Erica Alexander’s “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins” is likely to win an Emmy Award.
Variety has learned that veteran comedian Tracy Morgan, who plays the title character – a former football star trying to get his life back on track – will be the only nominee in the lead actor category. Alexander, who plays Monica, Reggie’s quick-witted and serious ex-wife and agent, will be submitted for the supporting role in the comedic actress race, greatly increasing her chances of winning the long-awaited Television Academy Award. His co-star Precious Way joins him in the same category, with Daniel Radcliffe, Jalyn Hall and Bobby Moynihan all up for Best Supporting Actor. Entries in additional categories will be announced at a later date.
NBC’s new mockumentary is making some serious Emmy noise so far. The series aired on NBC as a mid-season entry in January, and its 10-episode first season concluded on April 13, gaining a huge audience along the way and establishing itself as a dark horse recognized as a great comedy series. Think of this as NBC’s answer to “Abbott Elementary,” a comedy with heart and chaos and a cast that makes you laugh and root for them at the same time.
For Alexander, this is a long-awaited moment. She first became famous for playing Maxine Shaw on the popular sitcom Living Single. The role (and the show) shaped a generation of black television comedy. Despite the show’s popularity, she never won an Emmy. Since then, she has quietly built an impressive career across comedy and drama genres. Her recent work includes “American Fiction” (2023), which was nominated for Best Picture and won an Oscar, and Apple TV’s “Invasion,” where she was also nominated for Best Drama Actress.
In The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, Alexander mixes her signature sharp humor with heartbreaking depth, holding her own alongside a host of characters, especially the unpredictable Reggie. Her work has the perfect balance of comedy and heart, the kind that often attracts Emmy attention (think Julie Bowen on “Modern Family”).
Meanwhile, Morgan himself is no stranger to the Emmys, having been nominated twice for “30 Rock” supporting comedy actor in 2009 and “Saturday Night Live” host guest comedy actor in 2016. The rest of the cast has value and could become strong contenders in their own right if the show continues to gain momentum.
“The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins,” created by Robert Carlock and Sam Means, best known for “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” could be one of NBC’s standout comedies this year, with Erika Alexander finally getting her share of the spotlight and perhaps the show also making it into the top lineup.
