In the opening scene of Rooster's Episode 1, Eric, a fellow Ludlow College student, chauffeurs Greg to the prestigious institution. Their destination: Cabot Hall. As they navigate the campus, Greg's eye catches a glimpse of a partially undressed man wandering around. Per Professor Shepard's instructions, Eric tells Greg to wait in a designated spot.
Shepard arrives promptly and directs Greg to address a crowd of seemingly uninterested students during a Q&A session. The discussion takes a heated turn when a female student, Ronni, exposes the subtle sexism embedded in the book. Greg stumbles a bit as he attempts to answer the queries, feeling both nervous and vulnerable.
Later, Shepard introduces Greg to Christie and Walter Mann, the college president. Despite her initial skepticism about Greg's writing, Shepard promises to read his books. Mann, a fitness enthusiast who Greg had spotted earlier almost naked, offers advice on eliminating brown fat through saunas. Greg, however, is more interested in knowing how his daughter Katie and Archie are doing. Mann shares his cynical observation that no marriage between faculty members lasts more than a year and a half.
Excited about the possibility of becoming a writer-in-residence, Greg is quickly offered the gig by Mann. However, he declines the offer and excuses himself to check on Katie while Mann heads to the gym. Greg finds Katie in the midst of her lecture as an Arts History professor. After class, she encourages her students to tell their father they love him. Only one student complies.
Walking outdoors, Katie confides to her father that she feels embarrassed, knowing everyone is aware that her husband left her for a graduate student. To verify this, she approaches a student who candidly admits to knowing the entire situation. Suddenly, Katie catches a glimpse of Archie and his new lover and pulls her father into the bushes. She laments that the new girl has nothing on her, asserting that they don't even kiss. Ironically, Archie kisses her, leaving Katie feeling upset and disheartened. She leaves, leaving Greg behind who gets tangled up in a misunderstanding with a lesbian couple.
Later, he stops by the department store to buy a bottle of water, only to be tricked by an underage student who convinces him to buy alcohol. As they step outside, a police officer stops them and informs Greg that it's illegal to purchase beer for anyone under 21 years old. Greg tries to defend himself, but it becomes complicated. In the end, Tommy confesses to having deceived Greg. The cop asks him to leave with the cans of beer, which he retrieves from Greg.
Meanwhile, Katie is caught while stalking Archie. Elsewhere, Greg meets with Shepard and bonds over tequila drinks. They discuss their various experiences with relationships, and Greg opens up about his failed 25-year marriage. After a few drinks, Greg walks Shepard home but is too shy to fulfill her sex invitation again, leaving her upset.
In the morning, Archie says goodbye to his girlfriend. Greg meets him and engages in a conversation. He confronts him and, as a concerned father, asks Archie why he's cheating on his daughter. Greg tells him that Katie feels humiliated and that he should man up. Archie confesses that he still loves Katie and claims he's ready to work things out with her.
That evening, Katie was deeply troubled as her father had spoken with Archie. She discovered that her mother had betrayed her father with another man. However, Greg expressed his greatest regret was that he had never fought for what he loved. He urged Katie to fight for what she cherished and not to be a coward like her father. He emphasized the importance of kindness in words, reminding her that some things cannot be taken back. As he was about to leave, Katie asked him to stay and hang out, which he gladly agreed to do.
The next day, Greg spent time with Mann at the sauna. Greg was content, believing he had resolved his daughter's marital issues. Mann confessed that he was married, and his wife loved traveling, whereas he did not share the same passion. Greg spoke about how heartbreak could make someone feel like they could never recover. He vowed that he would never allow the same fate to befall Katie.
As the episode drew to a close, Katie confronted Archie. She followed her father's advice to be kind and confessed her love for him. However, Archie revealed that Sunny was pregnant, prompting Katie to ask him to leave. In a fit of rage, she burned Archie's favorite book. Unfortunately, the fire got out of control, and she accidentally burned down Archie's house.
