When you consider that the highest rated streaming shows are FRIENDS and THE OFFICE, and other top performers are KING OF QUEENS and TWO AND A HALF MEN, if you have a lot of comedy in your library why not take advantage?
And NBC does.
BROOKLYN NINE-NINE, PARKS & REC, 30 ROCK, CHEERS, SAVED BY THE BELL, COMMUNITY, THE BIG BANG THEORY, SHAMELESS, SCHITT’S CREEK, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, SUPERSTORE, KIMMY SCHMIDT, BOJACK HORSEMAN, WILL & GRACE, MOM, BROAD CITY, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, SEINFELD, THE GOLDBERGS, MODERN FAMILY.
Using those as anchors, the network is also commissioning new comedies including projects from Tina Fey and Mike Schur.
Comedy works.
Especially now in a pandemic. I bet for all the shows offered on HBO Max, their best performer is FRIENDS. As excellent as series like THE HANDMAID’S TALE are, you can’t build a brand around them.
APPLE + launched with glossy new shows with big names attached. And for all that high visibility the reaction has been meh. None of their shows really took off.
And more people are going to watch Steve Carell on THE OFFICE on Peacock than THE MORNING SHOW on Apple.
Comedy works.
Netflix just canceled a bunch of original shows. I’m hearing no buzz from anybody. They also lost the rights to CHEERS on July 1st. I’m hearing an outcry over that – even though you can still find CHEERS on Hulu, CBS All-Access, and I understand Peacock will offer it too.
The bottom line: There has always been and still remains a healthy appetite for comedy. On the one hand I applaud Peacock for recognizing that; on the other – doesn’t it just seem obvious?
Good luck with today’s launch.
from By Ken Levine
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