actually happened, and he has to accept that Katie’s life is going to move forward without him shaping it.

Rooster FAQ

What is Rooster about?

It’s an HBO comedy set on a college campus, centered on an author and his complicated relationship with his daughter. Steve Carell plays the author, Greg Russo, and Charly Clive plays his daughter, Katie.

When does episode 10 air?

It premieres on HBO on Sunday, May 10, at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, and it will stream the same night on HBO Max.

How many episodes are there?

Season 1 has 10 episodes. HBO says new episodes will roll out weekly on Sundays through May 10.

Who’s starring?

The official cast list includes Steve Carell, Charly Clive, Danielle Deadwyler, Phil Dunster, John C. McGinley, and Lauren Tsai. Additional reporting has also linked Connie Britton to the ensemble.