Peacock, NBCUniversal's Streaming Service, Will Feature 'Battlestar Galactica' Reboot & 'Parks & Rec' Reruns

By Kayleigh Donaldson | TV | September 17, 2019 |

By Kayleigh Donaldson | TV | September 17, 2019 |

NBCUniversal is getting ready to jump head-first into the increasingly crowded world of streaming services, but they seem to have a few aces up their sleeve that the competition lack. The service, which Variety reports will be named Peacock, will open for business as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics kick-off. They plan to build off their extensive back-catalog of content too, which will notably include the streaming-exclusive rights to the NBC show The Office. Given how Nielsen numbers revealed Hulu and Netflix were mostly used by consumers to watch old stuff rather than original content, this could be a major selling-point for Peacock since apparently young people love The Office.

Another popular show joining those ranks is Parks and Recreation, which will jump ship from Netflix to Peacock. It’s another sitcom that’s beloved by key audiences and makes for easy binge-watches, and that’s always a strong foundation to build your streaming service on. A.P. Bio, the comedy series NBC canceled after two seasons, will continue as a Peacock exclusive into season three. The service will also be home to the new Psych movie.

In terms of original content, there is an interesting mix of the expected reboots and fresh new comedies and dramas to keep folks hooked. Punky Brewster will get a Fuller House-style reboot with Soliel Moon Frye reprising her role as a grown-up Punky raising her own kids. Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail is rebooting Battlestar Galactica, while Elizabeth Berkley and Mario Lopez will return to the world of Saved By the Bell, which is receiving a revival thanks to 30 Rock writer and Great News creator Tracey Wigfield.

The New York Times best-selling novel One of Us is Lying has been picked up for a pilot, while Alden ‘shut up he was great as Han Solo’ Ehrenreich will headline an adaptation of the iconic dystopian novel Brave New World. Fans of the true-crime podcast Dr. Death will be excited to see the small-screen adaptation starring Jamie Dornan in the lead, and Emmy Rossum will team up with her husband Sam Esmail for a limited drama series based on the life of the enigmatic L.A. legend Angelyne.

Do any of these entice you to try out Peacock?