The Brink is an American comedy television series created by brothers Roberto Benabib and Kim Benabib.[1] It focuses on a geopolitical crisis in Pakistan. Before cancellation, the show was conceived so that each season would follow a different crisis somewhere in the world involving the same main characters. The pilot episode was written by the Benabib brothers and directed by Jay Roach.[1]
The series premiered on June 21, 2015 on the American cable television network HBO.[2] The Brink was initially renewed for a second season while the first season was still airing.[3] HBO later reversed its order and cancelled the series after just one season.[4]
The Brink received mixed reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes gave the first season a rating of 53%, based on 36 reviews, with an average rating of 5.7/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "The Brink avoids disaster thanks to the game efforts of a talented cast, but they - and viewers - deserve political satire with a sharper bite."[20] Metacritic gives the first season a score of 52 out of 100, based on reviews from 30 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[21]
IGN reviewer Amber Dowling gave the entire first season an 8.0 out of 10 'Great' score, saying that "after a rough first couple of episodes the actors settled into their characters and viewers grew more comfortable with the tone. Quick and surprising plot twists coupled with strong on-screen pairings eventually resulted in a fun summer romp with plenty of potential."[22]
In India, the series aired within 24 hours of the US premiere on June 22, 2015, on HBO Defined HD.[23] In Australia, the series premiered on July 7, 2015, on Showcase.[24] In Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Middle East and North Africa, the series premiered on November 11, 2015, on Orbit Showtime Network (OSN).