‘The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins’ review: Tracy Morgan and Daniel Radcliffe are a match made in comedic heaven.

Whatever mad scientist is responsible for bringing Tracy Morgan and Daniel Radcliffe together, thank you very much.

Two stars on NBC The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkinsa sports mockumentary from 30 The rock again The unstoppable Kimmy SchmidtRobert Carlock and Sam Means. At first glance, Morgan and Radcliffe might seem like an unlikely couple: one a legend of the loudmouth comedy, the other leading one of the most successful legends of all time. However their dynamic curves are irregular Reggie Dinkins into pure gold.

What The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins about?

Morgan plays Reggie Dinkins, a former running back for the New York Jets whose career came to an end after a gambling scandal. Years later, he’s ready for a photo refresh, so he asks 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 good, documenting his every move on camera. Arthur seeks the truth, hoping to paint a picture of a man in public shame. That contrast – and their colliding worlds of high-profile sports and documentary filmmaking – fuels Morgan and Radcliffe’s irresistible chemistry.

Tracy Morgan and Daniel Radcliffe lead an amazing cast.

Credit: Scott Gries / NBC

From It’s SNL to 30 The rockthere’s no denying Morgan’s excitement. Radcliffe, too, has shown his comedic chops in similar projects Miracle Workers again Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs the Reverend. During their time Reggie Dinkins characters thicken like rubber and glue at first, Morgan and Radcliffe are like jokes like peanut butter and jelly: they go together well, and they’re delicious.

Morgan brings a lot to his height 30 The rock zaniness to Reggie, he drops a line that reads so badly that it will burn into your brain. Radcliffe often plays the straight man in Morgan’s documentary hijinks, but Reggie Dinkins he soon revealed that Arthur was not as buttoned up as he seemed. Whether he’s bumping around the set of a Marvel movie or happily blasting jazz, there’s a powerful underbelly of Arthur’s auteur, and Radcliffe brings that to life with great gusto.

Morgan and Radcliffe are joined by the comedy’s biggest stars, including Bobby Moynihan as Reggie’s best friend Rusty and Erika Alexander as Reggie’s ex-wife and manager Monica. Moynihan is perfect as the lovable wild card, and Alexander does wonders as the savvy businesswoman with her competition ready to step out at any moment. Rounding out the main cast are Precious Way who is Reggie’s fiancée Brina and Jalyn Hall who plays Reggie and Monica’s son Carmelo. The two young actors fit right at home in this group of well-known names, and the result is an ensemble that comes together right off the bat.

The rise and fall of Reggie Dinkins catnip for 30 The rock followers.

Credit: Scott Gries / NBC

Between the involvement of Morgan, Carlock, and Means, Reggie Dinkins he spoke to me 30 The rock-a loving soul. The show goes on 30 The rockthe same lightning-fast clip, laced with unexpected, biting pop culture references and gags that will make you gasp. Clips from Reggie’s publicist days recall Jenna Maroney’s quirky advertising career, while glimpses of Reggie’s music career have me hoping for a “Werewolf Bar Mitzvah”-level banger down the line. (Brina’s very catchy Reggie jingle, used as the theme song, is already a worm.)

Reggie Dinkins being a mockumentary is changing 30 The rock little formula, added to the confessionals and so on The office-style Jim looks at the camera. Carlock and Means have already proven they can nail the mockumentary style thanks to episodes like this 30 The rock‘s reality show parody “Queen of Jordan” or The unstoppable Kimmy SchmidtA true crime riff on “Party Monster.” Their familiarity with the genre gets a big chance to shine throughout the full season, especially as they bring background characters like Arthur in front of the camera. Watching Arthur embrace being on camera adds a new dimension to the show’s approach, setting it apart from a strong crop of current mockumentary sitcoms like Abbott Elementary, St. Denis Medicalagain Paper. As a result, and the inspired combination of Morgan and Radcliffe, Reggie Dinkins is a winning sitcom that feels familiar and fresh.

The first episode of The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins broadcast on Peacock. New episodes air Mondays at 8 pm ET on NBC, and air the next day on Peacock.