Jack Black
Tim Robbins
Pablo Schreiber
Aasif Mandvi

Created by:
Roberto Benabib
Kim Benabib

Comedy
2015-
HBO

TV-MA

HBO has, once more, ventured into the political comedy genre. This time, it has dropped “The Brink” right on our heads. This is the kind of show that has much more fun with itself than does its audience. The comedy is expected; it’s disappointingly routine.

There are three story lines: one in Pakistan, one in Washington, D.C., and one on a naval ship. These story lines intersect eventually. Whatever you expect to come from that is what does, pretty much. Given the cast members, that’s especially unfortunate. Their timing’s right, which means the comedy’s wrong. They need material that goes all the way, instead of pretending to do so. The best part of the pilot for me was reading English subtitles of insults in Urdu. That doesn’t bode well.

If “Veep” is the gold standard for this genre, then “The Brink” has a lot of catching up to do. “Veep” is a knockout, while this is a whimper. But in “Veep,” the actors are allowed to do a lot of improv. They drive the comedy. This show has enough talent to do the same. Its actors could certainly come up with comedy better than this. Do with that whatever you will.

Verdict: Whatever

About: (Source: thebrink)

A new half-hour dark comedy series, The Brink focuses on a geopolitical crisis and its effect on three disparate and desperate men: Walter Larson (played by Tim Robbins), the US Secretary of State; Alex Talbot (Jack Black), a lowly Foreign Service officer; and Zeke Tilson (Pablo Schreiber), an ace Navy fighter pilot. These three compromised souls must pull through the chaos around them to save the planet from World War Three. The show also features Aasif Mandvi, Maribeth Monroe, Carla Gugino and Eric Ladin.

The series is created by Roberto Benabib, with Kim Benabib. It is executive produced by Jerry Weintraub, Jay Roach and Roberto Benabib, with Kim Benabib as co-executive producer. Jay Roach directed the series pilot. In addition to starring, Jack Black and Tim Robbins also serve as producers, and Aasif Mandvi as co-producer.