Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Rooster episode "Angry, Like An Angry Person." Stream the episode with an HBO Max subscription and read at your own risk!
Rooster continues to be an absolute delight on the 2026 TV schedule, with Steve Carell doing some of his best acting we've seen in television since his days on The Office. The comparisons were going to be inevitable with both being comedies, so it's no surprise people are on the lookout for any nods in his latest adventure.
While I'd argue Rooster feels more like Ted Lasso, especially with Phil Dunster playing another cocky Brit, I too was convinced The Office received a nod in the latest episode. It turns out that's not the case, and I almost wish I hadn't seen Carell and Bill Lawrence's reaction to it because it's so perfect.
Article continues belowRooster Played A Song That Also Had A Moment On The Office
Greg was coaxed into a night out with his student Tommy, which ultimately resulted in him at a house party surrounded by students, and 40 oz bottles of malt liquor taped to his hands. He requested a song from the DJ, R.E.M's "Everybody Hurts," and proceeded to bring down the mood of the party talking about how it mirrors his emotions.
The moment felt tied to The Office episode "The Fire," where Dwight blasted the song in his car when he felt Michael replaced him with Ryan. It's not one of the best Office episodes of all time, but certainly a memorable Dwight moment that Rooster expertly nodded to, had that been the intention.
Steve Carell And Bill Lawrence Deny Any Connection
Decider asked star Steve Carell about the Rooster moment, and if he was intentionally channeling Dwight in that moment. The actor confessed he wasn't thinking about it, but offered a cheeky response:
No, I was not! I didn’t even make that connection, and I hope nobody else does [grins]. That was never in anybody’s head.
Apparently, Carell isn't thinking about The Office all the time like many of us. In fairness, he's done plenty of shows since then. And while I'm sure he's appreciative of it being his most popular, Greg is nothing like Michael Scott. That said, Carell did note that he did see one parallel between his two characters, but it had nothing to do with music.
Creator Bill Lawrence was also pretty shocked to hear people made that connection, but suggested that he might've wanted to. He talked about his love of easter eggs in shows, which now has me on the lookout for ones that could come:
It makes me sad, because I didn’t realize that either. I’m usually the king of Easter eggs, and I didn’t know. God! There are other intentional Easter eggs in this show, but that is not one of them.
Both men's comments come as critics continue to shower Rooster with praise, as the story heats up. The latest episode ended with Katie and Archie sleeping together again, all while Sunny is away. It's a scandal that could travel through the school quickly if it were found out, especially with Sunny recently posting about her pregnancy. I can't wait to see how it plays out, and I feel like this show is only getting better.
Rooster airs on HBO on Sundays at 10:00 p.m. ET. Between this show and a A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms, the network is off to a rocking start with originals. Let's hope they can keep this energy going as the year goes on.
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