REVIEW: ‘Rooster’ Episode 6 — “Cop Hawk”

Rooster Episode 6, “Cop Hawk,” deals with the aftermath of Elizabeth’s (Connie Britton) brief stay on campus, with Greg (Steve Carell) and Katie Russo (Charly Clive) navigating what boundaries, love, and relationships should look like for them moving forward. It is, of course, incredibly messy, much like the two characters themselves, yet that’s the reality of post-relationship breakdowns. It’s no wonder then that most of the comedy in this episode features a grounded, relatable undercurrent that just hits right.

For Greg, his messiness comes out in his relationships with two people: Cristle (Annie Mumolo) and his student, Tommy (Maximo Salas). With Cristle, Greg has different expectations of the relationship, assuming a casualness and frankness that feels like a slap in the face to Cristle. Part of the issue is a lack of communication after the hookup. Cristle wants something more formal, whereas Greg assumed this was a no-strings-attached thing they had going on. A natural awkwardness and tension erupt from this clash between the two, which plays out throughout Rooster Episode 6.

While the miscommunication trope is annoying, especially when two grown adults in their 50s perpetuate it, it makes sense that Greg would run into this problem. He’s only been with his wife and is new to playing the field again. To his credit, though, his characterization throughout the series has centered on his honesty, leading to embarrassing bouts of overcommunication. Thankfully, how the two reconcile this issue shows some maturity, but the journey to get there in Rooster Episode 6 is minutely frustrating.

Boundaries and communication issues are explored in Rooster Episode 6.

Then there’s Tommy. Since the series began, Greg has had a soft spot for Tommy, taking on the role of a surrogate father figure in the kid’s life. In Rooster Episode 6, Tommy gets kicked out of his place due to a lack of payment, and Greg offers to let him stay over. This involves the typical kind of roommate comedy you’d expect in the beginning of Greg’s stay, but the longer Greg stays, the more their father-son dynamic comes out.

This change of boundaries between the two is innocuous until Greg learns why Tommy won’t move back home. Greg pulls rank and kicks him out. Maximo Salas plays Tommy’s confusion well here because the lines have blurred; they’re beyond the realm of a typical student/teacher relationship, and while Greg prefers a more personal approach with his student, there’s an argument to be made about the fine line he is walking. 

Yet, things are fine once Greg offers an olive branch to help Tommy with his grades. With this, it’s a reminder of who Greg actually should be to Tommy and helps ease the possible pain of what could be perceived as a rejection. All seems right in the world. That is, until the final moments of Rooster Episode 6, where the blurring of lines takes a whole other turn. The implications of the episode’s ending will certainly play out in the next episode, but with how Greg has been playing loosey-goosey with his boundaries, it could get ugly.

How Greg and Katie navigate their relationships with students highlights their generational differences.

Speaking of inappropriate student/teacher relationships, Sunny (Lauren Tsai) is pulling herself further out of Archie’s (Phil Dunster) narcissistic orbit. The evolution of Sunny has been one of the best surprises of Rooster, and in Rooster Episode 6, she chooses not to tell him about being offered a job at a highly renowned company. In a healthy relationship, this would be a no-no, but theirs was built on uneven power dynamics to start.

As she continues to realize how awful he actually is, Sunny is quietly redefining how much access he has to her. Yes, they are still technically together, but the writing is on the wall. Lowkey, this has been one of my favorite side plots, and so seeing how Sunny continues to handle herself in the situation has been satisfying. What is less satisfying, and yet wholly realistic, is seeing how Katie can’t quite break free from Archie’s hold. 

Being cheated on sucks, and the emotional aftermath, particularly in a long-term relationship, can be a minefield to navigate. For what it’s worth, Rooster hasn’t pulled its punches, albeit in more comedically tinged ways, in showcasing how hard it can be to break away. In Rooster Episode 6, Katie is not quite at the point where she can fully pull herself away, despite seeing Archie with Sunny. 

Archie continues to be the worst, and Katie can’t quite break away.

Not helping matters is seeing the phrase ‘For Katie’ everywhere on campus. It’s a reminder of her failure to stand strong, and when Katie realizes who the student is posting that phrase all over campus, she loses her cool. She reinforces boundaries with the student, putting distance between them after spending the bulk of the series being personable and letting the student into her private affairs. 

This opens up a broader conversation between Katie and Greg about how they approach their students in Rooster Episode 6. Where are the lines drawn? It’s one thing to be friendly with the students, but how much do you allow them into your life? What is appropriate?

In an ever-evolving campus landscape, the exchange between Katie and Greg, as well as their interactions with their students, is a window into an active, relevant conversation happening on campuses today. There are no easy answers in Rooster or in reality, but the way it is approached in the episode works well. How Katie chooses to approach it after seeing her student shut down in class is to have a mature conversation with her, admitting her faults, whilst readjusting the boundaries of their student/teacher relationship in the process. 

Two side interactions in Rooster Episode 6 prove these characters are treading water.

If anyone has been wondering whether we’ll be seeing more of Dylan Shepherd (Danielle Deadwyler), who has had less screen time over the past two episodes or so, we may see more of her in the future. Seeing how Dylan’s been navigating the role of Dean has been rewarding and relatable as a woman adjusting to newfound power. With Dean Riggs’ (Alan Ruck) return just as she was starting to get comfortable in the position opens up new opportunities for conflict for the character. But only if the writers really want to go there.

The only side interactions that are more awkward and still haven’t quite found their footing are Greg’s interactions with the school’s alcoholic hockey coach and his interactions with the cop. These characters’ paths do converge in Rooster Episode 6, but there has yet to be a real point to these beats. Maybe with the more amicable development between the cop and Greg in this episode, we’ll see more of a shift there. Otherwise, these side plots are treading water and taking time away.

While there doesn’t appear to be much movement for our characters, Rooster Episode 6 shows the important conversations among Greg, Katie, and Sunny as they navigate their relationships, both platonic and romantic. None of it is easy, and in fact, most of what’s shown is undeniably messy and awkward. And what better way to demonstrate these chaotic lessons than on a school campus, where it’s not just the students who have something to learn, but the teachers too.

Rooster Episode 6 is now streaming on HBO Max with new episodes weekly on Sundays.

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