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Rooster Co-Creators Discuss Season 1 Finale and Plans for Season 2
Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses described how the Season 1 finale of Rooster incorporated themes from It's a Wonderful Life. The episode focused on Greg Russo realizing the value of his community at Ludlow College. The co-creators also addressed character arcs for Katie, Sunny, Archie and Dylan ahead of the planned second season.
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Co-creators Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses discussed the Season 1 finale of Rooster in an interview with Decider. The episode concluded with Greg Russo, played by Steve Carell, recognizing the relationships he had built with students, faculty and family at Ludlow College after considering leaving.
The storyline drew from the themes of loneliness and community in Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life. Lawrence said the show explored how Greg, his daughter Katie, faculty member Walt and colleague Dylan had each struggled with isolation at the start of the season.
He noted that by the finale the characters had formed a community that cared about one another. Tarses said John C. McGinley's six-page manifesto on loneliness, written as preparation for his role as Walt, helped shape the show's approach to the subject.
In the finale, titled "Songs for Raisa," Archie ended his relationship with Sunny, the mother of his child. Katie, Archie's wife, decided to seek a divorce after an incident during lunch that served as a metaphor for her changed view of him. Lawrence stated that the episode showed two female characters breaking free from defining themselves around a narcissistic man.
Lawrence added that the events of the season took place over about five weeks. He said the creative team wanted to depict the characters' mistakes realistically. Lawrence confirmed that Sunny, played by Lauren Tsai, will return as a regular character in Season 2.
The co-creators indicated that several characters, including Katie, remain in search of direction and meaningful relationships as the first season ends. Lawrence said Archie would need to reach a low point before any potential change in his behavior could be considered.
The pair expressed differing views on the potential development of a relationship between Greg and Dylan but agreed the door remains open after their conversation in the finale. Lawrence described the value he sees in portraying a platonic male and female friendship between characters at this stage in life.
