2026’s Highest-Rated Sitcom Is Officially Returning to NBC in Less Than 2 Months
Amanda M. Castro is a Network TV writer at Collider and a New York–based journalist whose work has appeared in Newsweek, where she is an Associate Editor, and The U.S. Sun, where she previously served as a Senior Consumer Reporter.
She specializes in network television coverage, delivering sharp, thoughtful analysis of long-running procedural hits and ambitious new dramas across broadcast TV. At Collider, Amanda explores character arcs, storytelling trends, and the cultural impact of network series that keep audiences tuning in week after week.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Amanda is bilingual and holds a degree in Communication, Film, and Media Studies from the University of New Haven.
At one point, NBC seemed to have lost its magic in sitcoms. The company that brought you The Office, Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock, and The Good Place spent years trying to find another comedy to fill that corner of the television landscape. Then Tracy Morgan showed up with a documentary crew, a gambling scandal, and a huge collection of memorabilia depicting his life; he didn't leave the network for other options.
The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins premiered in January 2026 and quickly became one of the year's best sitcoms. Created by Robert Carlock and Sam Means, the sitcom follows Reggie Dinkins (Morgan), a successful New York Jets player who lost everything because of a gambling scandal. Years later, he tries to restore his reputation and hopes to win back the good graces of fans, his family, and, if possible, the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Meanwhile, Arthur Tobin (Daniel Radcliffe), a disgraced documentary filmmaker, films that comeback attempt because he needs a career resurrection of his own. Reggie wants a flattering portrait that will restore his image, and at least initially, Arthur wants to make something more honest. Naturally, putting those two men in the same room is less a recipe for a thoughtful documentary than a recipe for disaster.
What Is ‘The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins’ About?
The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins is primarily a sports comedy that masquerades as a mockumentary, following a man who desperately tries to control his own story. Reggie contacts Arthur and has him make a documentary about his life and career, hoping the outcome will convince people he deserves a chance at a comeback.
The irony is that Reggie isn't very interested in being objectively documented. He wants six episodes of hero worship, preferably with flattering angles and very little discussion of the whole gambling scandal that ended his NFL career. Arthur, meanwhile, is supposed to be the impartial filmmaker, but his own career implosion leaves him with plenty of baggage.
The documentary setup also gives the sitcom a useful excuse to let its characters behave as though they have known one another forever. Erika Alexander plays Monica, Reggie’s ex-wife and business manager, who is arguably more invested in rebuilding his career than he is. Bobby Moynihan plays Rusty, Reggie’s former teammate and best friend, while Precious Way plays Brina, Reggie’s fiancée. Jalyn Hall rounds out the central family dynamic as Carmelo, Reggie and Monica’s teenage son.
Morgan has spent decades proving that he can be one of television’s most unpredictable comic performers. He got Tracy Jordan from 30 Rock, a more ludicrous, exaggerated version of his own tumultuous image, but Reggie Dinkins is another character who can be fun, vain, and totally lovable at the same time.
Carlock, the creator of 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, seems to know how to build a comedy around Morgan without creating Tracy Jordan, and unlike him, Reggie isn't cartoonish. He made a big mistake that cost him everything, and now he has no idea how to live with what is left of him. Beneath the jokes about athletes, documentary filmmaking, celebrity culture, and Reggie’s enormous ego is a story about second chances. Everyone in the show is trying to recover something they lost, whether that is a career, a relationship, public respect or simply a sense of direction.
As for Radcliffe, he might be the show’s secret weapon. Arthur is neurotic, pretentious, and increasingly unable to remain an impartial observer of the Dinkins family. Radcliffe plays that discomfort beautifully, giving the mockumentary format a twist: The person holding the camera is just as much a mess as the people in front of it.
Reggie Dinkins Was a Critical and Ratings Touchdown
The gamble on Reggie Dinkins paid off quickly. Its January premiere aired immediately after NBC’s NFL divisional playoff coverage and drew 5.8 million viewers, with a 1.4 rating among adults 18-49. It became the most-watched comedy episode of the 2025-26 broadcast season at the time and NBC’s biggest comedy debut in three years.
The series also found strong support from critics. At present, The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins has a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 38 reviews. With a Metacritic score of 76, it has received favorable reviews. The first season drew over 14 million viewers across all platforms and became the highest-rated rookie comedy show among people aged 18–49 for the broadcast year.
NBC renewed The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins for a second season in May, and the new episodes are scheduled to premiere on November 2, 2026. Season 2 will pick up after the first season’s revelation that Carmelo is secretly dating the daughter of Reggie’s football nemesis, Jerry Basmati (Craig Robinson), which is likely to create a fresh headache for Reggie, especially given how much energy he's already spent trying to repair his relationship with Jerry.
The larger story, however, remains redemption. Carlock and Means have indicated that Season 2 will continue exploring that theme across the entire ensemble rather than treating Reggie as the only character in need of a second chance. Reggie’s Hall of Fame ambitions aren’t disappearing either, meaning his comeback remains very much a work in progress.
There is also the matter of Arthur’s documentary. After an entire first season of trying to make the film, he still hasn’t managed to get it made. Season 2 will continue playing with that increasingly absurd premise, with the writers even discussing a Thanksgiving episode now that the series is returning in the fall.
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