Greg and Dylan take very different one-on-one approaches to help their students see their potential in Rooster Season 1, Episode 8, “Nobody Spook It.” This episode, written by Annie Mebane and directed by Anu Valia, tests how well the show has invested in its characters. Like the rest of the season, it also has too many good needle-drops – Christa Miller, your mind! “Blitzkrieg Bop” is just one of many. Meanwhile, for an episode about engagement, “Nobody Spook It” still misses the mark with Rooster’s disjointed hockey subplot.
Similarly, the episode doesn’t really earn the reveal of JD being the one who stole the mascot. This season hasn’t gotten to know him beyond his unflattering nickname, which is partially the point. Nevertheless, the emotional impact of JD’s motivation in doing so doesn’t land because the show hasn’t spent much time with him. There is something in the way JD’s nickname diminishes him, while Greg’s inspires him, but both can feel quite limiting. It’s only that Rooster doesn’t delve into that as much as it clearly can. After all, this show pays off multiple emotional beats during “Nobody Spook It,” just not that one.
That reflects on Rooster’s consistent commitment to some characters and the opposite with others. With two episodes left in the season, the show has an idea of what Ludlow College can be with Greg and Dylan’s influence. It can become even clearer if Rooster reinvests in the supporting characters.
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Dylan, Greg, and Believing in Someone
So much of the show focuses on Greg and Tommy’s dynamic. This episode does, too. The season tries but doesn’t really deliver with Katie and Zoey’s dynamic. Likewise, Rooster doesn’t really follow through with any mentorship between Dylan and her students – until now. Because there are only two episodes left, it’s difficult to imagine that Rooster will get to know Eva like the show has Tommy. Hopefully, the show proves me wrong because Dylan and Eva’s dynamic is already one of the best developments this season.
That scene where Dylan shows Eva what her name and poem will look like in print is so impactful. Sometimes, it takes one person, like a good teacher, to believe in you for you to bet on yourself in any field, let alone a creative one. It’s incredibly smart for Rooster to use its space as well as it does in this scene. Continuing Tommy and Greg’s (and JD’s) story by having them run past the window is perfect. It’s as good as Tommy’s bad grades spiraling into him listening to Creed with Officer Donnie, whose name is seemingly said out loud for the first time in a long time in “Nobody Spook It.”
It’s also believable that Cristle tries to protect her heart by keeping her distance from Greg, but knows that he is the one who can help Tommy. (If Rooster wants to keep the slow-burn potential going between Greg and Dylan, it has a solid relationship in Greg and Cristle.) That final scene parallels the one with Dylan and Eva. It’s such a visible win for Greg, someone Tommy deeply admires, to quote Tommy’s writing back to him. Then, Greg honestly tells him, “I wish I’d written that.” Something so seemingly small changes everything for Tommy.
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A Mighty Fragile Love Triangle
It makes sense for the character that Sunny chooses to stay with Archie just as she’s starting to question whether she will be a good mom. Staying is the seemingly safer option when uprooting her life and moving to New York is the alternative. It’s also understandable why Sunny would see Archie’s investment as appealing after he hadn’t been involved until very recently. Refreshingly, Archie is excited when Sunny tells him about the job, but then he loses all that positive momentum by saying, “But that’s not where I am.” Never once does he offer to make his career fit around hers. Instead, she gives up a dream job for their family. Therefore, I’m glad that Mo shouts, “Huge mistake! Take the job!”
Archie and Katie’s one scene together also underscores how some things haven’t changed. Archie lets Katie believe that she’s the reason why they’re not together because she couldn’t make a choice fast enough. Then, Katie says, “I hope you’re better to Sunny.” The reality is that he’s doing the bare minimum with Sunny, too, and that can’t sustain that relationship either. Archie has to figure out who he wants to be in a relationship with and why. It’s clear he does care about both Katie and Sunny – he seems to genuinely want to make both of them happy.
Rooster seems to be building to a place where no one in this love triangle is going to be completely happy until they’re honest with themselves. Katie starts that process with herself when she finally reaches out to Greg, after pushing him away for the last few episodes. That final shot, pulling back to give Greg and Katie space, is beautiful. It’s sweet that the camera doesn’t cut to black until Greg puts his arm around his daughter – there’s hope in that final shot. There’s also the promise that everyone will have one of those bikes by the time Rooster is over.
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