Peacock is going to be one of the biggest new streaming services of 2020, and it launches for everyone in the US this week on 15 July. Far beyond the NBC app found on smartphones and tablets now, Peacock will offer video on demand in the same vein as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, but with a focus on content from NBC.
The big difference, though, is that Peacock has a free tier featuring over 7,500 hours of content, alongside more traditional paid tiers that unlock a lot more to watch.
What else, exactly, does NBC have to offer that Netflix doesn’t? When it launches on Wednesday, July 15, Peacock will include talk shows like The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers that will debut up to three hours earlier on Peacock than on cable TV, plus beloved shows like Yellowstone and 30 Rock. That's alongside a suite of original shows like Brave New World. In the future, Peacock is bringing viewers reboots of BSG, Saved by the Bell and Punky Brewster, too.
And in 2021, things really get interesting when The Office leaves Netflix after years and arrives exclusively on Peacock, which is a huge win for the platform.
NBC Peacock: key info
What is it? NBC's new streaming service, which will feature many of its classic sitcoms as well as movies, TV dramas and original content.
When does it release? July 15, 2020.
How much does it cost? Free (ad-supported), $4.99 (ad-supported) or $9.99, with additional programming on the paid tiers.
Will it launch outside the US? There are no announced plans for an international launch right now.
How much of this content you can actually stream on Peacock, however, will be determined by how much you’re willing to pay and if you’re willing to watch content with ads or opt for an ad-free experience. To that end, expect three tiers of pricing (free, $4.99 and $9.99 per month) that we’ll explain in more detail below.
Can NBC’s catalogue of shows stand up to streaming behemoths like Netflix, Hulu and streaming newcomer Disney Plus? Here’s everything we know about Peacock TV so far, including its cost, supported devices, exclusive shows and more.
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Peacock TV release date
Peacock will be available nationally starting on Wednesday, July 15. However, if you’re a Comcast Xfinity X1 or a Comcast Flex subscriber, you've been able to enjoy a preview of the service since Wednesday, April 15.
Peacock TV price: free and paid tiers explained
Before we get to each pricing tier, there's a way of pre-ordering for a year of Peacock to save money, as we saw with Disney Plus. Bulk-buying the ad-supported version will cost $29.99 for one year until July 14, and $79.99 without ads. You can sign up here.
Besides that, NBC is releasing Peacock with three pricing tiers - here's the monthly cost for each, and what each gets you:
- Peacock Free: The free service, will have a limited content library (read: only an episode or two of each new series) and a fraction of the content available on the higher tiers. It will also have ads that play while watching content. In total, NBC says there will be around 7,500 hours of content on Free at launch. Debut shows will get their new episodes a day after the other tiers.
- Peacock Premium with ads ($4.99): Peacock Premium is the $5-per-month plan that unlocks pretty much everything in the catalog but still comes with ads, but they're limited to five minutes per hour of streaming. In total, NBC says there will be close to 15,000 hours of content to watch on Premium at launch. Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Tonight Show can be watched a few hours early. Android and Android TV users will get complementary access to Premium until October 15, 2020.
- Peacock Premium without ads ($9.99): If you want to upgrade to ad-free, that’s what will cost you $9.99 per month, unless you're an Xfinity subscriber, at which point you’ll only be charged $4.99 per month for the premium, ad-free service.
Peacock TV free trial: will there be one?
We expect the Premium tier will have a free trial from launch. As mentioned, too, Android and Android TV users will have complementary access to the Premium tier until October 15, 2020.
Peacock TV devices: Roku or Fire TV users will miss out
These are the supported devices we know about for Peacock:
- iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD
- Android, including Android TV and Chromecast
- Xbox One S and Xbox One X
- Vizio Smartcast
- LG Smart TVs
- Xfinity Flex 4K
While it's in beta, only Xfinity Flex subscribers will be able to view the service using an Xfinity Flex 4K streaming device. (To see if you're eligible for Xfinity Flex, head over to Xfinity's website.) The beta started on April 15, 2020.
We're hazy on exactly which devices will support Peacock at launch, and there's no FAQ on the website that breaks down which devices are certain to get it at launch. However, Roku and Fire TV device owners sound like they're going to miss out at launch, according to this NBC News story from this month. This was a problem with HBO Max's launch, too.
Some specifics on supported devices for Peacock have been revealed, though, including iOS and Android mobile apps, Apple TV boxes, and support for game consoles like Xbox One and Xbox One S. You can also expect to view Peacock content on Vizio SmartCast TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Chromecast dongles.
Peacock TV shows and movies: originals available at launch
In a crowded streaming market, new platforms need to start with a bang. Peacock's launch lineup includes the extremely promising Brave New World, based on the seminal sci-fi novel by Aldous Huxley, so this looks a solid start. Here are the exclusive shows to come to Peacock at launch:
- Brave New World: Based on Aldous Huxley's classic sci-fi novel, starring Demi Moore and Alden Ehrenreich.
- The Capture: Featuring Laura Haddock (White Lines), this UK detective drama follows a soldier accused of a crime, which descends into a complex conspiracy.
- Curious George: An animated series inspired by the classic children's books.
- Where's Waldo: An animated caper based on the classic picture books.
- Psych 2: Lassie Come Home: TV movie sequel about a man pretending to be psychic to solve crimes.
- Intelligence: Comedy with David Schwimmer as the US liaison to a UK cyber crimes unit.
- Cleopatra in Space: Based on a graphic novel series, an animated series based on the untold stories of an Egyptian legend.
- In Deep with Ryan Lochte: Reality series documenting the swimmer's efforts to rejoin the Olympic team.
- Lost Speedways with Dale Earnhardt Jr.: An examination of the left-behind speedways of racing history with the ex-Nascar driver.
Brave New World, The Capture, Intelligence and Lost Speedways will debut all their episodes at launch.
Peacock TV: older shows coming to the platform, future originals and sports content
NBC has announced a number of older shows for the service - things like The Office, Parks and Rec and others that at one point were on Netflix but have since been taken off in preparation for Peacock - plus reboots and entirely new shows. Yellowstone, one of the most popular cable series in the US from Sicario screenwriter Taylor Sheridan, is a great get for this service.
Expect a staggered release for older shows which are currently on other streaming services. The Office, for example, is still on Netflix US until January 2021. Parks and Rec was supposed to join Peacock in October 2020 according to reports, but given that it's on the service's website, we'd expect to see this at launch.
There will also be over 3,000 hours of Spanish-language TV from Telemundo, including 100 Dias Para Volver, Betty in NY, El Barón, and Preso No. 1.
To make things easy, here's a complete list of returning shows divided into those categories, but it's
Complete series coming to Peacock from launch and beyond:
30 Rock, Bates Motel, Battlestar Galactica, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Cheers, Chrisley Knows Best, Covert Affairs, Downton Abbey, Everybody Loves Raymond, Frasier, Friday Night Lights, House, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, King of Queens, Married… With Children, Monk, The Office, Parenthood, Parks and Recreation, Psych, Royal Pains, Saturday Night Live, Superstore, The Real Housewives, Top Chef and Will & Grace.
Plus Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Chicago Med, Yellowstone, Murder She Wrote, Xena: Warrior Princess, Two and a Half Men and The George Lopez Show.
Upcoming new shows and reboots on Peacock:
Dr. Death, Battlestar Galactica reboot, Angelyne, One of Us Is Lying, Rutherford Falls, Straight Talk, Saved By the Bell, Punky Brewster, Armas de Mujer, AP Bio, Hitmen, Hart to Hart, Girls5Eva, Code 404, Lady Parts.
Live TV events:
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers (on at an earlier time), NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, Premier League matches, the Ryder Cup and the Olympics.
Movies on Peacock:
American Pie, Bridesmaids, Knocked Up, Meet the Parents, Meet the Fockers, A Beautiful Mind, Back to the Future, Brokeback Mountain, Casino, Dallas Buyers Club, Do the Right Thing, Erin Brockovich, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, Field of Dreams, Jaws, Mamma Mia!, Shrek, and The Breakfast Club, plus films from the Bourne, Despicable Me and Fast & Furious franchises.
Why Peacock TV's late night content is significant
Longstanding talk shows The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers will appear on Peacock hours before their scheduled times on NBC. The Tonight Show will be available at 8pm ET on each day it airs, while Late Night will follow at 9PM ET.
This is a big deal in the sense that it further erodes the barriers between broadcast TV and streaming services. Late night shows are commonly consumed via YouTube clips these days – it's unclear what effect Peacock's launch will have on each show in the long term, but more choice for viewers doesn't seem like it can be a bad thing.
Peacock TV: sports content explained
Sports are a clear focus of the Peacock offering. The Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics are both coming to Peacock just after launch, with a dedicated 24/7 Olympic Channel covering everything in the run up to the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Over 175 Premier League matches will also be shown on Peacock starting in August, including over 140 matches that won't otherwise be on US TV. In September, the Ryder Cup will kick off, too, if you're a big golf fan.
Expect sports-based unscripted originals, too, like NBA collaboration Dream Team 2020, which focuses on the USA's basketball team in the run-up to The Olympics, as well as swimming show The Greatest Race, and an as-yet-unnamed show about car racing.
Can Peacock take on Netflix and everything else?
Peacock's free tier gives it a massive advantage in grabbing attention, given how overcrowded the streaming market has gotten in the past few years. It'll be interesting to see how this free offering develops over time compared to its premium tiers.
What we're expecting, based off what we know, is a service that's somewhere between Hulu and Disney Plus - there will be a decent sized catalog of shows like Disney, but with an update schedule similar to Hulu that adds new episodes, show series, and movies regularly.
That's also the way Peacock is priced, so we're crossing our fingers that's how the service turns out. In a world with HBO Max and more and more Netflix originals every week, Peacock will definitely have a fight on its hands to stand out.
But there are worse things to have in your back pocket than the complete run of The Office...
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