No creator in television right now is on a hot streak quite like Bill Lawrence, who has become synonymous with “feel-good comedy.” Lawrence is in the midst of revitalizing his classic series Scrubswhile continuing his work on Ted Lasso,Shrinking, and Bad Monkeyfor Apple TV, proving that there is still room for traditional episodic sitcoms in an era where the format is often called on to be “elevated.” Lawrence’s storytelling style might not seem like the perfect fit for HBO, a network that has often tried to push its creators to achieve a level of ambition and quality on par with cinema. However, Lawrence’s latest show, Rooster,is the biggest original comedy show on HBO in over a decade. Although Rooster might seem like it has a straightforward premise, it's a well-written, genuinely emotional dramedy about second chances and new beginnings.

We need to say something disloyal about Steve Carell, a man we would defend in almost any court. The Four Seasonsis better without him. At the end of Season 1, Nick (Carell) dies in a car accident just as he was starting his shiny new midlife crisis with Ginny (Erika Henningsen). On paper, this seemed like an insane decision by Tina Fey and company. You don't cast the most recognizable face in the TV comedy pantheon and then write him out after eight episodes.