NBC dominates the Channel Surfing TV picks of this week. Their long-awaited streaming service, Peacock, officially launches with a slate of originals including Brave New World. Tina Fey’s hilarious series, 30 Rock, returns for a one time special incorporating corporate synergy. Then W. Kamau Bell takes an earnest look at various challenges that different communities across the U.S. face in United Shades of America.
NBC Joins the Streaming Wars
This week, NBC joins the crowded market of streaming platforms with Peacock. Though early availability began in April, it will officially come out on Wednesday, July 15. Viewers can watch old favorites and today’s hits from the network along with a catalog of films from Universal. However, what really drives TV streaming are the exclusive originals. At launch there is a good mix of children animated shows, docuseries and British exports.
Also available on the first day is Brave New World, an adaptation of the Aldous Huxley novel with the same name. The story predominantly takes place in a perfect society with a caste system and where monogamy and privacy are tightly controlled for the benefit of the whole. Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story), Jessica Brown Findlay (Downton Abbey) and Harry Lloyd (Game of Thrones) star in this science fiction dystopian drama.
Ready to Rock Again
Last April, NBC aired the Parks and Recreations special. The cast of the beloved show came together and shot the episode remotely in order to help raise money for Feeding America during the COVID-19 pandemic. The special was a ratings success so the network is hoping another fan favorite reunion can be as popular.
On Thursday, July 16, 30 Rock will have a special with the show’s actors reprising their roles. It will serve as the upfront event for this year showcasing the forthcoming programming slate to the advertising community. Not only will the old gang be present but other NBCUniversal talent will show up on the broadcast.
The Diverse and Colorful Definitions of America
United Shades of America visits different parts of the U.S. to better comprehend the country’s race-based subcultures and to highlight the diversity of the nation and the issues communities face. The show’s host, W. Kamau Bell, brings humor and levity to these serious topics but also a relatable approach to genuinely understand them.
The docuseries returns Sunday, July 19, on CNN. This season, Bell covers family farms in Oklahoma among other matters but the premiere has the host head to Pittsburgh to dive deeper into the damaging systemic applications of white supremacy.
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