Support NeoGAF

[Cornballer]

When a rogue general seizes control of Pakistan and its nuclear arsenal, the fate of the world rests on the shoulders of three improbable Americans: Secretary of State Walter Larson (Robbins), lowly Foreign Service officer Alex Talbot (Black) and ace Navy fighter pilot Zeke Tilson (Schreiber). From the turbulent streets of the Middle East, to the White House Situation Room, to an aircraft carrier on the Red Sea, these three compromised souls must pull through the chaos around them to save the planet from World War Three.

Executive produced by Jerry Weintraub, Roberto Benabib and Jay Roach, and created by Roberto Benabib and Kim Benabib, the epic dark comedy series THE BRINK focuses on a geopolitical crisis and its effect on three disparate, desperate men. The show’s ten-episode season begins this summer, exclusively on HBO.

THE BRINK stars Jack Black (Golden Globe nominee for “The School of Rock” and “Bernie”) as Alex Talbot, Tim Robbins (Best Supporting Actor Oscar® winner for “Mystic River,” Best Director Oscar® nominee for “Dead Man Walking”) as Walter Larson and Pablo Schreiber ( “Law And Order: SVU,” HBO’s “The Wire”) as Zeke Tilson.

Other series regulars include Aasif Mandvi (“The Daily Show with Jon Stewart”), Maribeth Monroe (“Workaholics”), Eric Ladin (“The Killing,” HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire”), Esai Morales (“NYPD Blue”) and Geoff Pierson (“Dexter”).

Additional cast members include John Larroquette, Carla Gugino, Mimi Kennedy, Melanie Kannokada, Marshall Manesh, Meera Syal, Erick Avari, Iqbal Theba, Rob Brydon, Michelle Gomez, Lamont Thompson, Bernard White, Jaimie Alexander and Mary Farber.

I haven't heard much about this aside from the plot. Good cast for this one, and I hope it pans out.

 

[WarrenMax007]

Will definetly watch. Any news on Ballers?

 

[Cornballer]

Any news on Ballers?

Nothing mentioned today so far.

 

[Cornballer]

- First teaser for The Brink (youtube)

 

[NYCmetsfan]

- First teaser for The Brink (youtube)

yikes....

not impressed at all. the drone joke... ugh

hopefully its better than that.

 

[afternoon delight]

Wag the Dog mixed with In the Loop sauce? I'm f'ing ready.

 

[Cornballer]

yikes....

not impressed at all. the drone joke... ugh

hopefully its better than that.

Critics didn't seem to like the premiere when they screened it at TCA earlier this year, so this show might be a complete dud. We'll see.

 

[Lactose_Intolerant]

Yeah, the comedy parts didn't seem to work. Probably needs better writers

 

[Dan]

Not entirely sold, but I'll check it out. I do think it's a difficult tone they're trying to achieve, a farce involving a war in the Middle East. Maybe it'll take some time but they'll find it.

 

[Kinyou]

I can't say no to Jack Black. The jokes in the teaser fall rather flat though. And that's where you expect they'd actually burn all the best ones.

 

[dead souls]

Woah that's a bad teaser.

I'll still try a few episodes but that looks really disappointing.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

I agree that that didn't look too hot. I'll still give it a chance though.

 

[PhoenixDark]

Looks bad. HBO is missing a lot lately with these weak comedies.

 

[maxcriden]

Ah, that does not...look good to me at all. I guess time to rewatch Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World, instead.

 

[Mr.Swag]

Looks bad. HBO is missing a lot lately with these weak comedies.

You're not watching VEEP I'm guessing

 

[Messofanego]

Ah yes, heard Aasif Mandvi talking about this show. Sounds right up my alley.

 

[Steelyuhas]

Not a fan of that teaser, reading the pitch was hoping for a dark satire comedy of this subject (in the vein of VEEP's style of comedy). Not getting that from this initial look.

 

[Toothless]

I'm happy to see Jack Black back, and I like Aasif, but this looks kinda generic. :/

 

[WarrenMax007]

- Trailer

Looks really fun.

 

[Cornballer]

Poster:

 

[Daigoro]

this show looks terrible.

 

[OrlanisWorks]

this show looks terrible.

I disagree. Looks like it could be fun.

 

[TimmiT]

I hope that this is good, I want to see Jack Black in more good stuff.

 

[Cornballer]

- New 30 second promo

 

[Kinsella]

First review I've found so far. I had high hopes for this since I generally like most of the people in it. Was happy to also see Pablo Schreiber getting more work, but so far it's not looking good:

From The Hollywood Reporter

This is their summation but the paragraph right before it goes into a lot more detail about all of the show's many issues.

The Brink aims to poke fun at world diplomacy by insisting that almost everyone at the highest levels of power is a fool focused on his or her basest desires. In the right hands, it could be as provocative as the Kubrick film it emulates. But as it stands, it barely would pass muster as a back-half sketch on SNL.

 

[maquiladora]

Oh dear...

 

[dead souls]

Not a surprise at all sadly. The trailers are awful and I like the cast/subject matter so it should be an easy sell to get me interested in it.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

I can't say I'm surprised. Early impressions from critics weren't positive and the trailer looked awful. Ballers seems to be getting decent reviews though, so there's that.