These 30 Shows Make Your Peacock Subscription Worth Every Penny
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NBCUniversal's streaming platform came in late into the game, around 2020 in the midst of the pandemic. Knowing most people already paid for Netflix, Prime Video, and potentially more services, Peacock launched with a free tier with ads, enticing anyone who may have grown tired of forking over their wallet to endlessly scroll through another TV and movie catalogue. In addition, Peacock also boasted all the best parts of NBC, including live viewing of the Olympics and Sunday Night Football (for those on the paid subscription tier), every Saturday Night Live episode, and of course, The Office. Despite its late entrance to what many call "the streaming wars," Peacock has a fighting chance.
The streaming landscape is getting crowded, so it's tough to stand out. Luckily, NBCUniversal's multiple properties give the service a wide range of content, from murder mysteries to reality television. Popular channels such as Bravo and USA also fall under NBC's umbrella. And that's not to mention Peacock's growing original content, which is impressive in its own right. Natasha Lyonne stars in the Peacock original show Poker Face, which exploded in popularity in its first season and garnered a second season before the first even finished airing.
Here are some of the most notable shows Peacock has to offer, from classics to recent hits. Whether you want to binge your favorite show again, or find something entirely new, we've got a list to ensure you won't be overwhelmed by the streaming platform.
The Office
It wouldn't be a list of Peacock shows without the one and only The Office. The U.S spin-off of a short-lived British counterpart has become one of NBC's classic comedies and launched the careers of various cast members, including John Krasinski, B.J. Novak, and Mindy Kaling.
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Mrs. Davis
Damon Lindelof, who's known for his work on Lost, The Leftovers, and Watchmen, is back with a new head-scratcher called Mrs. Davis. The show is zany yet poignant, as it follows a nun determined to destroy an AI that's taken over the world. Betty Gilpin (who shined in the Netflix show Glow) stars.
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Poker Face
Rian Johnson's Poker Face stars Natasha Lyonne as Charlie, a drifter with a gift (or arguably a curse) for knowing when others are lying. Unfortunately, murder seems to follow Charlie wherever she goes, and she can't help but search for the truth. Before the show's first season had even finished, it already cinched a second season renewal.
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A.P. Bio
Glenn Howerton of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia fame stars in this comedy about a substitute teacher who couldn't care less about teaching his students actual science. Instead, the class gets into all sorts of antics; imagine Eastbound and Down meets Abbott Elementary.
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Yellowstone
We at Men's Health are big fans of Yellowstone, so although it's not an NBC show, we have to include it on the list. The show streams on Peacock due to a 2020 streaming deal, which according to Deadline was made before the Viacom and CBS merger.
The show follows the Dutton family, who own the largest ranch in Montana, and their desperate attempts to keep their property in family hands.
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Bel-Air
Bel-Air takes the classic sitcom Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and turns it into a more serious drama. The premise is the same, following Will, a troubled Philadelphia kid who moves in with his well-to-do aunt and uncle and must find his way in high society. The tonal shift has proved a hit for Peacock.
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Law and Order Franchise
NBC's long-running crime and legal dramas are all available to watch on Peacock, including the popular Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. You can catch up on the various series, or just keep up with SVU. Episodes for the ongoing series air the day after the live premiere.
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The Real Housewives Franchise
In the world of reality TV, nothing beats The Real Housewives franchise. Set in various cities across the country, the show has made celebrities out of high-achieving women who all seem to hate each other but keep hanging out regardless. The shows are memeable messiness and are perfect for anyone who's chronically online. If you want to dip your toes into the Bravo multiverse, check out The Real Housewives of Miami, Beverly Hills, New York, or Atlanta.
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Vanderpump Rules
If you've heard the word "Scandoval" at all in the past few months, it's related to the now very public scandal ongoing in Vanderpump Rules. A Real Housewives spin-off, the show follows Lisa Vanderpump (of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills fame) and the staff of her various restaurants as they date one another, break up, and engage in all sorts of drama.
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Columbo
Peacock has a strong back catalog, including the classic murder mystery show Columbo. Peter Falk (you may know him in his later days as the grandfather in The Princess Bride) stars as Lt. Columbo, a detective who captures even the most formidable of suspects through his bumbling demeanor and endless poking and prodding into every case. Columbo episodes run a little over an hour and are perfect when you're looking for a cozy mystery. (Other mystery shows of the era, including The Rockford Files and Quantum Leap, also are available to stream on Peacock)
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Friday Night Lights
NBC's Friday Night Lights follows a small town's football team. Over the course of the show's five seasons, it won multiple Emmys and a Peabody Award, and launched the career of now-Academy Award-nominated actor Jesse Plemons.
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The Traitors
The Traitors is a U.S. version of a U.K. competition show where celebrities, along with regular people, engage in a series of challenges with a twist: a small group of the contestants are "traitors" tasked with eliminating the other contestants and avoiding detection. If they win, they take the prize money for themselves.
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Rutherford Falls
This short-lived sitcom starred Ed Helms (of The Office fame) as Nathan, a descendant of the founder of the small-town Rutherford Falls. When the mayor decides to move a statue of the founder, Nathan does what he can to keep it in its place. At the same time, Regean, a member of the town's (fictional) Indigenous community, seeks to preserve her people's culture and history. The show was praised for its depiction of Indigenous people, but didn't secure a Season 2.
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Girls5eva
This comedy started at Peacock, then Netflix picked it up for it's third season. Busy Philips, Sara Bareilles, Paula Pell, and Renée Elise Goldsberry star as a one-hit wonder girl group who decide to reunite and revive their musical careers.
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Saturday Night Live
NBC's long-running late-night comedy sketch show is now available to watch in its entirety (and even live) on Peacock. Whether you believe the show's comedic heyday was decades ago or the best is yet to come, you can watch SNL's entire catalog on NBC's flagship streaming platform.
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A Friend of the Family
Based on a true story, A Friend of the Family follows a family with a young girl, who is kidnapped not once, but twice by (you guessed it!) a friend of the family. The show offers a chilling reenactment of a true crime event and stars Jake Lacy of The White Lotus fame.
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The Blacklist
NBC's long-running show stars James Spader as Red, an ex-Naval Intelligence Officer turned criminal who turns himself into the FBI to help them catch some of the world's deadliest criminals. In exchange, he wants full immunity from his crimes and he only wants to work with a particular FBI agent... who has no idea why he's interested in her. The show is currently in its tenth and final season.
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That '70s Show
This classic sitcom follows teen Eric Forman and his friends as they get into all sorts of trouble, hang out in his parents' basement, and try their best not to annoy his parents.
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Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense, created, produced, and hosted this anthology series featuring various thrillers, mysteries, and dramas. The show had notable directors and actors throughout its 10 season run, including Peter Falk, Clint Eastwood, Robert Altman, and Burt Reynolds.
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Everybody Hates Chris
Today, you know Tyler James Williams from Abbott Elementary, but the actor gained fame for playing a fictionalized version of Chris Rock on Everybody Hates Chris. The show follows Chris' teenage years, along with the lives of his older brother, young sister, mother and father.
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Sanford & Son
One of the most famous African-American sitcoms of all time, Sanford & Son follows Fred and Lamont Sanford, a father and son who run a junkyard and are constantly looking for get-rich-quick schemes to pay off their debt.
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Superstore
America Ferrera and Ben Feldman star in Superstore, a workplace sitcom following the employees of the fictional big-box store Cloud 9. While running the store, the staff simultaneously manage their personal and romantic lives.
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30 Rock
Tina Fey stars alongside Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, Jane Krakowski and others in this fictional take on the staff of an NBC comedy show. The show ran for seven seasons, and is often considered one of the network's classic comedies along with The Office.
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Parks and Recreation
Produced by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, who also produced The Office, Parks and Recreation is often considered a sister-sitcom to the famed mockumentary show. Also shot in mockumentary style, Parks and Recreation stars Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope, a dedicated Parks employee in the town of Pawnee, Indiana. The show provided breakout roles for its impressive cast, including Nick Offerman, Aziz Ansari, Aubrey Plaza, and Chris Pratt.
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House
Hugh Laurie stars as the grouchy but brilliant doctor who leads a team of doctors despite his dependence on pain medication. The show received critical acclaim during its eight season run and boosted the careers of Omar Epps and Olivia Wilde, who both starred as doctors on the show.
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Monk
When a car bomb kills his wife, police detective Adrian Monk quits the force and is too traumatized to return to work. But years later, with the help of his nurse, he manages to reemerge from his home and begins to take on cases as a consultant for the police and a private detective.
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Psych
This comical take on the police procedural follows Shawn Spencer, who decides instead of joining the police force, he'll pretend to be a psychic and aid the police in solving cases. The series ran for eight seasons and after its original run, featured three made-for-TV films.
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Parenthood
Loosely based on a 1981 film of the same name, this TV adaptation follows three generations of the Braverman family as they tackle various obstacles in their personal and professional lives. The show went on for six seasons.
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We Are Lady Parts
This British sitcom follows a punk band called We Are Lady Parts, consisting entirely of Muslim women. The show has critical acclaim and is one of Peacock's hidden gems amidst its catalogue.
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Chucky
Chucky is both a sequel series and reinvention of the possessed doll and serial killer. Here, he is found by a young boy in a small town, who becomes enmeshed in Chucky's crimes when he discovers the doll's sinister traits.
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