Network: HBO
Episodes: 10 (half-hour)
Seasons: One
TV show dates: June 21, 2015 — August 23, 2015
Series status: Renewed but then cancelled
Performers include: Tim Robbins, Jack Black, Pablo Schreiber, Aasif Mandvi, Maribeth Monroe, Geoff Pierson, Esai Morales, Carla Gugino, and Eric Ladin.
TV show description:
This dark comedy series focuses on a geopolitical crisis and its effect on three disparate and desperate men.
US Secretary of State Walter Larson (Tim Robbins) is a womanizer and frequently drinks too much. Alex Talbot (Jack Black) is a lowly Foreign Service officer who’s stationed at the US embassy in Islamabad. And Zeke “Z-Pak” Tilson (Pablo Schreiber) is a drug-dealing ace Navy fighter pilot. These three compromised souls must pull through the chaos around them to save the planet from World War Three.
Other characters include Rafiq Massoud (Aasif Mandvi), Alex Talbott’s Pakistani driver and unwilling confidante; Kendra Peterson (Maribeth Monroe}; United States Secretary of Defense Pierce Gray (Geoff Pierson), President of the United States Julian Navarro (Esai Morales); and Lt. Glenn Taylor (Eric Ladin).
Episode #10 — There Will Be Consequences
Aboard the USS Grant, the Admiral briefs Zeke and Jammer on their mission. They’re to locate the nuke-armed Pakistani jet and take it out before it gets to Israel, though the mission is no easy feat while they attempt to sober up.
At the Pakistani presidential palace, General Ahmed Ali sends for a car battery with which to torture Zaman until he recalls his bomber. Alex, with Zaman’s bizarre sexual proclivities in mind, explains that “burning the man’s nuts, while cathartic, may only tweak his weasel.” He asks Ali if he can negotiate with Zaman, and the general gives him until the battery arrives.
Walter tries in vain to reassure the Israeli leaders that he has the situation under control and their country won’t be obliterated by a nuclear bomb. A Secret Service agent informs Walter that the White House is being evacuated, and Foreign Minister Talia Levy assures Walter that should the bomber get within 1000 miles of their airspace, they will retaliate. Walter confronts President Navarro about the evacuation. He explains that the U.S. will have to launch nukes of their own should Israel be attacked, which is why they’re seeking shelter elsewhere. Walter returns to the Situation Room alone, the fate of the world in his hands.
Alex calls Hassan, looking for help getting inside Zaman’s head. Hassan doesn’t believe there are any magic words to get Zaman to open up, but he does tell Alex that he and Zaman have similar psychiatric profiles. “Selfish, entitled, incompetent — you operate with the flagrant disregard for the feelings of others,” Hassan explains. “The only difference is that someone gave him a nuclear arsenal to play with.”
Walter connects with other U.S. allies, only to learn that many of them are mobilizing their own militaries, seizing the opportunity to take what they want in uncertain times. Joanne enters the Situation Room, having refused to go to the bunker without Walter. With a newfound sense of purpose, Walter hangs up on each world leader, threatening action against anyone who does anything stupid.
Zeke and Jammer spot their target, though they struggle to keep it in their sights without getting fired upon. They lose nearly all of their ammo in failed strike attempts.
Alex attempts to reason with Zaman and get him to call off his pilot. The car battery arrives and Alex’s time is up, but Zaman finally agrees to speak with his pilot. He shouts into the phone, “You men are martyrs, death to Israel!” before grabbing Alex’s gun and shooting himself in the head.
Finally, Zeke successfully shoots down the plane and he and Jammer head back to the carrier. However, Walter, mulling Zaman’s final words, believes the jet was a decoy and the real threat is still at large. After confirming that the downed jet could only contain one man, he demands to be patched through to Zeke and Jammer. Walter tells them that the refueling jet they passed earlier contains the nuke, and it will be crashed into downtown Tel Aviv. He orders them to take it down, but they’re out of ammo.
With no other option, Zeke reroutes their plane, aiming it for a head-on collision with the refueling jet. He and Jammer eject just before their plane collides with the enemy aircraft, destroying it. They land safely in Eritrea, where Jammer realizes their stolen fertility statue is from. The two celebrate their impending payday while nearby, local warlords cart away the intact nuclear missile from the refueling jet’s charred remains. (Courtesy HBO.)
First aired: August 23, 2015.
What do you think? Do you like The Brink TV show? Do you think it should be cancelled or renewed for another season?
Love this show! What happened?
GREAT FUNNY SMART!!!! why are they not bringing it back?????
The Brink must continue! Not only is it hysterical, it’s also intelligent and thought provoking. It is the only show my teenage daughter will watch with me. I even enjoy the Prius commercial because Zeke is in it. I’ve been waiting impatiently
for the return of The Brink.
Love this show!!! It is intelligent,witty and brave…how can it get cancelled when there is so much fluff on TV?
The Brink was hilarious. Loved the Brink. BRING THE BRINK BACK! !! Netflix is looking better every time a good show doesn’t return.
This was a hilarious show! The writing was superb. Hopefully, another network will pick it up if HBO can’t get it together. I understand that Games of Thrones is their baby but the cast of The Brink was seemingly flawless.
Pleaseee let the brink come back!! It’s my favourite show!! Its hilarious. Please HBO give us the show back!
Wicked dialogue, awesome ensemble cast. Change your mind again HBO and bring this brilliant show back for season 2. Or did you bow to pressure from Washington to back off your hilarious portrayal of people who are supposed to be in charge? It’s ENTERTAINMENT, not a documentary. Grow a pair. As for Ms S S’s comment – you need to grow a sense of humor once that sharp stick has been removed…
I love this show! Why did HBO pull the plug. It was one of the best shows on Television this year by far!
Please bring it back!
Thanks,
Peter
I love this show!
Brink could be the autobiography of Georgy Bush’s administration. I see Colin Powell doing damage control and cleaning up after Dick Chaney’s and Donald Rumsfeld’s shenanigans, it must have been fun and chaotic under Georgy Bush’s oval office. Imagine if Chaney had been the President, he would have accidentally launched a nuclear missile during a hunting expedition. Really like every episodes and the dialogue was superb, witty and original.
If you want to bust a gut, then this show is for you. Great ensemble cast, fast pace, laugh a minute T.V.. My favorite program out there. Way to go HBO!
To call this show smart shows how little the general public knows and even less it cares about geopolitics. Completely asinine.
Great cast,great show. Hope it has a long run. Scary, but it is really how things get done.
Great show. Engaging, smart, hilarious.