When HBO premiered the second season of True Detective, Ballers and The Brink on June 21, who would have thought the former would be the last to get renewed (let alone possibly not at all)? Shortly after the Dwanye Johnson-led comedy received the greenlight for another go-around, the station also decided to give the Tim Robbins/Jack Black-starring political dark comedy a second season as well. As for True Detective? Still undetermined.
As forthright as the headline made this decision seem, it was apparently a last-minute decision. The season approval came just a day before the cast options were set to expire, and this was after they secured a weeklong extension to make the decision. Deadline reported on these developments. Although Ballers was renewed weeks earlier, the football comedy also earned 8.9 million viewers across its multiple platforms, making it the most-watched HBO comedy premiere since 2009 and easily one of their most watched freshmen programs.
The Brink, meanwhile, didn't quite get those numbers when it premiered to 1.60 million viewers immediately after. Even though reviews remained mixed, however, ratings were fairly consistent. It even had a small uptick during this Sunday's episode, which made have let to HBO's decision.
Created by Roberto & Kim Benabib, the political series came across as something of a modern-day Dr. Strangelove, focused on three different government and military figures, U.S. Secretary of State Walter Larson (Tim Robbins), C.I.A. low-level Alex Tablot (Jack Black) and Navy fighter pilot Zeke Tilson (Pablo Schrieber), as World War III is on the rise. Maribeth Monroe, Carla Gugino, Aasif Mandvi, Geoff Pierson, Jaimie Alexander and Eric Ladin all co-starred.
This announcement comes two weeks following the passing of executive producer Jerry Weintraub. His passion for the show made The Brink come together from its first teleplay to full-season approval in four-to-five months time, earlier than most shows go up the pipeline. Black and Robbins also produced the show, as did Jay Roach, who directed the pilot.
Although a weird question to ask a month-or-so ago, is it possible for True Detective not to get a third season? Ratings have dipped with each passing episode, with the premiere pulling in 3.17 million viewers and this Sunday's episode getting 2.42 watchers, all while three more episodes are left to air. Their numbers determine where things go, unless contracts are also coming to a close soon. Time will tell, but in their own words, it'll probably get the world it deserves.
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