‘The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins’ Brings Sitcom History to Modern TV
The series delivers a confident, hilarious pilot that blends mockumentary style with sitcom nostalgia
There’s something instantly disarming about The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins—and it’s not just the documentary-style opening that pulls you in. It’s the way the pilot understands that redemption stories are never clean, never linear, and almost always deeply embarrassing while they’re happening.
From its first moments, the series tells you exactly what kind of show it wants to be: a blend of documentary, mockumentary, and procedural chaos, stitched together with well-timed cutaways, archival absurdity, and just enough sincerity to keep it from floating away. And yes—it absolutely leans into the joy of the characters playing younger versions of themselves with bad wigs and questionable Photoshop, because why wouldn’t it?
Right away, it’s fun. But more importantly, it’s aware.
A public fall from grace and the road to redemption
Reggie Dinkins (Tracy Morgan) was once a football legend. In 2005, after an AFC Championship Game win, his career came to a screeching halt when he accidentally admitted, on air, to gambling on his own game.
If you winced from reading that, congratulations: the show is working.
Reggie now wants his legacy back. Not quietly. Not humbly. But with a documentary where he paints the narrative. Enter Arthur Tobin (Daniel Radcliffe), an award-winning filmmaker whose own career took a nose-dive during a public meltdown. Arthur is hired to direct Reggie’s comeback story—and quickly realizes this isn’t a portrait so much as a poorly painted narrative by someone who refuses vulnerability in the face of re-establishing legacy.
What makes the pilot land is that neither man is positioned as the “serious one.” They’re both desperate. And they both might lose everything if it goes downhill.
Erika Alexander doesn’t miss a beat
The emotional grounding—and true blue (and stuck like) glue—comes from Monica Reese-Dinkins, played by Erika Alexander. Much like her role as the infamous Maxine Shaw (attorney at law) in Living Single, Monica’s character is the much needed revolving door that connects Reggie’s absurdity with reality. Monica is Reggie’s ex-wife and agent, which means she knows exactly how to manage him, survive him, and occasionally save him from himself.
She doesn’t need this documentary to succeed but making it work would put her back on top in a way that feels personal, professional, and vindicating. Alexander plays Monica with an expertise that cuts through the nonsense without killing the fun. She’s the one person in the room who sees the whole picture, and still chooses to stay.
That choice matters.
A show that knows the assignment
What’s refreshing is how confident the pilot is in its rhythm. It doesn’t over-explain the plot. It trusts the audience to keep up. The jokes are clean, well-placed, and purposeful.
In a TV landscape where half-hour comedies often take three episodes to find their rhythm, Reggie Dinkins arrives with its footing firmly planted. It understands how audiences consume TV now, what they miss about sitcoms from the ‘90s and early 2000s, and how to bridge those worlds without chasing the old days.
It feels familiar without feeling dusty. Nostalgic without being over-indulgent.
A cast and crew built by those who know comedy
The ensemble rounds out beautifully, including:
Bobby Moynihan (Rusty)
Precious way (Brina)
Jalyn Hall (Carmello Dinkins)
Everyone understands the pacing and the tone. No one fights for the punchline which creates a cohesion that is seamless—and felt immediately.
That ease comes from the creative bench. Robert Carlock and Sam Means serve as co-showrunners, writers, and executive producers, joined by Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, Eric Gurian, and David Miner as executive producers as well. There’s institutional memory here—people who know how to pace a joke, build character, and let a moment land.
Final Take
The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins isn’t trying to reinvent comedy. It’s doing something smarter: executing a clear vision with confidence, heart, and jokes that hit.
It’s about legacy, ego, regret, and the very human desire to be liked—even when you make it really hard for people to do so.
The pilot makes you laugh. It makes you care. It leaves you wanting the next episode, which honestly, is the best comeback story.
Stream Episode 1 of The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins now on Peacock. The series will return on Monday, February 23 at 8pm ET with an encore of the pilot followed by a brand new episode at 8:30pm ET.
Beginning March 2, the series will move to its regular time slot Mondays at 8:30pm ET, only on NBC.
Check out the trailer below.