HBO’s Rooster episode 4, titled Angry, Like An Angry Person, is here, and this time it feels like the show has tapped more into its sitcom side, keeping the dramedy to a minimum. But this is not a bad thing, as it works. With episode 4, viewers get 30 minutes of pure entertainment. While Greg was having a hard time adjusting to his new life at Ludlow College and navigating his delicately complex relationship with his daughter, he seems to have found roots in this latest episode.

But he does not find it instantly or in a moment of realization. There was a whole chain of events involved, which started with his standoff with Walter Mann. 

The episode starts with Greg in a cheerful mood, settling down in his office to enjoy some quiet time with his book. However, he forgot that his office is attached to Walt’s, and that this only means that there is no quiet time for him in his own office. The college president just waltzes in and startles Greg, who is obviously confused as to how he entered when he had locked the door. The answer is - it locks only from Walt’s side, and it is apparently a fire safety thing (not sure how).

Anyway, the reason Walt came to see Greg was to invite him to a faculty bar night he is hosting with his wife, who has recently returned from Japan. Greg, as we already know, is a socially awkward person, and that is why he tries to avoid these kinds of social events. He tries to get out of the event, but Walt is not ready to give in.

This is the start of the standoff, which continues for at least half of the episode, but for now, the scene shifts to Greg’s classroom.       

The scene very organically shifts to Greg reading one of his own books to the students, the contents of which strikingly resemble the situation he is in with Walt. With a quick lesson from the reading, Greg reminds the students of the paper that is due today. He notices Tommy has not handed it in yet and asks about it. He replies that he has not started yet, but he will soon.

Later in the corridor, he hands in the finished paper and kind of praises Greg as he says that he chose to emulate him in the paper, as he is the best, according to him. Greg, obviously flushed with the compliment, tries to deny it, but it is evident on his face that he secretly liked it. He kind of has already made Tommy his favorite student, and his next move somewhat confirms it.

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He tries to enter Tommy’s piece into the Ludlow Review while talking to Professor Dylan. Dylan, evaluating the piece, reads it out aloud, and Archie, who was standing close by, points out that the story reads like AI. Appalled by Archie’s accusations against his star student, Greg tries to personally confirm this with Tommy over text in front of Archie and Dylan.

Hilariously, Tommy agrees to the claim, and Archie is now hell-bent on Tommy being expelled for cheating. In an effort to save Tommy, Greg gets into an argument with him, which is eventually broken up by Dylan. To make both parties happy, Dylan proposes that Tommy will fail the assignment no matter what, and he also needs to hand in a new story written by himself before midnight to her.

Greg agrees, but is furious with Archie’s behavior; there was a reason he was behaving as he did.

Archie has been having trouble adjusting to the reality of his situation - his complex feelings for Katie, and his pregnant mistress. Sunny has an interview for an internship opportunity set up by her advisor, Walt. She is going to be away for a few days. But Archie is worried about Sunny’s recent social media post that announced to the world that she is pregnant.

The fuel to the fire is added by Mo, Sunny’s roommate, who hates Archie. She gaslights him into liking the post, saying that his not liking the post means he is not happy to be a father. He eventually likes the post, going against his feelings. Anyhow, he is not the only one bothered by the post.

Katie, who is back after the suspension, is about to take her first class, but sees the post as she is about to start. The chippy attitude with which she entered the class gradually gets riddled with misplaced rage towards the misogynist artists of the past, about whom the lecture was based. Her students love this and commend her for her fiery lecture.

Later, in the cafeteria with some of her students, Katie is seen talking about her feelings and what happened between her and Archie. They advise her to get back to dating to move on. The conversation swiftly steers in a direction that makes Katie a bit uncomfortable. That is when she sees her father and asks him to join. Greg, in his fashionable, clumsy manner, trips while coming over and converts it into an Egyptian dance in a dumb effort to save face.   

He gets into trouble again with the disciplinary committee for his little dance, which seemed to mock Egyptian culture. He apologizes to all while handing each one of them a coffee, except for Archie, displaying his disdain for the man out in the open. This further enrages Archie, who was already having a tough day. This is why he was so pissed off when he found out about Tommy’s lie and was adamant to get him out of the college, which was just a way to express his anger against Greg.

While his tensions with Archie only intensify, he is also in a deadlock with Walter about his invitation.

Greg takes Tommy to the library to get him to write a piece that can be submitted to Professor Dylan by midnight. Greg’s plan was to work on his book while Tommy works on his story, and this way they both can hold each other accountable. But Greg’s plans are foiled by a pestering Walt, who keeps pressuring him into coming to the party. Greg tries once again to get out of it by citing Tommy’s situation. 

Seeing no other option, Walt shuts the library down for the day and urges the students there to go out and have some fun, since it is the weekend. This forces Greg to agree to Walt’s invitation against his wishes. But he will not go alone, as he gets Katie to tag along. Katie, who is reluctant to go, agrees just to make an effort to step out of the emotional rut she has been in lately.

Her attempt to get on the market entails an epic flirting failure in the bar, which is funny to watch but an extremely embarrassing moment to be in. Dylan witnesses everything and tries to comfort her. They both have drinks and then head to the party together.

On the other hand, Greg arrives at Walt’s party before them, being all awkward, which makes him crack a joke about Walt’s wife’s kimono, which she hears. After exchanging pleasantries with her, he cannot bear the awkwardness of the moment anymore. Ultimately, he runs out of there in embarrassment, but not before asking Walt’s wife for permission. 

Feeling a bit down and dejected, he meets Tommy on the way, and things take a turn from there. 

Tommy somehow convinces Greg to attend a party with his friends, using an emotional angle involving him feeling like an outsider in college. Greg equates it to his situation and agrees. Over the course of the night, they do every craziest thing possible. Greg gets to finally enjoy the college life he never had, and a big credit goes to Tommy.

Tommy and his friends take Greg to a frat party, where he gets too high and depressed. But Tommy gets to him, makes him realize that he has been given an opportunity to reinvent himself, and this gets through to the latter. He finds a new surge of energy through him, and as Tommy starts his paper, Greg’s night shapes up exactly as he narrates.

Greg gets his confidence back and returns to Walt’s party to fulfill his commitment to him. He apologizes to him for his comments on his wife’s kimono and then confesses his feelings to Dylan. He eventually ends up having s** with Walt’s assistant in his office. But he is not the only one who had a wild night. 

In the morning, viewers see Greg walking back home and Katie carrying two coffees. It turns out the other one is for a naked Archie in her bed. This ending further complicates things between Katie, Archie, and Sunny. Anyhow, Greg gets a whole new character development with this episode, which is quite refreshing, especially after the events of episode 3. With things now heading towards a new chaos, the upcoming episode will have a lot to unpack. 

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What was your favorite part of the Rooster episode 4? Do let us know in the comments.