Reggie Dinkins may be chasing a comeback, but getting his life back on track is proving to be anything but a solo mission.
NBC‘s The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins is back for Season 2, bringing Tracy Morgan‘s disgraced former football star and Daniel Radcliffe‘s relentlessly documenting filmmaker Arthur Tobin back into the spotlight. Still determined to reclaim his glory, Reggie is once again leaning on the people closest to him — including the very family that has witnessed his greatest triumphs, questionable decisions and everything in between. And if Season 1 proved anything, it’s that the Dinkins family rarely gets through a day without a little chaos.
The mockumentary-style comedy picks up with Reggie continuing to navigate life after his career-ending scandal, while Arthur remains committed to capturing every messy step of his redemption journey. But the road back to respectability isn’t exactly smooth. Between Reggie’s professional ambitions, Monica’s business savvy, Brina’s growing place in the family and Rusty’s own unpredictable antics, Season 2 promises more of the sharp ensemble humor and wonderfully absurd situations that made the series such a standout.
And then there’s Carmelo, played by 19-year-old actor Jalyn Hall.
The Season 1 finale left viewers with a major surprise when Reggie’s son revealed he was secretly dating Delilah Basmati (Arica Himmel) — the daughter of Reggie’s longtime rival, Jerry Basmati. It’s a classic Romeo-and-Juliet setup, except these star-crossed lovers are caught in the middle of a football feud that could make their relationship a whole lot messier.
For Hall, that reveal opens the door to a completely different side of the usually levelheaded teenager.
“We’re right on the heels of that Romeo and Juliet story,” Hall tells Celeb Secrets, teasing that Season 2 digs deeper into how the couple met, where things stand now and what happens when their romance begins affecting the entire family.
And while Carmelo has traditionally been the grounded one in the room, Hall says love is about to bring out some unexpected layers.
“I feel like you get to see a more grounded and personal side of Carmelo,” he explained. “But, like, when it’s kind of the invasion of his [personal life], you really get to see him behind the scenes. And now, like, maybe he’s a little bit more rebellious. Now maybe he’s a little bit more secretive.”
Of course, growing up in the Dinkins household means romance isn’t the only thing occupying Carmelo’s mind. With college applications on the horizon, the teenager is also beginning to figure out what his own future looks like outside of his father’s larger-than-life legacy.
For the All American alum, that journey comes down to confidence — and having the right people in his corner.
“I think it’s by being confident, making the steps,” he said. “And then he’s also very well-supported by his family. It really does take a village for him, and what a village he has.”
That family support becomes particularly meaningful as Carmelo continues to see Reggie not just as the football legend he once idolized, but as a very human father who’s made his fair share of mistakes.
“I think he has a very newfound understanding and love for the humanity of his father,” Hall shared. “We can kind of fantasize that our parents can do no wrong, right? But then get to seeing him make his mistakes, but then also how he came back from those mistakes and how he still strives to be better each and every day.”
That perspective, the actor says, gives Carmelo a renewed admiration for Reggie — even when his dad’s comeback journey makes things less than easy for the rest of the family.
And that’s part of what makes The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins work. Beneath the ridiculous situations and documentary-style chaos is a family trying to figure things out together — even when they’re not exactly going about it the right way.
For Jalyn, returning to the series has been nothing short of a playground, especially when it comes to the show’s mockumentary format and the freedom it gives its cast to experiment with comedy.
“Going into work has never felt more like butter,” he joked. “You get in front of the camera and you’re like, it’s just like a playground. It’s a sandbox where you can literally do no wrong, it feels like, and you have fun each and every day.”
That playful energy extends beyond the scripted moments, too. The Atlanta native revealed that some of the show’s funniest moments actually come from the cast themselves, with unexpected deliveries and unscripted reactions occasionally making their way into the final cut.
“Every take, every ending take, they give us something new,” he teased. “You might see some very outrageous outtakes or some deliveries that were not scripted that made the final cut — and you’ll probably see it switch quickly from my POV, because I bust out laughing.”
With Reggie still chasing redemption, Arthur documenting every twist and the Dinkins family facing a fresh round of personal complications, Season 2 is shaping up to be another unpredictable ride. Carmelo’s love life gets messier, his future takes shape, hinting that Carmelo might not be the family’s voice of reason for much longer.
For more on this exciting new season and what’s to come from Carmelo Dinkins, make sure to watch our full interview with Jalyn Hall below, and don’t forget to let us know if you’re loving the show by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our DMs on Instagram at @celebsecrets.
Season two of The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins premieres TONIGHT, Monday, November 2, at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on NBC, with new episodes airing weekly and streaming the following day on Peacock.
Interview quotes have been edited and condensed for clarity.
