Really Funny New Sit-Com; The ‘Right’ Jewish Actress, More
The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins is a sports-related comedy series starring Tracey Morgan as Dinkins. Daniel Radcliffe, 36, co-stars as Arthur Tobin, a documentary maker.
The series premiered in an unconventional manner. NBC announced on January 14th that The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins would debut on January 18th following NBC’s coverage of an NFL divisional playoff game, ahead of its originally planned premiere date of .
The pilot episode is currently available on the NBC app and website. A second episode will air on at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on NBC, and will be available to stream on Peacock the following day. Subsequent episodes will air on eight successive Mondays.
The pilot episode was described as smartly funny and well-acted, and is being called one of the best new sitcoms in some time. The premise centers on Reggie Dinkins, a former NFL star whose career ended abruptly due to a significant misstep, shown briefly in flashback. The series follows his attempts to rehabilitate his image with the help of Tobin, the documentary filmmaker.
Interestingly, Daniel Radcliffe has a creative life beyond acting. He publishes poetry under the pen name Jacob Gershon, a combination of his middle name and the Hebrew version of his mother’s maiden name, Gresham. While Radcliffe identifies as an atheist, he strongly identifies with his Jewish heritage through his mother.
The Right Jewish Actress
Recent casting news surrounding the film adaptation of Deep Cut sparked controversy. Actress Odessa A’zion, 25, known for her role in Marty Supreme, was initially cast as Zoe Gutierrez, a character described as Mexican and Jewish. Concerns arose regarding A’zion’s lack of Latino background, leading to calls for a more representative casting choice.
On January 26th, A’zion announced her decision to withdraw from the role, stating she hadn’t fully understood the character’s Mexican heritage and didn’t want to take an opportunity away from a Latina actress.
The role was then offered to Ariela Barer, 27, whose background perfectly aligns with the character’s description. Barer was born in Los Angeles to Jewish parents who grew up in Mexico, effectively resolving the casting debate.
New Fox Series
Fox’s new series, Memory of a Killer, premiered on January 28th, with all ten episodes also available on Hulu. The series centers on Angelo Doyle (Patrick Dempsey), a highly skilled hitman who successfully conceals his profession from his daughter, Maria (Odeya Rush, 28).
The series features Odeya Rush, who has been on the radar for over a decade. Born in Haifa, Israel in 1997, Rush moved to the United States with her family in 2006, eventually settling in Los Angeles in 2013. She first gained recognition for her role in Almost Famous (2015), where she played a young woman pursued by an older man.
Rush’s appearance has often drawn comparisons to Mila Kunis, with some observers noting a striking resemblance. While Kunis is widely recognized for her comedic timing and dramatic range, Rush is poised to showcase her talents in Memory of a Killer.
