DAVID BIANCULLI

Founder / Editor

ERIC GOULD

Associate Editor

LINDA DONOVAN

Assistant Editor

Contributors

ALEX STRACHAN

MIKE HUGHES

KIM AKASS

MONIQUE NAZARETH

ROGER CATLIN

GARY EDGERTON

TOM BRINKMOELLER

GERALD JORDAN

NOEL HOLSTON

 
 
 
 
 
THE BRINK
July 5, 2015  | By David Bianculli

HBO, 10:30 p.m. ET

 

In last week’s episode, one character was grounded after piloting a messed-up, drug-fueled bombing mission over Pakistan, another was waterboarded by Pakistani military insurgents, and a third, apparently, was executed as a political prisoner. Tough day – and here comes another one. I really enjoy this new dark comedy, especially the performances by Tim Robbins, Jack Black, Aasif Mandvi, Maribeth Monroe (as Robbins’ assistant, pictured with him) and, introduced last week, Carla Gugino as the ambitious wife of Robbins’ Secretary of State. And with two episodes under our belt, tonight’s episode three gives us something else to anticipate as well: What great, perfectly appropriate period rock song will be played over the closing credits? In the premiere, it was Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son.” Last week, it was John Lennon’s “Instant Karma.” Expensive songs to procure for a TV soundtrack – but, in this context, well worth it.

 
 
 
 
 
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