There are more streaming networks than ever before. So if you have questions about the future of streaming, then you’ve come to the right place. All week long, IGN’s State of Streaming 2.0 initiative will feature reviews and in-depth analysis about the coolest hidden features that streaming services are implementing, the biggest shows coming to streaming in the second half of 2020, and the impact password sharing has on streaming providers and if it could affect your ability to share in the future. Today, we’re reviewing Peacock as a streaming service to see how it stacks up against the competition.
Be sure to check out our reviews of other popular streaming services: Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Apple TV+, Quibi, and HBO Max. And if you’re looking for recommendations for what to watch on the streaming platforms, check out our new interactive widget.
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Joining HBO Max and Quibi as the third major streaming service to launch in 2020, NBCUniversal’s Peacock platform enters the Great Streaming War with over 20,000 hours of movies and TV shows to binge. The most noticeable difference between Peacock and the rest of its competitors is the free (with ads) tier that gives access to an impressive 13,000 hours of the library, before asking you for $4.99 for ad-supported access to everything or $9.99 for the whole lot.
And while that free tier is a nice perk, letting you sample both back catalog greats like the Bourne Trilogy and Syfy’s Battlestar Galactica series as well as originals like the ambitious sci-fi series Brave New World (starring Solo: A Star Wars Story’s Alden Ehrenreich), there are some glaring missteps that a company of NBCUniversal’s size (as part of Comcast) should have addressed before opening up to the public. Peacock’s lack of support for 4K, HDR, and Dolby Atmos, as well as not allowing you to download shows and movies for offline viewing – a function Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have provided for years and is available on Disney+ and HBO Max – is inexcusable. There’s also the issue with accessibility, as Peacock is only available in the USA at launch and, like HBO Max, is currently not supported by the popular Amazon Fire TV and Roku streaming boxes.
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However, Peacock does deliver a solid streaming platform populated with a diverse selection of noteworthy movies and shows to choose from. Especially when compared to CBS All Access’ Star Trek-heavy focus and Quibi’s lackluster made-for-mobile-viewing lineup, it’s not in the lower tier of services. To learn more about what we thought of the Peacock streaming platform, read on for a more detailed overview of its movies and shows, user interface, and pricing when compared to other providers.
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Peacock’s TV Shows and Movies
Peacock has an impressive catalog of movies and TV series at launch, with content from notable studios including Syfy, Universal Pictures, Dreamworks, Blumhouse, and many more. There’s plenty here for people of all ages and genre preferences. On the movie front, Peacock is home to blockbuster franchises like the original Jurassic Park trilogy, The Matrix trilogy, and the Bourne trilogy. While there are some noticeable absences, such as having only one of the nine Fast & Furious movies and neither of the Jurassic World films, there’s a satisfying amount of quality stuff, especially for free.
One of the oddities you might notice while browsing the thousands of hours of movies and shows is a timer on the upper left portion of the screen. The seminal 1993 Jurassic Park, for example (at the time of writing), has a “15 Days Left to Watch” countdown just below the film’s description. The reason for this is due to NBCUniversal’s licensing agreements with other providers, and unraveling all of those is liable to make your head explode. IGN has learned from someone close to the situation that shows and movies leaving Peacock may return at a later date. While this is a bit frustrating when you consider Universal owns the rights to these titles, other streaming providers like HBO Max and Disney+ have had similar licensing issues.
Peacock’s TV library is where the service shines by providing eager viewers with myriad programming, including classics like Saved By the Bell and Heroes, to more recent favorites like Parks and Rec and Superstore, all for free. You’ll also be able to watch new episodes of shows like Blacklist and This is Us a week after they air, unless you opt for one of the paid tiers, in which case you can watch immediately. Like CBS All Access, Peacock also offers some free live TV channels including NBC News Now and Sky News.
Another area Peacock has an edge over its competitors is sports. If you’re a Premier League football (soccer) fan, then you’ll be happy to hear that this will be home to 175 exclusive matches for the 2020-2021 season. Other notable sports viewing opportunities include the NFL, U.S. Open Championship, and the Triple Crown horse races. Peacock has also tapped into the popular sports documentary market (which is currently dominated by ESPN’s 30 for 30 banner and Netflix’s ever-growing resume of memorable films centered on the sporting world). Peacock may have a long way to go before catching up, but its initial batch includes In Deep with Ryan Lochte and Lost Speedways, which are a sign it’s heading in the right direction.
On top of its vast library of existing movies and TV shows, Peacock has also developed some of its own originals. At launch, the platform has nine shows that cover a wide range of tastes, from intriguing crime thrillers like The Capture to charming kids’ series like Curious George and Where’s Waldo. Be sure to check out our reviews of the Peacock originals, but in short, there’s more good here than bad. In our reviews, we praise Brave New World as “a gripping, bingeable trip that hides surprising depth beneath its shiny surface,” and call In Deep with Ryan Lochte “a compelling underdog story.” The only dud in this initial batch is the David Schwimmer workplace comedy, Intelligence, which we criticize for “its reliance on overused cliches about the cultural differences between uptight Brits and overconfident Yanks.”
Peacock’s User Interface
By now, one would think that newly released streaming providers like HBO Max and Peacock, which are backed by multi-billion dollar companies like AT&T and Comcast, respectively, would have all the trim and fixins needed to stand out in this competitive landscape… but apparently not! Sure, Peacock’s app and website designs are attractive enough, but when it comes to key features like 4K, HDR, Dolby Atmos audio, and the ability to download movies and shows for offline viewing, the features are sorely lacking for a platform launching in 2020. (A source close to the situation informed IGN that both 4K and offline viewing options are in the works, though no timeframe for their implementation was given.)
Peacock also suffers from a lack of curated carousels that would help make finding what you wanted to watch easier. Where HBO Max was good enough to break up its offerings via tiles associated with the various networks and studios under the WarnerMedia umbrella, Peacock just has things like “Free Laughs,” “Your Reality Check Is Covered,” and “Timeless Classics” to break down its library into categories. The search options are also limited, and unless you know the exact name of a particular movie you’re looking for, Peacock doesn’t give you the option of searching by director or actor.
Another thing to consider before subscribing to Peacock is the lack of HDMI support for external monitors. The steamer released a statement via its Twitter page that reads, “HDMI connectivity is not supported at this time. Users will not be able to view via external monitor connection. They will need to use their PC, mobile, or one of our other supported devices directly.” Hopefully, Peacock will offer a more robust interface with tiles that read Paramount, Universal Pictures, and Syfy instead of this current layout.
Peacock’s Price
In terms of cost, Peacock has one of the best values compared to the competition. The fact that you can watch 13,000 hours of TV shows and movies completely free without having to put your credit card information down and hoping you remember to cancel before your trial runs out is awesome. And if you do decide to subscribe, the $4.99 offering with ads isn’t too bad, considering you get live sports, news, current NBC series, and a vast library of movies to watch. While Netflix doesn’t have any ads, its lowest tier starts at $8.99, and HBO Max comes in with a single price tier for $14.99. Disney+ is a good bargain for ad-free content at $6.99, however, in terms of programming, Peacock offers a more diverse lineup that includes both kid’s titles and more mature fair for adults. Peacock definitely has a ways to go in terms of its features before catching up to the likes of Amazon and Netflix, however, its enticing free tier is a great strategy to encourage people to give the service a chance.
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Source: IGN.com Peacock Streaming Service Review