Ladies and gentleman, The Brink. Starring Jack Black as buffoonish USAID official Alex Talbot, Assif Mandvi as his Pakistani friend/driver Rafiq Massoud and Tim Robbins as the skirt-chasing Secretary of State.
The first season is set in Pakistan, where a major political crisis is underway following a coup. So far the show seems to be aiming for a cross between Madame Secretary, Doctor Strangelove and Animal House.
Now, to be clear...USAID officials don't work for the State Department. USAID is an independent agency with a foreign policy directive that serves under the Secretary of State. Confusing?
The American ambassador to Pakistan (John Larquette) frequently mentions how much he'd like to fire Talbot - something ambassadors don't have the authority to do. Hiring and dismissal are both strictly controlled processes.
So far it's a bit uneven. The mix of low comedy (sex jokes, pee jokes etc.) and high political drama don't always jibe convincingly.
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