NBCUniversal Sets a Name and Content Slate for Its Upcoming Streaming Service

NBCUniversal has finally settled on a name for its upcoming streaming service—and there’s not a “plus” or a “max” to be found in the title. The new OTT offering, called Peacock, will including a mix of library titles like The Office and Parks and Recreation, along with several new shows, including reboots of Saved By the Bell, Punky Brewster and Battlestar Galactica. When the service, which will be both ad- and subscription-supported, debuts in April, it will feature more than 15,000 hours of content. NBCUniversal said the name Peacock is a nod to NBC’s iconic logo, which features the bird. “The name Peacock pays homage to the quality content that audiences have come to expect from NBCUniversal—whether it’s culture-defining dramas from innovative creators like Sam Esmail, laugh-out-loud comedies from legends like Lorne Michaels and Mike Schur, blockbusters from Universal Pictures, or buzzy unscripted programming from the people who do it best at Bravo and E!” said Bonnie Hammer, chairman of direct-to-consumer and digital enterprises. “Peacock will be the go-to place for both the timely and timeless—from can’t-miss Olympic moments and the 2020 election to classic fan favorites like The Office.” Today’s news did not include any pricing information for Peacock, which the company said will be announced closer to launch. But NBCUniversal previously said that the service, at least in the ad-supported iteration, will be free to Comcast cable subscribers. Peacock’s original slate will include drama Dr. Death, based on the true-crime podcast and starring Alec Baldwin, Christian Slater and Jamie Dornan; a Battlestar Galactica reboot from Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail; Brave New World, based on the Aldous Huxley novel and starring Alden Ehrenreich and Demi Moore; Angelyne, from Emmy Rossum; and One of Us Is Lying, based on the bestselling young-adult mystery novel. On the comedy side, Ed Helms will star in Rutherford Falls, which he co-created along Mike Schur and Sierra Teller Ornelas; reboots of Saved By the Bell (which will feature original cast members Elizabeth Berkley and Mario Lopez) and Punky Brewster (starring Soleil Moon Frye as a grown-up version of the character); as well as a third season of A.P. Bio, which NBC canceled after last season. The unscripted slate will include a Saturday Night Live docuseries called Who Wrote That, a weekly late night show starring Amber Ruffin, a Real Housewives spinoff and an original talk show series from Jimmy Fallon. The series will also boast a strong library slate, including exclusive streaming rights to The Office and Parks and Recreation (both of which currently stream on Netflix), as well as shows like 30 Rock, Battlestar Galactica, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Fraiser, Friday Night Lights, Parenthood, Saturday Night Live, Superstore, The Real Housewives and Will & Grace. It’s still undetermined whether Peacock or HBO Max—WarnerMedia’s upcoming streaming service, also set to debut next year—will roll out first, but as the streaming space gets even more crowded with the addition of Disney+ and Apple TV+ next month, the two late-arriving OTT offerings will face an uphill battle as it tries to fight the other established streaming services for consumer attention.

Streaming & OTT

NBCUniversal Sets a Name and Content Slate for Its Upcoming Streaming Service

Peacock will include reboots of Battlestar Galactica, Saved By the Bell and Punky Brewster

Jason Lynch

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Jason Lynch