There are definitely too many streaming services. Thanks to the revolution that Netflix ushered in, every broadcast network and parent company decided that they had to get in on the streaming wars. Peacock TV is NBC Universal’s streaming service, and although it may not seem like the most attractive option, there are actually a number of great Peacock movies and shows available on the service that are hard to find anywhere else.
Some of those popular shows are Peacock streaming originals, although there are plenty that initially aired on NBC or elsewhere, and have wound their way to Peacock thanks in part to the complicated nature of TV rights. Regardless of where the best Peacock shows came from originally, though, all of the ones on this list are well worth checking out. Looking for more streaming options? We also have your guide to the best shows on Netflix, the best shows on Hulu, and the best shows on Paramount Plus.
Poker Face (2023)
1 Season
Genre
Mystery, Crime, Comedy, Drama
Cast
Natasha Lyonne
Created by
Rian Johnson
Rian Johnson’s mystery show is a throwback to old-fashioned procedurals in the best possible way. The show follows Charlie, a woman on the run who finds herself ensconced in various murder plots as she travels across the country. Charlie has one minor superpower: She can always tell when someone is lying. That power allows her to uncover a wide array of different crimes, and do it in a way that only Natasha Lyonne could. Thanks to sharp writing, a wide array of great guest actors, and a total embrace of the genre’s formulas, Poker Face is a rare treat that never feels like homework.
Girls5eva (2021)
2 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Sara Bareilles, Paula Pell, Renée Elise Goldsberry
Created by
Meredith Scardino
Girls5eva is one of just a few Peacock original series to make this list, and that’s because through its first few seasons, it proved to be one of the funniest sitcoms currently airing on TV. The show follows a one-hit-wonder girl group from the 1990s who reunite after their song is made popular again thanks to a rapper’s sample. The series sees them attempt to recapture the spotlight, but it’s a very effective joke machine. Each of the show’s central characters is finely drawn, and there’s enough great music on the show to completely justify the concept.
The Office (2005)
9 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer
Created by
Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Greg Daniels
Although it had plenty of fans while it was airing, The Office has only grown in popularity since it became available to stream on Netflix. Of course, now that it’s on Peacock, it’s no longer available on that other streaming service. It says something about Peacock’s strategy, though, that they wanted to lure subscribers over just by offering The Office. It’s also easy to see why the show has become so popular. Its cringe comedy has largely aged well, and it’s also a show about a found family of weirdos who all begrudgingly find themselves supporting one another just because they happen to work in the same office.
Superstore (2015)
6 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Ben Feldman, Lauren Ash, Colton Dunn
Created by
Justin Spitzer
Peacock is home to many of the shows that once aired on NBC, and in recent years, NBC has become the home for a number of outstanding comedies. Superstore may not have received the acclaim that greeted series like 30 Rock or The Office, but its version of the workplace sitcom was a natural evolution of those series. The show follows a found family of weird, hilarious employees at a suburban megastore, and for as funny as it often was, it also had an enormous heart. Superstore stayed sharp throughout its run, and it’s sure to be a great discovery for those looking for a great, under-the-radar sitcom.
30 Rock (2006)
7 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan
Created by
Tina Fey
If The Office represents the softer side of what NBC comedies could be, 30 Rock is the hard-edged, joke-dense counterpoint. The show, which follows Tina Fey as the fictional Liz Lemon, a writer on a Saturday Night Live-style sketch show, is hilarious and often quite cynical about the way the world works. Not every joke from the series lands perfectly, but 30 Rock is just one of the funniest shows that has ever aired on TV. Alec Baldwin redefined his entire career with his performance as Jack Donaghy, and Fey proved that she could be as funny in front of the camera as she was writing jokes behind the scenes.
Parks and Recreation (2009)
7 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Amy Poehler, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman
Created by
Greg Daniels, Michael Schur
Although it started as little more than a riff on The Office, Parks and Recreation evolved into a meditation on how to create a comedy where the characters are generally kind and loving toward one another. Although Ted Lasso gets a lot of credit for how much it puts kindness at the center of its story, Parks and Recreation operated in a very similar space. After a rough start, the show was consistently funny, and it packed together a cast of incredible comedians who have almost all gone on to incredible success in the years since the show ended.
Based on a True Story (2023)
1 Season
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Cast
Kaley Cuoco, Chris Messina, Tom Bateman
Created by
Craig Rosenberg
When a married couple gets entangled in the grasp of a supposed serial killer, they decide the best course of action is to start a true crime podcast and exploit their close proximity to the criminal. This is a fun and exciting new comedy thriller, and although it has not been as well-received as Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, it should satisfy fans of the genre.
Yellowstone (2018)
5 Seasons
Genre
Western, Drama
Cast
Kevin Costner, Kelly Reilly, Luke Grimes
Created by
John Linson, Taylor Sheridan
Although it’s often described as a show for middle America, Yellowstone is a great watch no matter where you live. The series follows the Dutton family, the owners of the biggest ranch in the entire United States. The plotting takes the shape of a fairly conventional soap opera, but that’s not meant as an insult. Some of the greatest TV shows of all time play out like soaps, and Yellowstone uses them as a playbook. There’s plenty of intrigue and family drama, but Yellowstone is always good enough to keep you coming back for more.
Mrs. Davis (2023)
1 Season
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Betty Gilpin, Jake McDorman, Andy McQueen
Created by
Damon Lindelof, Tara Hernandez
Perhaps the wildest show on Peacock, Mrs. Davis tells the story of a nun living in a world where an artificial intelligence (AI) has become incredibly influential in the lives of most people. When the nun, Simone, sets out to stop the AI, she winds up going on a series of wacky adventures that have to be seen to be believed. Anchoring the entire show is Betty Gilpin’s commanding central performances, as well as sharp writing that makes us buy into a premise that is absurd on its face. This show is silly and profound, and that’s why it’s great.
What shows are coming to Peacock in September?
September 22
- The Continental: From The World Of John Wick, Night 1
September 26
- The Irrational, Season 1 Premiere 22 (NBC)
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