Copyright Screen Rant
Peacock may not be best known for its original TV shows, but I know of at least three that are perfect from start to finish. Of all the major streaming services, Peacock has always seemed like the least invested in growing its original library of titles, confident that its long list of NBC staples will always attract viewers. Still, the streamer has taken a crack at some original TV shows, and considering that it still only has a relative handful compared to something like Netflix, its batting average is quite high. Peacock's miniseries are excellent, for example, showing the steamer is willing to shell out for quality. With legacy shows from NBC like Fraser, The Office, and even Bonanza, the new original programming made specially for the streaming age needs to be particularly outstanding to... stand out. These three TV shows are, in fact, outstanding, with each episode as good as the last. One Of Us Is Lying (2021-2022) Based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Karen M. McManus, One of Us Is Lying is a teen drama mystery series that follows five high school students who enter detention together, only for one to die under suspicious circumstances, leading to an investigation into everyone present. A growing web of gossip, lies, and murder envelops the students and those close to them, making friend turn on friend as they try to figure out the identity of the killer. The series is so fast-paced that you won't mind all the details that you're blowing by, just enjoying the ride. One of Us Is Lying takes the mystery aspect of the show seriously, and is careful not to ever tip its hand one way or the other to give away who's the culprit. Season 2 only turns up the heat on the storyline, reintroducing minor characters as major ones and rewarding close viewing. Killing It (2022-2023) Craig Robinson stars as Craig Foster in Killing It, a two-season series that premiered on Peacock in 2022. The show follows Craig, a divorced father and security guard who dreams of starting a business. A series of strange events eventually put him on the path of claiming $20,000. All Craig has to do is kill the largest python in the state of Florida. The half-hour comedy series grows from there, taking ridiculous, hilarious, and sometimes moving directions as Craig and the weirdos he meets along the way, including one played by Claudia O'Doherty, become friends. It's an incredibly overlooked TV show, and it gives Robinson the leading role in a comedy that he's always been capable of handling. The series is a satire of the "get rich quick" culture that can be found all over and picks it apart with some excellent performances and smart writing. Girls5eva (2021-2024) Girls5eva started out on Peacock for two seasons before making its way to Netflix for its third, at which point Netflix did the Netflix thing and canceled the show before its fourth season. Still, this Tina Fey-produced and Meredith Scardino-run musical comedy series is well worth the investment. The series follows four women, Dawn (Sara Bareilles), Summer (Busy Philipps), Gloria (Paula Pell), and Wickie (Renée Elise Goldsberry), who were members of a 1990s girl group, "Girls5eva". Now, many years removed, everyone is living unfulfilled lives, wondering what could have been.
