Pete Davidson Comedy Lands at Peacock With Straight-to-Series Order
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Peacock has landed Pete Davidson’s semi-autobiographical comedy series, Bupkis.
After being taken out to streamers last month, the live-action scripted series starring the Saturday Night Live favorite drew interest from multiple outlets before ultimately landing at the NBCUniversal-backed streamer with a straight-to-series order.
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Bupkis is described as a “heightened, fictionalized version of Pete Davidson’s real life.” The streamer says the series “will combine grounded storytelling with absurd elements from the unfiltered and completely original worldview for which Pete is well known.”
The comedy hails from Lorne Michaels’ Broadway Video and Universal Television, where the SNL mastermind has been based for decades. Davidson will write alongside frequent collaborators Dave Sirus and Judah Miller. The trio exec produce alongside Michaels, Broadway Video’s Andrew Singer and Erin David.
“Pete Davidson is one of the most sought-after comedians today with his smart, one-of-a-kind humor and honest point of view,” said Susan Rovner, chairman of entertainment content at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “Bupkis will showcase Pete’s funny, surprising and unfiltered brand of comedy audiences have come to love as we continue to bolster our Peacock comedy slate. We can’t wait to dive in with Lorne Michaels, Broadway Video and our partners at Universal Television.”
The series extends Davidson’s relationship with NBCUniversal after having spent the past eight seasons on NBC’s Saturday Night Live and, most recently, hosting the network and streamer’s New Year’s Eve party alongside Miley Cyrus.
Bupkis also becomes the latest series fronted by a SNL star that Michaels exec produces as, rather than losing talent, the star-maker has allowed for greater scheduling flexibility to accommodate his popular cast’s increasing demand. Michaels previously teamed with Aidy Bryant for Hulu’s Shrill and currently is behind NBC’s Kenan (starring SNL’s longest-tenured cast member, Kenan Thompson), Apple’s Schmigadoon (with Cecily Tyson) and Bust Down (featuring Chris Redd), among others.
Davidson rocketed to fame on SNL, where he previously ranked as the show’s youngest-ever cast member. He has collaborated with Sirus for multiple sketches and the duo co-wrote Universal Pictures’ The King of Staten Island (alongside Judd Apatow). Miller exec produced the 2020 dramedy that, like Bupkis, starred Davidson and was inspired by his life.
For Peacock, Bupkis joins a comedy slate that also includes Girls5eva, Bust Down, MacGruber, Rutherford Falls, We Are Lady Parts and the upcoming Ted prequel, among others. The streamer has struggled to launch a big, broad hit the way their rivals have done with the likes of Ted Lasso. The Davidson comedy is bound to be a popular subject of conversation and could ultimately help Peacock become a must-have subscription. Peacock houses the entire SNL library, making Bupkis a natural extension for the platform.
Davidson is repped by ICM Partners and Granderson Des Rochers.
A premiere timeline has not yet been determined.
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