First teaser for HBO's 'The Brink' offers satire for Pakistan

The first teaser for HBO’s summer political satire ‘The Brink’ was released on April 10, promising viewers in Pakistan something to look forward to as well.

The show set to premiere on June 21, stars Jack Black, Tim Robbins, Aasif Mandvi and Pablo Schreiber as part of an ensemble caught up in geopolitical turmoil on a global scale.

The Brink follows the US government as it deals with a possible coup in Pakistan by dispatching such unlikely heroes as a crass foreign service officer (Jack Black) and a secretary of state (Tim Robbins) who has to take time out of his adventurous sex life to help save the world.

According to the Indiewire, the show employed Urdu and Pashto linguistic consultants to ensure their portrayal of Pakistan, especially, add realism to it -- saving the satire for the broader political figures, while Rafiq (Mandvi)'s family, trapped in the middle of the ensuing conflict, was portrayed more sensitively.

Mandvi, who co-stars in the show, was also a part of the writing staff. "Aasif was in the room from day one," the show’s creator Kim Benabib said, offering up both an acting perspective as well as perspective on Pakistan, an area of the world Mandvi knows very well.

A Deadline Hollywood article in early January said: After the Pakistan embassy’s press attaché slammed how his country was portrayed in Showtime’s Homeland, critics questioned The Brink creators and cast about whether their series would also offend the country, which features in certain scenes.

Playfully evading the question, The Brink Executive Producer Jerry Weintraub quipped, “Offend who? Showtime?”

Jack Black, who apparently hadn’t heard the latest headlines about Homeland and Pakistan, asked the reporters: “Are you sure Pakistan was offended by Homeland? I think there’s a little gossip going on back there with you reporters.”

EP Roberto Benabib then assured the room, “We took great pains to make sure our portrayal of Pakistan was accurate. We saved the satire for our war-hungry generals, but the Pakistani people who are caught in the middle of the global crisis are portrayed very sympathetically.”

GrayScale, a Pakistani television and film production company wrote on their Facebook page that they worked on the series for HBO, specifically stock shots, driving plates, covering protests and photography for their backdrops.

“GrayScale is proud to have been a part of HBO's upcoming Series The Brink, having been commissioned as local Producers for the show,” said a message on their website.