The Brink: Season 1

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 30 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 79 Ratings

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7.7

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7.7	Your Score
7.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 79 Ratings

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Season Details & Credits

HBO | Season Premiere Date: June 21, 2015

Starring: Esai Morales, Aasif Mandvi, Jack Black

Summary: Secretary of State Walter Larson (Tim Robbins), Foreign Service officer Alex Talbot (Jack Black), and Navy fighter pilot Zeke Tilson (Pablo Schreiber) are the key players to stop a potential military coup and World War III in this dark comedy.

Creator: Roberto Benabib and Kim Benabib

Genre(s): Comedy, Drama, Action & Adventure

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E10. There Will Be Consequences
Air Date: August 23, 2015
tbd
S1:E9. Just a Little Crazy Talk
Air Date: August 16, 2015
tbd
S1:E8. Who's Grover Cleveland?
Air Date: August 9, 2015

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Jeff Korbelik

Jun 22, 2015

The Brink is whip-smart, featuring actors who know how to play comedy. This one’s a joy to watch. Read full review

Matthew Gilbert

Jun 18, 2015

Consistently entertaining, if not hysterical, and plotted with care, so that three distinct story lines dovetail nicely. Read full review

Robert Bianco

Jun 18, 2015

The show may err toward silliness, but the cast is uniformly good, and every so often a wry jab at American parochialism or some funny throwaway line will catch you by happy surprise. Read full review

Gail Pennington

Jun 17, 2015

“Ballers” and “The Brink,” have their moments, neither provides a lot of laughs. Read full review

Ken Tucker

Jun 19, 2015

[The Brink] uses Black’s panicky jabber-talk style to set the pace for a frantic show that only occasionally slows down enough to be actually funny. Read full review

Brian Lowry

Jun 18, 2015

The show operates at a tone of constant hysteria, which, as justified as that may be, begins to feel exhausting. Read full review

Sonia Saraiya

Jun 22, 2015

It’s screechingly awful. Read full review

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User Score

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7.7

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User Reviews

Synystar

Aug 2, 2015

Great show. Intelligent and funny. It pokes fun at **** that you know must be real to a certain degree. Tim Robbins is awesome. If you listen to NPR on a daily basis you'll probably like it. If not you either hate it or don't give a single ****

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

greatduckguru

Aug 3, 2015

This show is amazingly funny, fast paced, and has the perfect cast in every way. I have loved every episode and laughed all along the way. Lots of critics seem to have hate for this show because they want it to be like all the other formula shows and fail to appreciate something unique andThis show is amazingly funny, fast paced, and has the perfect cast in every way. I have loved every episode and laughed all along the way. Lots of critics seem to have hate for this show because they want it to be like all the other formula shows and fail to appreciate something unique and fun. Worth watching, check it out for sure.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

aculhane

Jun 24, 2015

Smart, subtle and very funny start. Hope it maintains the humor and irony. Jack Black is perfectly cast. A welcome relief from the usual blood and boobs fare of HBO.

8 of 10 users found this helpful82

TheQuietGamer

Jul 5, 2015

The humor may be more low-brow than you would expect from political satire, but "The Brink" is hilarious and compelling nonetheless. The show approaches the geopolitical crisis in Pakistan with an absurdist style and raunchy jokes. It mocks everybody in politics and does so with a knowingThe humor may be more low-brow than you would expect from political satire, but "The Brink" is hilarious and compelling nonetheless. The show approaches the geopolitical crisis in Pakistan with an absurdist style and raunchy jokes. It mocks everybody in politics and does so with a knowing wink. It might not be the smartest satire out there, but it sure is some of the funniest.

The cast is all around fantastic and talented. These guys know how to deliver jokes with perfect timing. They keep the gags coming at a mile a minute. Of course none of that would matter if the actual jokes themselves weren't funny. Thankfully this show has some funny people behind it.

The only issue I have is that the show's inability to take itself seriously leads to the plot lacking in a sense of urgency or danger that you would expect any other show with a plot surrounding people trying to prevent World War 3 from having. Perhaps some more tension and genuine threats would help take the show to the next level.

As of right now though it's hilarious regardless. Some may be looking for more intelligence and seriousness in their political satire, but those looking for laughs are sure to be satisfied. It's also not an entirely brainless affair. There are quite a few insightful jokes and comments here and there. It might present it's serious plot material in an irreverent manner and it's satire might not be anywhere near profound, but that doesn't change the fact that it's a hilarious show. Personally I find this to be the funniest show currently on television and can see plenty of reasons why it should be given a shot. I, for one, can't wait for the next episode.

So far I give the first season of "The Brink" is a 9.9/10.… Expand

4 of 4 users found this helpful40

SeenNotScene

Aug 23, 2015

I thoroughly enjoyed the season even with its ups and downs, but the cast did an amazing job giving us humor alongside the terror of what America's militarty is. I really look forward to the next season.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

TheWaffle

Jul 27, 2015

It started off promising, but a few episodes in the one-dimensional gags have grown stale. Episode 1 had some laughs, episode 2 had some chuckles, but now it's gotten predictable. A lot of small choices really cut into the high-stakes plot that the show tries to sell: the Secretary ofIt started off promising, but a few episodes in the one-dimensional gags have grown stale. Episode 1 had some laughs, episode 2 had some chuckles, but now it's gotten predictable. A lot of small choices really cut into the high-stakes plot that the show tries to sell: the Secretary of State's wife's indifference to a potential nuclear exchange, the Secretary of Defense planning war from a hotel lobby, the Israeli PM telling us one thing and then we learn the opposite in the next scene. Lots of just poor writing that robs this dark comedy of its darkness and fails to deliver on the comedy. This feels like a four-minute SNL sketch that's been stretched into five hours of television.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

papadrew7

Jul 2, 2015

There are no redeeming qualities about this show at all. The whole thing feels rushed and the comedy just falls right on its face. The show is trying to do way too much in its half hour show of telling a story and developing characters and trying to be funny and none of it works. There isThere are no redeeming qualities about this show at all. The whole thing feels rushed and the comedy just falls right on its face. The show is trying to do way too much in its half hour show of telling a story and developing characters and trying to be funny and none of it works. There is nothing funny about a show about corrupt, worthless, government officials that THINK they are funny. There is nothing funny about World War 3. You wouldn't expect this quality of a show from HBO but here we are. I give a big fat 0 rating.… Expand

1 of 7 users found this helpful16

SEE ALL 25 REVIEWS

Seasons & Episodes

52

Series Overview
Season 1

52
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: June 21, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E10. There Will Be Consequences
  Air Date: August 23, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E9. Just a Little Crazy Talk
  Air Date: August 16, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E8. Who's Grover Cleveland?
  Air Date: August 9, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E7. Sticky Wicket
  Air Date: August 2, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E6. Tweet Tweet Tweet
  Air Date: July 26, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E5. Swim, Shmuley, Swim
  Air Date: July 19, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E4. I'll Never Be Batman
  Air Date: July 12, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E3. Baghdad My Ass
  Air Date: July 5, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E2. Half-Cocked
  Air Date: June 28, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E1. Pilot
  Air Date: June 21, 2015