Warning: Major spoilers ahead

Greg heads into his office for lunch, complete with his new book - White Teeth by Zadie Smith, as recommended by one of his students. However, his peace is ruined by the arrival of Walt, who informs him the door between their offices only locks on his side (for “fire safety”). His wife Joanie is back from Japan and he’s hosting a faculty night at his house to welcome her back, and would love for Greg to come. Greg is unsure as he doesn’t know anyone, but Walt won’t take no for an answer.

In class, Greg reads another of his Rooster books, Swamp Blossom, and says it’s important that no matter the situation, the writing feels emotionally authentic. He’s given the class an assignment to emulate one of their favourite authors in a short story, but notices Tommy doesn’t hand his in. He gives him until the end of the day. When Tommy does deliver his paper, he reveals he chose Greg as the author to emulate. He is flattered he would pick him as worthy of emulation, and is excited to read it.

At Walt’s house, Sunny is using his ice bath and sauna as they bond. She notices his new necklace – a gift from his wife to ‘make him look like Paul Mescal’ though he doesn’t know who that is. Walt lets her know that he’s set up three interviews for her, though he’s most excited about Biotecha, which is run by his former lover, Diane. She asks how to bring up the pregnancy in the interviews, and he tells her to be authentic. In that spirit, she admits to hating his new chain.

Sunny posts news of her pregnancy on Instagram, which makes Archie panic, wondering why people would share their personal news like that. She reminds him everyone does it, and Mo nudges him to like the post, because it would be weird if the father of the child doesn’t like it. He reluctantly complies but still finds it weird that it’s now so public.

Among those who see the post is Katie, who is back teaching and vents her frustration to her class by talking about Gauguin leaving his wife for a 13-year-old with no consequences, and is still revered with his paintings worth millions.

After class, Katie is supported by her assistant Lily and one of her students, Zoe, who encourage her to get back out there with someone new. She jokes she doesn’t have the energy for that and escapes the conversation when she spots Greg. When he tries to walk over to them and stumbles, he attempts to style it out by dancing the moves to Walk Like an Egyptian. All the girls praise him for his on-screen fight with Archie, and he says he would do anything for Katie. As he leaves, he gets another email, and another disciplinary – because he’s been reported for the Egyptian dance, which “mocks Egyptian culture”.

He buys his colleagues all a coffee to try and hash it out (except Archie, whose order he deliberately gets wrong) and says he’s learning, using the opportunity to also apologise to Dylan for his behaviour at the hockey game the previous night.

The meeting is dismissed, with Walt’s eccentric secretary Cristle making him sign an acknowledgment slip promising he won’t do anymore particular walks – including crip walking, Quasimodo walking and more – but thanks him for the flat white – describing it as “creamy”.

Dylan encourages Greg to attend Walt’s drinks that evening, telling him it will be fun to watch Walt and Joanie try to impress everyone. He’s unsure, but she tells him he can’t say no, as he’s Walt’s shiny new toy.

As she continues her work for the upcoming Ludlow Review, Greg shares he wants to put Tommy’s story forward for submission, especially as Rooster inspired it. But when Dylan takes a read it doesn’t read well. Archie overhears, and suspects Tommy used AI instead of writing it himself.

Greg is offended by the suggestion, and texts Tommy to prove it, only for Tommy to happily confirm. Archie tells Greg that should result in expulsion for Tommy – after all it’s a threat to them both as fellow writers. The argument escalates, with Archie asking when Greg’s going to stop punishing him for cheating on Katie. Greg informs him he will when Katie is healed, remarried and Archie is dead.

Greg doesn’t want Tommy expelled, believing he’s a good kid, but Archie wants him kicked out. As Dean, Dylan agrees Tommy has until midnight to submit a new story directly to her to keep his place, but either way, he’s failed the assignment.

Greg takes Tommy under his wing and they head to the library, declaring them ‘accountability buddies’ so he can work on his latest Rooster book while Tommy gets the assignment done. Tommy is excited by the prospect of a new Rooster book and urges him to give him a chapter he can pass off as his own, but Greg refuses.

Their plan is immediately ruined by Walt, who closes the library so Greg has no excuse not to attend his party. Begrudgingly, he agrees – but makes sure Katie is dragged there too. He tells her if he can pitch a penny into a jar from across the room (one of his methods of killing time) she has to go. Greg’s shot is good and Katie reluctantly throws something nice on… with plenty of “cleeve”.

As Katie gets ready to leave her house, she gets a surprise visit from Archie, who has turned up unannounced, saying he’s lonely and would like their shared dog, Roscoe, for the evening. He’s not attending Walt’s do because he doesn’t want the attention, and she admits she’s happy to see him suffer. However, she’s not used to going to these kinds of things without him.

He teases her, saying she needs to get a little drunk and be everyone’s best friend, which makes her laugh, and she agrees to let him take Roscoe for the night. Archie and Roscoe celebrate with some French kissing. No. Really.

At Walt’s house, Greg arrives in a nice suit, says hi to Walt, and quickly hits the bar. He tries to make small talk with someone there, mocking the woman who has come in a kimono. Unfortunately, the entire party hears this as the music cuts off at the wrong moment. Horrified, he introduces himself to her. Realising it’s Walt’s wife Joanie, he makes a swift exit.

Walking back through campus he runs into Tommy, who is rolling a keg to a party. He tells him he’s finished writing his story and asks if Greg would like to join him. Tommy admits he feels like an outsider at the school and was bringing the beer to impress some of the other kids, which tugs on Greg’s heartstrings a bit – enough to convince him to help him carry the keg.

Soon, Greg is playing drinking games with the guys – his penny throwing practice making him a beer pong Don, impressing Tommy’s friends Spooner, George and Eli. It turns out Tommy was lying about needing to impress the group – they were already all friends. But it’s soon forgotten as the shots come out.

Katie, not used to being single, heads to the bar at the Inn and attempts to flirt with the bartender, to the point he just thinks something’s wrong with her. Dylan watches the whole thing and admits she’s embarrassed for her Katie joins her for a drink before heading to Walt’s bash.

Greg, drunk and high, starts having deep conversations with the boys, with Eli earning the nickname Pig Tits when he admits to having five nipples (he’s since had them removed). George confesses to losing his virginity to a couch, while Tommy yearns for his ex, Bernice. Greg shares he’s not been with anyone sexually since he split from his wife, and the boys encourage him to get back out there. He thanks them and goes to leave, but instead Tommy notes that, as he’s never been to college, he deserves to experience one wild night out.

Heading to a frat-themed party, Greg spots graffiti on a statue declaring “For Katie”, noting that the paint is still wet. He’s stopped by the local inept cop, Officer Donnie, who has been looking for the mystery tagger since the same message has started popping up all around the campus. Donnie fails to pin the tag on Greg, but let’s him know he’s “watching him”.

Dylan and Katie arrive together to face Walt’s party – but Katie’s upset when she sees Archie there, despite him saying he wouldn’t be. He claims Roscoe insisted, but it’s pretty obvious he couldn’t stand her looking hot for other people. When he all but confirms it, she hits the bar, and discovers the bartender is the same one from the Inn. However, this time, their flirting goes a little better, and Archie watches on, jealous.

The frat-themed party is in full swing, but Greg, drunk, high, and with two 40oz bottles of malt liquor duct taped to his hands, has become maudlin. When his song request, Everybody Hurts by REM comes on, it starts to kill the vibe of the party. Two of his students – Zoe and Taylor – try to talk to him. He admits he feels “like the song” every day. Zoe assures him that his daughter is her favourite professor, and he says he was meant to be with her at another party, but he ran off because he was scared.

Tommy tells Greg it’s probably time he goes home, then grabs his laptop to start writing his paper, having got inspiration after a night with “the real-life Rooster”. Greg tells him he’s nothing like Rooster, but Tommy says college is a place to reinvent yourself, and he should embrace that. He also confesses he wasn’t lying about not feeling like he didn’t fit in – he’s a “townie”, who only got in because one of his parents work at the campus. Despite this, he recalls Greg’s lesson that “You can’t write it if it’s not in you” and he’s touched he remembers. Tommy gives Greg a pair of aviator shades and a renewed sense of confidence as he leaves and heads back to Walt’s.

Arriving back at the party drunk, but with a new outlook, Greg apologises to Walt for offending his wife and her “vaguely racist” outfit, Walt admits Joanie looks ridiculous – but that’s not going to stop them having sex later. Greg then spots Dylan, walks over to her and admits he regrets not taking her up on her offer from their drunken night together. The mood is cut short when Dylan introduces him to her date, but he brushes it off and moves on, channelling his inner Rooster as he grabs a scotch – and hooks up with Cristle in Walt’s home office.

Greg is caught doing the walk of shame next morning by Katie, who is holding two coffees. He asks who the other’s for, and she jokes it’s for Roscoe, but both are aware the other got lucky and don’t ask any further questions.

In reality, the other coffee is for Archie – who is still in Katie’s bed. She calls it a “big mistake” and ejects him. Outside, his yellow car has been tagged “For Katie”.