The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins review: Tracy Morgan and Daniel Radcliffe are a match made in comedy heaven
Whatever mad scientist is responsible for bringing together Tracy Morgan and Daniel Radcliffe, you have my sincerest thanks.
The two star in NBC's The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, a sports mockumentary from 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt's Robert Carlock and Sam Means. At first glance, Morgan and Radcliffe may seem like an unexpected pair: one a boisterous comedy legend, the other the lead of one of the most successful fantasy franchises of all time. Yet their odd-couple dynamic turns Reggie Dinkins into pure gold.
What's The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins about?
Morgan plays Reggie Dinkins, a former running back for the New York Jets whose career imploded after a gambling scandal. Years later, he's ready for an image rehabilitation, so he enlists Academy Award–winning director Arthur Tobin (Radcliffe) to make a documentary about his life.
Of course, what Reggie wants and what Arthur wants are two very different things. Reggie wants to look perfect, scripting out his every on-camera move. Arthur wants the truth, hoping to paint a picture of the man behind the public disgrace. That contrast — as well as their clashing worlds of pro sports and documentary filmmaking — fuels Morgan and Radcliffe's irresistible chemistry.
Tracy Morgan and Daniel Radcliffe lead an incredible cast.
From SNL to 30 Rock, there's no denying Morgan's hilarity. Radcliffe, too, has shown off his comedic chops in projects like Miracle Workers and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs the Reverend. While their Reggie Dinkins characters gel like rubber and glue at first, Morgan and Radcliffe are the comedy equivalent of peanut butter and jelly: perfectly complementary, and a joy to savor.
Morgan brings a lot of his heightened 30 Rock zaniness to Reggie, dropping outrageous line reads that will burn in your brain. Radcliffe often plays more of the straight man to Morgan's documentary-staging hijinks, but Reggie Dinkins quickly reveals that Arthur isn't as buttoned-up as he appears. Whether he's crashing out on a Marvel movie set or joyfully jazz scatting, there's a high-energy dork beneath Arthur's auteur surface, and Radcliffe brings that to life with gusto.
Morgan and Radcliffe are joined by a cast of comedy heavy hitters, including Bobby Moynihan as Reggie's best friend Rusty and Erika Alexander as Reggie's ex-wife and manager Monica. Moynihan is perfect as a lovably daffy wild card, and Alexander works wonders as a savvy businesswoman whose competitiveness is ready to jump out at any moment. Rounding out the main cast are Precious Way as Reggie's fiancée Brina and Jalyn Hall as Reggie and Monica's son Carmelo. The two younger actors fit right at home in this cast of more established names, and the result is an ensemble that blends brilliantly right off the bat.
The Rise and Fall of Reggie Dinkins is catnip for 30 Rock fans.
Between Morgan, Carlock, and Means' involvement, Reggie Dinkins spoke to my 30 Rock-loving soul. The show keeps up 30 Rock's same lightning-fast clip, peppered with unexpected, biting pop culture references and cutaway gags that will have you gasping for air. Clips from Reggie's spokesperson days recall Jenna Maroney's strangest advertisement work, while a glimpse of Reggie's music career has me hoping for a "Werewolf Bar Mitzvah"-level banger down the line. (Brina's ultra-catchy Reggie jingle, used as the song's theme, is already an earworm.)
Reggie Dinkins being a mockumentary does switch up the 30 Rock formula a bit, adding in confessionals and some The Office-style Jim looks to camera. Carlock and Means have already proven they can nail the mockumentary style thanks to episodes like 30 Rock's reality show parody "Queen of Jordan" or Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt's true crime riff "Party Monster." Their familiarity with the genre gets a bigger chance to shine across a full season, especially as they bring behind-the-scenes characters like Arthur in front of the camera. Watching Arthur embrace being on-camera adds a new dimension to the show's mockumentary approach, setting it apart from the strong crop of current mockumentary sitcoms like Abbott Elementary, St. Denis Medical, and The Paper. As a result, and with the inspired combination of Morgan and Radcliffe, Reggie Dinkins is a winning sitcom that feels both familiar and fresh.