Look, there are a ton of streaming platforms competing for your attention right now so we totally get it if Peacock slipped under your radar.
But we’re going to rectify that right now because there are some truly terrific TV shows that call the streaming service home, and you deserve to be watching them. Sure, there are workplace comedies galore — we list a bunch of them in our roundup of funniest shows on the streamer here — but there are also crime dramas and Viking-era epics and musical fantasies and more.
Here are the best shows worth watching on Peacock right now.
The Office
9 seasons, 201 episodes | IMDb: 8.8/10
We’re not going to wade into the war over which version of this seminal workplace comedy series is better. There’s just no right answer, and the two shows are different enough to stand on their own merit. That starts from the top-down, with Steve Carrell putting a twist on the clueless managerial character first embodied by Ricky Gervais. David Brent was a bit of an a**hole, whereas Michael Scott is an equally awkward, incredibly more sympathetic simpleton. And the rest of the cast that makes up the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin carries just as much star power as the show’s lead with talents like John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, Mindy Kaling, and Jenna Fischer cutting their teeth on the show. Iconic characters, quotable dialogue, a theme song that just doesn’t quit. What more can you ask for in a show?
Friday Night Lights
5 seasons, 76 episodes | IMDb: 8.7/10
Friday Night Lives caught the attention of critics and fans alike when it premiered on NBC in 2006. Its gritty, unapologetic look at football culture in the deep red of Texas felt authentic in a way most dramas just didn’t at the time. Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton became household names thanks to their on-screen romance as Coach Taylor and his feisty wife Tami Taylor, but it was the Dillion Panthers, a football team that shouldered the burden of greatness while its members dealt with more immediate issues (like high school relationships, graduation worries, and career-ending injuries) that really fueled the story.
Heroes
4 seasons, 78 episodes | IMDb: 7.5/10
Sure, this is a show that jumped the shark in its final season, but damn if the original premise of Heroes wasn’t a masterclass in sci-fi world-building on TV. The show follows a group of people with special abilities who fight to understand the reason for their powers as government agencies and superpowered villains make their own grabs for power. Milo Ventimiglia, Hayden Panettiere, Zachary Quinto, and a host of other A-list talent play in this comic-book-inspired sandbox, and even though the final destination is a bit “meh,” it’s one hell of a ride to get there.
Parks and Recreation
7 seasons, 125 episodes | IMDb: 8.6/10
Yes, Amy Poehler was exceptionally funny during her early years on Saturday Night Live, but it’s her run on this comedy series that really showcased her talents. As idealist public servant Leslie Knope, Poehler proved being funny and being relentlessly optimistic weren’t mutually exclusive. She surrounded herself with a cast of actors destined for their own greatness, from stone-cold weirdos like Aubrey Plaza and future superheroes like Chris Pratt, to names like Aziz Ansari and Rhetta, who would go on to have their own TV shows, and the series crafted a small-town setting that was both ridiculous and hilariously relatable. And if nothing else, Parks gave us Ron Swanson, a pyramid of greatness unto himself. You had us at “meat tornado.”
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit
24 seasons, 502 episodes | IMDb: 8/10
The first (but certainly not the last) spin-off series of Dick Wolff’s police procedural remains the best, mostly because of the chemistry between the show’s leads, Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni. As SVU detectives Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler, the duo investigates all kinds of terrible crimes, normally tragedies involving rape, child molestation, and murder. The formula gets tired after a while, but Hargitay and Meloni keep things interesting.
Saturday Night Live
46 seasons, 911 episodes | IMDb: 8/10
It should be fairly obvious as to why this sketch comedy series makes our list of best Peacock offerings but we’ll break it down anyway. First, a majority of the comedic talent found on other hit NBC series — 30 Rock, Parks and Rec — got their start here. Second, few shows have the kind of lasting pop culture values that SNL does. Whether you enjoy the classic seasons lead by the likes of Chris Farley, Eddie Murphy, and Gilda Radner or you’re into the more contemporary work from Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Kate McKinnon, and Kenan Thompson, there’s something for every kind of comedy fan here.
House
8 seasons, 177 episodes | IMDb: 8.8/10
Binge watchers love their medical dramas, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a show about the ill that’s as fun as House. Hugh Laurie plays the episodic’s anti-hero, an opioid-addicted, dry-humored, uncaring genius, and doctor with a knack for solving unsolvable cases. He’s joined by a rotating team of famous faces (Olivia Wilde, Jesse Spencer, and Jennifer Morrison all starred on the show at some point), but they usually just end up getting in the way of his natural prowess with mysterious illnesses.
Superstore
5 seasons, 81 episodes | IMDb: 7.8/10
Justin Spitzer churns out sitcom gold on the regular, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that his latest workplace comedy — a look at the hilarious happenings of a big box department store in the Midwest — is a hit. The show stars America Ferrera, Ben Feldman, Lauren Ash, and Mark McKinney among others, and mostly centers on workers at a Cloud 9 store whose lives intersect in ridiculously funny ways. It’s got a lot of heart, plenty of humor, and surprisingly, a knack for tackling some serious issues.
Vikings
6 seasons, 93 episodes | IMDb: 8.6/10
Loosely based on the exploits of the 9th century Viking ruler and king, Ragnar Lodbrok, Vikings doesn’t match the level of complexity in Game of Thrones — the universe is smaller, there are fewer characters, and the plotting isn’t as dense — but it’s a solid, if not sometimes spectacular drama that gets progressively better over the course of the series. There’s crunching violence, lots of ax play, and frequent battles as Ragnar extends his rule over parts of Europe. Compared to Game of Thrones, it’s less about mind games and schemes, and more about brute force, and Ragnor’s victories are seldom in doubt. Nevertheless, it’s entertaining to watch the unrelenting violence unfold and revel in the demise of Ragnor’s rivals. While Travis Fimmel is excellent in the lead role and Gustaf Skarsgård’s Floki provides the often necessary comic relief, it’s Katheryn Winnick (as Lagertha) who is the show’s biggest draw.
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist
2 seasons, 25 episodes | IMDb: 8.1/10
We refuse to believe that two seasons is all the TV Gods will give us when it comes to this recently canceled musical comedy series. But, if that’s what fate — and the out-of-touch executives over at NBC — has in store, then at least we can relive all of the brilliant, harmonious humor of this hidden gem starring Jane Levy as a woman who can hear people’s inner-most thoughts in song form.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
7 seasons, 140 episodes | IMDb: 8.3/10
The antics of this New York police precinct are endlessly hilarious, with every character getting their moment to shine. Brooklyn Nine-Nine has one of the most wonderful casts currently on television, and it hasn’t slowed down a bit from its banner freshman season. While it is technically Jake Peralta’s (Andy Samberg) show, it’s one of the few true ensemble shows on television right now. It’s not that Samberg isn’t good, he is, but the same could also be said of Stephanie Beatriz’s Rosa or Terry Crews’ Terry or almost every other character. A workplace comedy at its core, Brooklyn Nine-Nine proves that showrunner Mike Schur is on a hot streak that shows no sign of slowing down.
Parenthood
6 seasons, 103 episodes | IMDb: 8.2/10
Before This Is Us captivated fans with tragic stories of crockpot sabotage there was this family drama that managed to toe the line between sentimental melodrama and damn good storytelling. The show follows the Braverman clan — consisting of an older couple, their four children, and their families — as they battle heartbreak, loss, finding new love, and all of the other joys and hardships of life. This series has a good amount more humor to it than its predecessor, and a giant, uber-talented ensemble cast.
Psych
8 seasons, 120 episodes | IMDb: 8.4/10
For the eight seasons that Psych was on the air, it entertained a kind of cult following. Fans tuned in religiously to watch this buddy-cop drama about an eccentric police detective who claimed “psychic” abilities and his reluctant, by-the-book partner. Stars James Roday and Dule Hill have incredible chemistry on the show, which pushes the worn-out, fun-cop-boring-cop trope past its usual limits.
30 Rock
7 seasons, 138 episodes | IMDb: 8.2/10
Few shows have as many jokes per minute as 30 Rock. The brainchild of Tina Fey, 30 Rock shows the daily madness of an SNL-like variety show, which Fey’s Liz Lemon at the helm. As she tries (sometimes failing) to wrangle her writers and her actors (Tracy Morgan and Jane Krakowski), Lemon also attempts the ever-elusive dream of “having it all.” Her quest will feel very, very familiar to viewers, particularly women, as they try and balance, work, life, love, and even a small bit of success. With Alec Baldwin turning in his best performance to date as Jack Donaghy, Lemon’s boss, mentor, and eventual friend, 30 Rock has the perfect blend of weirdness, sharp writing, and genuine laughs that will make it a favorite for years to come.
Downton Abbey
6 seasons, 52 episodes | IMDb: 8.7/10
In the early 2010s, you couldn’t have a conversation about favorite TV shows without someone in your friend group mentioning Downton Abbey. The British series about the inner workings of an aristocratic English family and their manner full of servants became the biggest thing to invade America from across the pond since The Beatles. Watching the crusty Crawley family navigate historic events like the sinking of the Titanic and the First World War while their servants dealt in gossip, intrigue, and scandal below stairs was as entertaining and juicy as any good British drama should be.
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