Entertainment
Daniel Radcliffe’s Sharp New Sitcom Puts a Fresh Spin on Mockumentaries
After The Office and Parks and Recreation introduced the mockumentary genre through awkward glances and a camera catching what characters wish it wouldn’t (we still think about you, Michael Scott), The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins most cleverly treats that setup less like a gimmick and more like a liability. In the new NBC sitcom from co-creators Robert Carlock and Sam Means (the Emmy-winning guys behind 30 Rock), the camera isn’t just there to catch punchlines from its titular lead, played hilariously by the iconic Tracy Morgan. Instead, it’s there to ruin things — or at least, further embarrass people with enough precision that it could be the same thing.
The 10-episode series feels familiar at first as a disgraced former football superstar lets a documentary crew follow him around as he attempts to refine his public image. But with the addition of Daniel Radcliffe’s pretentious and self-conscious filmmaker Arthur Tobin capturing every moment behind the lens, the single-camera comedy is anything but. With both carrying their own versions of reputational baggage, the half-hour sitcom thrives on the chaos of watching two men who love controlling the narrative get trapped inside the constant replay.
And that’s where The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins really separates itself from mockumentary alums. The camera is never objective or silent because it belongs to Arthur, an award-winning director who’s too pretentious, fragile, and emotionally invested to pretend he isn’t shaping the story in real-time. That push-and-pull turns the comedy into a sharp riff on image control, public shame, and all the increasingly ridiculous ways people try to rewrite their own legacy when eyes are on them. Having watched the entire show twice, it’s by far one of the sharpest comedies from the past five years. With heart and humor that sneaks up on you and one-liners that are sure to stick, it’s more than just a must-watch this season, but also one of the best new comedies of 2026.
What Is ‘The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins’ About?
Following its preview after the NFL playoff game this past January on NBC, The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins is ready to make its official debut on Monday, February 23. But if you missed it the first time around, it’s the kind of premiere that tells you everything you need to know about the show’s sense of humor and tone in its first 10 minutes. Morgan’s Reggie was at the top of his game once as one of the best players of the New York Jets, but is now living in this strange post-fame purgatory where people will still recognize him (hats off to Mike Carlsen for playing a consistently obnoxious New Yorker) and then immediately remember not to clap.
Of course, Reggie is convinced a documentary will be the cleanest way to get his reputation back, but the problem is, he’s surrounded by people close to him who are still reeling from his social fall. Like Monica (Erika Alexander), his ex-wife and manager, who will fix every situation for her former husband (and the father of their teenage son, Carmelo, played by Jalyn Hall), but is also exhausted doing it. It’s the same for his young influencer fiancée, Brina (Precious Way), who isn’t interested in being an accessory to his comeback story. Even his best friend and former teammate (and now housemate), Rusty (Bobby Moynihan), is a walking reminder of Reggie’s glory days and his worst impulses, depending on the day, actually.
But while the “Pilot” lays the groundwork with an enjoyable dose of comedy, the episodes that follow are where the show really starts to have fun with the premise as Arthur becomes an active agent in their lives. What begins as a straightforward comeback spirals into a parade of unhinged situations that are wildly specific and weirdly character-driven, like Reggie clinging to a decades-old “food poisoning” debacle that Arthur needs more answers on, Rusty being on an all-butter diet after a child convinces him it’s good for you, or Monica’s post-divorce dating life taking a horrifying detour (trust me, you’ll laugh out loud even if it’s dark AF). Even Arthur gets into his own steamy shenanigans with an appearance by Megan Thee Stallion, who definitely owns every scene she’s in.
But because the series is never afraid to swing big, it also leans into genre play, like an episode that plays most charmingly to an Agatha Christie mystery episode where paranoia takes over Reggie’s mansion, or Brina flirting with a reality dating show that is even crazier when you realize what you do about its host. All in all, the first season does a stellar job of expanding the world around Reggie in ways that make the comedy feel bigger than the documentary aspect itself.
The ‘Reggie Dinkins’ Ensemble Makes the Chaos Feel Effortless
Because it never loses track of how these characters bounce off each other, the show’s momentum only gets stronger as it goes thanks to its ensemble. With Morgan as the quick-witted engine of the series, he makes The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins feel effortless even when the comedy is at maximum absurdity. While his funniest moments aren’t always the loud ones, he has some incredible throwaways that hit because he treats Reggie’s delusion like it’s completely reasonable whether it’s proudly pointing out the taco named after him at Hardee’s or owning a Miss Piggy-skin football (RIP, queen). But it’s these random jokes that the SNL alum plays with straight-faced sincerity that make the show what it is.
Meanwhile, Radcliffe’s Arthur is the perfect balance to Morgan because the actor commits to his character’s self-seriousness so much that it becomes the comedy. Nailing that tonal tightrope too, he pivots most refreshingly from dry, British discomfort to genuinely raw self-pity without a genre shift. Playing someone who wants to be this Werner Herzog, authoritative documentarian but keeps giving himself away with tiny humorous reactions that you need to see to believe, Radcliffe treats Arthur less like a man behind the camera and more a security blanket for his own emotional issues, and that’s where his performance gets sneakily rich.
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Supporting the pair are Alexander and Moynihan, who are absolutely perfect casting. These two are the show’s perfect example of when stability meets chaos and tries to manage something that makes sense. Alexander never plays Monica like an exhausted fixer, but instead gives her a sharp, controlled energy where you can see her doing mental math in real time. Naturally, Moynihan barrels into Rusty with a heartwarming joy and hilarity that really cranks the jokes up to an eleven. Between moments like the spa candling aftermath, a vocal ad-lib on a viral track that will have you howling with laughter, or finally reading the NFL rule book, he’s so good at disrupting scenes without making them feel like sketch comedy.
Rounding out the trio is Way, who gives real dimension to Brina by grounding her influencer caricature in actual frustration, especially in the episodes where Reggie can’t even figure out why she’s mad or why he won’t pin down a wedding date. And Hall is quietly terrific as Carmelo, playing the believable teenager who’s sharp enough to clock all the nonsense from the adults, but still young enough to get caught between wanting the perks and wanting his parents to act like parents. Along the way, the sitcom brings a stacked bench of guest stars too who fit seamlessly into the madness, like Craig Robinson as a Michael Strahan-stylized caricature named Jerry Basmati who is also Reggie’s smug rival. There’s also The Daily Show standouts, like Ronny Chieng as a hilariously dramatic sports agent and Michael Kosta popping in with the kind of deadpan sports-host energy that makes Reggie’s public humiliation feel even more official.
‘The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins’ Comedy Makes the Absurd Feel Earned
One of the sheer joys of The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins is the writing. Longtime fan of shows like 30 Rock and The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt will see that particular style of comedy here, but it’s also its own thing. Carlock and Means steer the ship with Tina Fey, David Miner, Eric Gurian, and Morgan in producer roles, for a show that feels sharply paced and clever in its joke-dense rhythm without ever recycling old tricks — even if there are a few 30 Rock Easter eggs. But as the humor moves fast, it’s rarely random. Even some of the most absurd bits, like a hashtag to support Reggie Dinkins standing for something entirely different or an existential side quest into the forest with Reggie and Arthur trying to find a missing cat named Namath (like, Joe), are all rooted in character logic. The jokes land because they expose something, not just because they’re weird.
That being said, what’s especially impressive about the NBC sitcom is how it can pivot tones without snapping itself in half. One minute, it’s skewing apology culture or viral beef, and the next, it’s letting a sincerely surprising moment breathe between Monica, Reggie, and Arthur into a revelation. It’s this kind of writing that understands Reggie’s biggest flaw is not ego, but rather avoidance. It keeps finding new ways to poke at that aspect of our sports hero without turning the show into a lecture.
By the back half of the season, The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins is confident enough to let jokes land sideways and find its balance between sharp satire, emotional awareness, and the laugh-out-loud commitment to a bit that makes the series feel bigger than your standard network comedy. With jokes that come fast and stick hard (with some delightfully funny and memorable one-liners), it’s rare to see a sitcom that only gets better as it goes.
The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins airs Mondays at 9 p.m. EST on NBC.