The Best Shows on Peacock Right Now (March 2022)

Peacock has a ton of great stuff, like a big library of new and classic Universal Pictures movies, a diverse collection of shows from NBCUniversal networks like NBC, Bravo, Syfy, and Oxygen, and a small but growing collection of originals that deserve to be bigger hits (have you watched Girls5Eva? It's really funny!) 

But Peacock is best known as the exclusive streaming home of Yellowstone, TV's most popular drama. The Paramount Network's contemporary Western series absolutely conquered the world with Season 4, putting up ratings numbers basic cable hasn't seen since the heyday of The Walking Dead. But if you don't have cable and don't want to pay for episodes of an individual show on Amazon, you've had to wait for Season 4 to come to Peacock before you could catch up on the trials and tribulations of the Dutton clan. Well, partner, the time has come. Yellowstone Season 4 is now available to stream on Peacock.

Yellowstone Season 4 joins our list the best shows to watch on Peacock right now. The lineup also includes the true crime limited series The Thing About Pam, which stars Renée Zellweger as an unlikely serial killer and is currently airing on NBC and streaming weekly on Peacock, and Bust Down, a hidden gem of a dark comedy from some of Saturday Night Live's boldest voices. They join classics like Murder, She Wrote and The Bernie Mac Show, Peacock-exclusive hidden gems like Wolf Like Me and We Are Lady Parts, and The Office, Peacock's other big streaming exclusive. 

Looking for more recommendations for what to watch next? We have a ton of them! And if you're looking for more hand-picked recommendations based on TV shows you love, we have those too, as well as recommendations for Netflix (movies/shows), Amazon Prime Video (movies/shows), Hulu (movies/shows), Disney+ (movies/shows), HBO Max (movies/shows), and Apple TV+, 

Last updated March 29, 2022; newer additions are at the top

Yellowstone

For fans of: Kevin Costner, Westerns, soap operas
Number of seasons: 4

One of TV's biggest shows, Yellowstone is a neo-Western by way of Dynasty (we swear that's a compliment). The series follows the ins and outs of the wealthy Dutton family, the owners of the largest contiguous ranch in the country and one of the few families that could possibly give the Roys of Succession a run for their money in terms of infighting and complicated family dynamics. The series, co-created by Taylor Sheridan and John Linson, features a major power struggle as outside forces — land developers, rival ranchers, and more — attempt to encroach on the Dutton family's land. It's a thrilling, dramatic watch and a wonderful showcase for both the wide-open vistas of the American West and star Kevin Costner's ability to growl through each and every one of his lines. Season 4 just hit Peacock, and if your favorite part of the show is all the crazy shenanigans that go on in the bunkhouse, you're gonna love this season. [Trailer]

The Thing About Pam 

For fans of: True crime, movie stars slumming it
Number of seasons: 1

If you like scripted adaptations of true crime podcasts — and that absolutely is a whole crime drama subgenre — you should check out limited series The Thing About Pam. It's based on a Dateline podcast of the same name, which was itself born out of several Dateline episodes covering the bizarre case of Pam Hupp (Oscar winner Renée Zellweger), a Missouri woman who committed some stranger-than-fiction crimes in the early 2010s and almost got away with it thanks to judicial misconduct. It's an imperfect show that's tonally influenced by the Coen Brothers but sometimes gets too ironic for its own good. But if you want to watch a well-acted and unpredictable crime dramedy limited series, The Thing About Pam will do. New episodes premiere on NBC and are available on Peacock the following day. -Liam Mathews   

Bust Down 

For fans of: Comedy that's simultaneously dark and absurd
Number of seasons: 1

There are a billion new shows coming out every day, and the only real way one can separate itself from the pack is with a unique setting and tone. Bust Down is as fresh as can be, following a quartet of employees at an Indiana casino who find themselves in all sorts of dark absurdity, like if It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia were put through the filter of Atlanta but hit on topics like sexual assault, lesbian in vitro fertilization, and babies eating uncut steak in the sun. Yep, that all happens! The cast is excellent, led by Sam Jay, Chris Redd, Langston Kerman, and Jak Knight, comedians who aren't household names yet, but could be soon. No one's talking about this show, and it will probably get lost in the shuffle since it's on Peacock, but it's already one of the streamer's best shows and funniest new shows of 2022. -Tim Surette     

Joe vs. Carole

For fans of: Tiger King
Number of Seasons: 1

Remember Tiger King? It's back, kind of, but now it's on Peacock as a scripted limited series. Here, the explosive feud between eccentric animal activist Carole Baskin (Kate McKinnon) and eccentric tiger enthusiast Joe Exotic (John Cameron Mitchell, in a pretty inspired bit of casting) is dramatized, and the show seeks to dig deep into the people under the tacky clothes. It's pretty unnecessary, but the cast is great; in addition to McKinnon and Mitchell, the show features Kyle MacLachlan as Carole's husband Howard, Dean Winters as Jeff Lowe, Joe's business partner who's an even worse person than him, and Nat Wolff as Joe's doomed lover Travis Maldonado. -Allison Picurro [Trailer]

Resident Alien

For fans of: Fish out of water comedies, Alan Tudyk's range
Number of Seasons: 2

Time to whip up a t-shirt that says "Alan Tudyk was one of TV Guide's favorite performers of 2021 — find out why!" on the back. Tudyk stars in Syfy's underrated Resident Alien as the titular alien himself, an extraterrestrial in disguise as small-town doctor Harry Vanderspeigle, whose disgust with all things human makes for some of the best physical comedy on TV. But his quest to destroy the world is hitting a roadblock in Season 2 as he starts to warm up to (some of) the people around him. Horrifying! Watch this show already. -Kelly Connolly [Trailer]

Chucky

For fans of: The killer doll from the movies
Number of Seasons: 1

You may not expect Chucky, a series continuation of the Child's Play horror film franchise, to be a sterling example of how to turn a movie into a streaming-era TV show, but it works extraordinarily well. The Syfy/USA Network series hails from franchise creator Don Mancini, and brings back the great Brad Dourif as the voice of Chucky, the doll possessed by the evil spirit of serial killer Charles Lee Ray. In the series, fate brings Chucky into the life of Jake Wheeler (Zackary Arthur), a bullied gay teen whom he tries to persuade to give in to his rage and become a killer like him. It's topically relevant without being heavy-handed or didactic, it's gory enough to satisfy slasher movie fans, it has a surprising amount of heart, and it's wickedly funny. -Liam Mathews     

The Bernie Mac Show

For fans of: Family sitcoms that are actually funny
Number of Seasons: 5

Bernie Mac was one of the greatest sitcom dads ever, and the character wasn't technically even a dad at all. On the show, Mac played a fictionalized version of himself, a comedian who takes in his sister's kids and raises them as his own. He gives out tough love, and he doesn't always know best, but he has a heart of gold. "When I say I want to kill those kids, you know what I mean," he says directly to the audience in the pilot. Parents know exactly what he means. Bernie Mac was one of the funniest people who ever lived, and this show doesn't always get the credit it deserves. It's due for a rewatch now that it's on Peacock. -Liam Mathews     

Wolf Like Me

For fans of: Ex-pats in Australia, secret basements, supernatural romance
Number of Seasons: 1

Josh Gad stars as a single dad mourning his late wife and raising his daughter in Australia when he literally runs into a beautiful woman (Isla Fisher) with whom he feels a strong connection with. That set up has all the makings of weepy family drama tinged with romance, and you'll get some of that, but Wolf Like Me, much like Fisher's character, has a few secrets it's hiding that turn the short five-episode series into a supernatural drama. It's not hard to predict the secrets and where things go, but Wolf Like Me is mostly about the relationships that form between the big plot twists. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

Vigil

For fans of: British thrillers, military police mysteries, claustrophobia
Number of Seasons: 1

Two things I love — a submarine murder mystery and Scottish accents — collide in this well-reviewed six-episode U.K. thriller that hails from the same producers of Bodyguard. Suranne Jones plays a detective asked to investigate a fatal drug overdose on a nuclear submarine — literally on the submarine; she does her work on the sub while it's on its patrols — who believes foul play is involved. It's loaded with familiar faces, including Ygritte, Pod, and Stannis from Game of Thrones (Rose Leslie, Daniel Portman, and Stephen Dillane), as well as Martin Compston (Line of Duty), Paterson Joseph (Timeless), and Connor Swindells (Sex Education). It's tense right from the start, and maintains it from the claustrophobic conflict of jurisdiction between Jones' detective and the military that runs the sub. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

MacGruber

For fans of: Real American heroes, ripping throats out, SNL alums
Number of Seasons: 1

There seems to be a little misunderstanding with the MacGruber franchise, because reviews of the film, and now the Peacock original series, aren't glowing with praise. Some of you out there — probably those of you who are stoned — do get it, though, and realize that Will Forte's Saturday Night Live sketch-turned-movie-turned-TV-series is ridiculously funny in that "let's make a stupid movie" way and not in that "Saturday Night Live sketch goes on too long" way. A lot of that has to do with the show's relentless commitment to being silly and saying "penis," a lot of it has to do with the cast (led by Forte and Kristen Wiig), and a lot of that has to do with being in on the joke, which critics fail to realize. Just watch it, already. [Trailer]

Rutherford Falls

For fans of: Quirky comedies, Indigenous representation, white people being stupid
Number of Seasons: 1 (Renewed for Season 2, premiere date TBD)

Co-created by Michael Schur, Ed Helms, and showrunner Sierra Teller Ornelas, Rutherford Falls separates itself from the crowded TV landscape by putting the complex issues facing Indigenous peoples at the forefront of a sweet and charming narrative. With one of the largest Indigenous writing rooms in the industry and a cast that features several Native actors, the Peacock Original follows two best friends, Nathan Rutherford (Helms), the last descendent of the town's founder to still live within the city limits, and Reagan Wells (Jana Schmieding), a member of the Minishonka Nation, a fictional local tribal community. When the town mayor decides to remove a statue of Nathan's ancestor in the name of safety, the decision sets off a chain of events that test Nathan and Reagan's lifelong friendship while also putting Native American culture and history in the spotlight. [Trailer]

Psych

For fans of: Shenanigans, murder mysteries, buddy comedies
Number of seasons: 8 (plus 3 films)

When Psych premiered on USA Network in 2006, no one could have predicted the staying power of a buddy comedy about a fake psychic detective (James Roday Rodriguez) solving murders with his best friend and reluctant business partner (Dulé Hill). But the show continues to delight all these years later because creator Steve Franks long ago perfected a formula that mixed laughter and murder. Now he keeps the fire burning with a series of made-for-TV movies that prove the old adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." While Shawn (Rodriguez) and Gus (Hill) mature just enough to keep the narrative from growing stale, everything fans love about the show and these characters — wacky adventures, weird murders, well-placed digs at The Mentalist — is still present in each new chapter of the Psych Extended Universe. It's really no surprise, then, that the gang continues to reunite every few years. Three movies have already been released and are available on Peacock. [Trailer]

Saved by the Bell

For fans of: The original show, satirical comedies, Mario Lopez
Number of seasons: 2

No one needs another revival or reboot. But sometimes they're actually good, and then you have to suck it up and admit they're good. That is the case with Peacock's new Saved by the Bell. What could have been a cringe-fest turned out to be a pleasant surprise. A well-crafted satire from Tracey Wigfield, the show follows a new generation of teens at Bayside High while poking fun at the original series by (affectionately) underscoring its many flaws. With supporting turns from Mario Lopez and Elizabeth Berkley and some pop-up appearances from Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Tiffani Thiessen, the show manages to appeal to audiences new and old, which also gives it universal appeal. [Trailer]

Kingdom

For fans of: Mixed martial arts, complicated families, Heels
Number of Seasons: 3

Few shows have the ability to embed themselves in your heart the way Byron Balasco's Kingdom does. The MMA-themed drama follows Alvey Kulina (Frank Grillo), a former professional fighter who owns and operates a gym in Venice, California, with his girlfriend, Lisa Prince (Kiele Sanchez), where he trains current fighters. This includes his two sons with his ex-wife, Christina (Joanna Going) — closeted, up-and-coming star Nate (Nick Jonas) and troubled but naturally talented Jay (Jonathan Tucker) — as well as former champion Ryan Wheeler (Matt Lauria), who was just released from prison. A unique series supported by a career-best performance from Tucker, the show expertly weaves together the highs and lows of the sport of MMA with complex family drama, revealing a compelling story that never shies away from the emotional and exhausting search for glory and acceptance. [Trailer]

Golden: The Journey of USA's Elite Gymnasts

For fans of: Gymnastics, sports docs, women infinitely more talented than you
Number of seasons: 1

A sport like women's gymnastics rarely sees the spotlight outside the Olympics, which means most of us can't even begin to imagine or comprehend the hours upon hours of work that go into becoming an elite level gymnast in the United States. Golden changes that. The six-episode docuseries, which first aired in the lead-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, follows five hopefuls — Laurie Hernandez (a member of the gold medal-winning 2016 team), Suni Lee, Morgan Hurd, MyKayla Skinner, and Konnor McClain — over five months as they vie for one of the four spots on Team USA. Knowing how it all played out and who eventually made the team takes nothing away from the Peacock series, which is an eye-opening look at a grueling training process and the many ways young women push their bodies to the limits for a chance at gold. [Trailer]

We Are Lady Parts

For fans of: Muslim representation, punk music, jokes about vomiting
Number of seasons: 1 (Renewed for Season 2)

It's probably safe to say you've never seen the likes of We Are Lady Parts before. The acclaimed British comedy (airing as a Peacock Original in the States) navigates cultural differences and new friendships when an all-female Muslim punk band — the titular Lady Parts — recruits a new lead guitarist (Anjana Vasan) into its ranks. In between the band's catchy originals and cover songs is a sharply funny show that excels by poking fun at and subverting stereotypes in order to build a more complete picture of what it means to be a modern Muslim woman. [Trailer]

Parks and Recreation

For fans of: Wacky small towns, small horses, jokes about the Midwest
Number of seasons: 7

When it comes to heartwarming comedies about small towns and the people who call those towns home, Michael Schur simply does not miss. He co-created Parks and Recreation with Greg Daniels (The Office), and although the Amy Poehler-led series about the employees of the Pawnee Parks Department had some growing pains in its first season, it smartly reinvented itself in Season 2, becoming a shining example of how hard work, competence, and human kindness can lead to a better and happier existence. There's no place quite like Pawnee (and maybe that's a good thing given the out of control raccoon population), but there's also no place we'd rather visit more. [Trailer]

Girls5eva

For fans of:  '90s music, 2gether, musical comedies
Number of seasons: 1 (Renewed for Season 2)

Musical comedies don't always connect with viewers, but Meredith Scardino's Girls5eva — a Peacock Original about a '90s girl group that reunites after 20 years for another shot at success — has something those other shows did not: executive producers Tina Fey, Robert Carlock, and Jeff Richmond (who also composed the music for the series). A brilliant and smart series with shades of MTV's iconic boy band-themed movie-turned-series 2gether, Girls5eva stars Sara Bareilles, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Busy Philipps, and Paula Pell. It's the type of show that is so good it gets stuck in your head and you can't get it out no matter how hard you try. [Trailer]

Michael Phelps: Medals, Memories, & More

For fans of: The Olympics, swimming, shiny objects
Number of seasons: 1

This Peacock-produced documentary series is a must-see for fans of sports and/or the Olympics. Across three episodes, swimmer Michael Phelps — the most decorated Olympian of all time with a record 28 medals — takes viewers through each of his five trips to the Olympics (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016), beginning when he was just 15 and the youngest male to make the U.S. swim team in nearly 70 years. As he walks viewers through each of his finals races at the Olympics — including what is now considered to be the greatest relay in Olympics history — he reveals insight not just into how he swam each event, but also his frame of mind at the time. It's an unfiltered look at greatness directly from one of the best athletes who will ever live. [Trailer]

Murder, She Wrote

For fans of: Amateur detectives, Dame Angela Lansbury, murder
Number of seasons: 12 (plus 4 films)

Look, anyone can solve a murder these days, but only Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) can solve murders as an amateur detective and have a thriving career as a mystery writer. (OK, some other television characters might have done this too, but we know who the best one is.) Murder, She Wrote is a TV classic, running for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 and earning its leading lady a record 12 consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama. While she might not be as popular these days, Jessica Fletcher never goes out of style, much like how Cabot Cove, Maine, the small town in which she lives, never runs out of dead bodies. [Trailer]

Battlestar Galactica

For fans of: Space, women who take no sh--, discussions about science and religion
Number of seasons: 4 (not including miniseries)

Ronald D. Moore and David Eick's reimagining of the 1970s series Battlestar Galactica is the cream of the crop when it comes to complex space operas of the 21st century. The series, which debuted as a miniseries in 2004 and captured the fear and paranoia of a post-9/11 existence, follows the last human survivors of a nuclear attack carried out by the Cylons, man-made creations that evolved from machines into sentient beings that are now nearly identical to humans. As the survivors — some military but mostly civilian — seek a new home far from the worlds they once knew, they battle enemies who look just like them, forcing those within the series and the viewers at home to have powerful and much-needed conversations about what it means to be human. [Trailer]

The Office

For fans of: Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica
Number of seasons: 9

The workplace comedy that raised the bar so high it basically broke the ceiling, NBC's The Office needs no blurb that extolls its many virtues. But we'll do it anyway. Set in the bustling metropolis of Scranton, Pennsylvania, the mockumentary series from Greg Daniels is an adaptation of the U.K. comedy of the same name and digs into the mundanity of corporate America by following the everyday lives of the employees of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, under the tutelage of World's Best Boss Michael Scott (Steve Carell). While the earlier seasons are better than the latter ones, the show features one of the best comedic ensembles in recent memory, remains one of the funniest shows to come out of the 2000s, and has left a legacy that will live on after we've all crumbled to dust. [Trailer]