NBC’s Peacock will be a gold mine for late night fans
By Matt Moore
NBC announced big plans for its Peacock streaming service that should get late night fans very excited.
With every new streaming service that gets released, television audiences are treated to more and more options on watching new hit series or classic favorites. However, late night fans have been feeling left out in the cold. But all that is about to change thanks to NBC’s Peacock.
Peacock was announced in Jan. 2019 as NBC’s answer to Netflix, Amazon, and Disney+. The streaming service will house several of NBC’s most coveted properties like The Office, 30 Rock, and Parks and Recreation, taking those titles away from competitors.
NBC provided another Peacock update yesterday, announcing that Xfinity cable customers would have access to the platform in April. In July Peacock will then be available to the rest of the country with a free version to go alongside two premium tiers.
And while all of this signaled good news for television audiences, it is late night fans who should be especially happy. New shows and exclusive access are just part of the reasons why Peacock should be on every late night fan’s radar. Here’s why.
Late night comes early
“Peacock Premium” as it will be called will give late night fans an early peek every night. Starting in July, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers will be available hours before airing on NBC.
Fans will be able to watch The Tonight Show starting at 8:00 PM ET and Late Night starting at 9:00 PM. That means no more staying up until 11:00 or risking the shows being pushed back because of a live event that runs long.
The option essentially gives fans the option of watching Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers in prime time, just hours after they finish taping each night. Peacock Premium subscribers will be ahead of the game when it comes to the next viral interview on The Tonight Show or another hilarious edition of “A Closer Look” on Late Night.
Brand new shows
The main selling point for any new streaming service is original content. Think The Mandalorian on Disney+ or Stranger Things on Netflix. There will be no shortage of new shows coming from Peacock. And once again, late night won’t be forgotten when it comes to brand new programming.
First up is The Amber Ruffin Show. Ruffin has been a writer for Late Night with Seth Meyers since 2014 and appeared in a number of sketches on the show. Her “Amber Says What” segments are among Late Night‘s most popular bits.
Now she’ll get the chance to run her own show on Peacock. Fans can expect more of Ruffin’s unique sense of humor and commentary on everything from politics to pop culture.
The Tonight Show is also helping launch a new late night show but with a twist. The Kids Tonight Show is billed as a “late night talk show for kids, by kids.” Jimmy Fallon will no doubt be involved in what should feature even more games along with interviews and monologues geared towards kids.
The spin could absolutely work out for NBC. There are already a number of YouTube channels and sketch shows aimed at younger audiences. Kids are already looking for Tonight Show clips featuring their favorite celebrities. Now there will be a comedy show made for and by kids that parents will know is appropriate.
Saturday Night Live
You can’t talk about comedy at NBC without talking Saturday Night Live. Peacock aims to solve some long-running problems SNL fans have had for years.
Peacock Free will offer a specific channel dedicated to vintage Saturday Night Live content. It will most likely be a select package of sketches built around a particular cast member, theme, or era. Before Peacock, SNL fans have had to rely on the show’s YouTube channel to find old school and classic clips.
At the Premium level, fans will have access to all 44 seasons of Saturday Night Live. That means everything from episode one hosted by George Carlin to the season 44 finale hosted by Paul Rudd. With each new season that ends, the collection will expand.
It’s unclear at the moment but it may not be a guarantee that fans see every episode as it aired. When Saturday Night Live was available on Netflix, the shows were edited. Musical performances were typically removed due to licensing agreements, some sketches were cut, and the rights to a number of seasons were retained by NBC.
Even if it’s not every single sketch from every single episode, the streaming service’s Saturday Night Live collection will be far superior to what’s available now. Peacock will be heralded as a hero by SNL fans. And speaking of heroes…
MacGruber is back! The MacGyver parody introduced by Will Forte in a recurring sketch and a 2010 movie will turn into a television series. While MacGruber may have been a box office bomb that couldn’t be detonated, it still has found an adoring audience and calls for a sequel soon followed.
Early last year, Forte stated in an IndieWire interview that he was out pitching a MacGruber television series. It clearly worked as MacGruber will be among Peacock’s original programming. Don’t be surprised if Forte calls in some of his Saturday Night Live friends like Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, or Jorma Taccone to help.
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Are you excited for Peacock? Which late night option are you most looking forward to watching? Let us know in the comment section and keep checking in with Last Night On for more news, updates, and highlights.