Peacock Has Landed

On Wednesday, July 15, Peacock made it's debut. The new streaming service is the latest to enter the streaming wars, and probably the last of the big ones for a bit. It didn't come with tons of fanfare, and it doesn't seem to have a great signature piece of content. But it does have a potential library, and there are ways to get it free which is... something.

At launch, it came with one original scripted show in "Brave New World" and the film "Psych 2: Lassie Come Home." It also filled out some offerings with foreign shows making their U.S. debut like "Intelligence" with David Schwimmer. If you read my TV and film reviews for the week, you'd know that none of them was a real stand out.

Also part of the launch was a reunion for "30 Rock," one of NBC's most beloved sitcoms. The special was supposed to air on the network and then appear on Peacock. The thing is, as it was viewed by many affiliates as an enticement to give up TV and move to streaming, it didn't make it on the air. That was the case where I live in Colorado Springs, so I caught it on Peacock instead.

I have to say, it wasn't worth the wait. I still love the characters and writing style, and it was at times interesting to see how they made an original production while working remotely. But this didn't feel like a great contribution to the show's legacy, or something that needed to be seen. Much like everything on Peacock so far, it was underwhelming.

Streaming platforms can take a while to get off the ground. HBO Max hasn't delivered a bonafide hit, either, while Disney+ is coasting mostly on its library and the success of "The Mandalorian," which last aired in December. But to this point, Peacock has plenty of work to do if it wants to make a splash and, eventually, compete for streaming dollars.