NBC, Peacock reveal lineups including Kevin Hart crime show
At NBCUniversal’s annual upfront presentation to advertisers, “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon asked the most pertinent question: “Why are we here?”
To woo advertisers, mostly, especially as spending shifts from traditional television shows to streaming platforms. But NBC also previewed its upcoming shows and events, which includes the 2024 Paris Olympics hosted by Mike Tirico, beginning July 26. Tirico was joined on stage Monday by Snoop Dogg, who will be part of NBC’s Olympics coverage, along with “Saturday Night Live’s” Kenan Thompson and Philly native Kevin Hart.
“What has happened to my career?” Tirico joked.
“Sunday Night Football,” the most popular show on TV for 13 straight years, is back on NBC for the 19th season, and will kick off Sept. 5 with the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Baltimore Ravens in a rematch of last year’s AFC championship game. Tirico is back for his third season as the main play-by-play voice, and returning alongside him in the booth will be veteran analyst Cris Collinsworth. Melissa Stark will return as sideline reporter, as will rules analyst Terry McAulay, who was kept busy with a number of controversial calls last season.
NBC will also stream NFL games on Peacock, its subscription service, which is getting a price increase on July 18 to $7.99 for the basic package and $13.99 for its premium tier without commercials (except live events).
The Eagles will start their season on Peacock on Sept. 6, when they take on the Green Bay Packers at Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It’s the first time the NFL has scheduled an opening weekend game on Friday night in more than 50 years, and the game will also air locally in Philadelphia
on NBC10.
NBC announced it acquired an extra regular-season NFL game on Dec. 21, meaning the network will broadcast two Week 16 games the weekend before Christmas. Terms of the deal were not announced. Last year, NBC broadcast two games the Saturday before Christmas.
The NFL will announce the full slate of “Sunday Night Football” games at 8 p.m. Wednesday on the NFL Network. The Eagles played in two Sunday-night games last season.
Hart showed up to NBC’s upfront to showcase a preview of “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist,” based on the true story of an armed robbery during Muhammad Ali’s historic 1970 comeback fight.
Joining Hart is a star-studded cast that includes Samuel L. Jackson, Terrence Howard, Don Cheadle and Taraji P. Henson. The show is based on the hit podcast by Will Packer, who is executive producing the limited series alongside Hart. “Fight Night” is scheduled to premiere in December.
Amanda Seyfried was on hand to promote the Philly-based crime drama “Long Bright River,” a new limited series where she plays a police officer in a neighborhood hard-hit by the opioid crisis.
“Bel-Air” star Jabari Banks announced a third season of the Peacock drama, a reimagined version of Will Smith’s beloved sitcom “The Fresh Prince of BelAir,” will debut this summer.
Other shows slated to launch on Peacock are the horror thriller “Teacup” from “Saw” co-creator James Wan, and “Laid,” a romantic comedy starring Stephanie Hsu. There’s also the Roman gladiator drama “Those About To Die” from “Independence Day” director Roland Emmerich and a remake of “The Day of the Jackal” starring Eddie Redmayne.