Peacockhas a handful of original miniseries, and chances are, you haven’t seen a lot of these worthwhile shows. Despite not always being ranked alongside the other major streamers like Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, and Hulu,Peacock has an impressive catalog of original TV shows.
The Continental: From the World of John Wickis set withinthe franchise ofJohn Wickfilms, exploring the early days of the eponymous hotel for assassins. Colin Woodell plays a younger version of Winston Scott, portrayed by Ian McShane in the films, who is raised as a criminal by the former New York Continental manager, Cormac O’Connor (Mel Gibson).
There is more of the same stylish action from theJohn Wickfilm series to be found inThe Continental, with each of the three episodes featuring plenty of impressive fight choreography and clever kills. The series explores the ever-expanding lore ofJohn Wick, making it critical viewing for fans of the film.
Lockerbie: A Search for Truthtells the true story of the tragic 1988 Pan Am Flight 103 that was destroyed by a bomb 38 minutes after takeoff. All 243 passengers and 16 crew members were killed, with debris from the explosion killing 11 more people on the ground below in the Scottish town of Lockerbie.
The series follows Jim Swire (Colin Firth) and his wife, Jane Swire (Catherine McCormack), as they search for answers about the crash and why their daughter Flora had to die. This disaster is a relatively unknown event, and a suitable explanation has never been given, giving the show an important but grim note to end on.
Long Bright Riveris a crime miniseries starring Amanda Seyfried as Mickey Fitzpatrick, a veteran Philadelphia police officer working in the high-crime neighborhood of Kensington. The series begins with her investigating a series of three murders of women, which may also tie back to the mystery regarding her sister’s disappearance.
Based on the book of the same nameby Liz Moore,Long Bright Riveris a compelling and winding mystery that manages to come to the end of its eight episodes with a satisfying answer. Seyfried’s performance elevates the show with her steely portrayal of an exhausted officer who finds the will to keep going.
Angelyne was a mysterious American singer and media personality who rose to prominence in 1984, coming out of LA, CA, though her true identity was not revealed until 2017, when she came forward as Ronia Tamar Goldberg. The 2022 miniseriesAngelynetracks the enigmatic legend’s life from her beginnings in the ’80s to the present.
The title character is played by Emily Rossum, joined by a cast that includes Hamish Linklater, Martin Freeman, and Molly Ephraim. Truth is stranger than fiction in this miniseries, and Rossum brings incredible depth to a character that we didn’t know very much about until only a few years ago.
Based on Heather Morris' novel of the same name,The Tattooist of Auschwitzis a historical series that follows Lali Sokolov (Harvey Keitel), a Jewish prisoner in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp during World War II, who is ordered to tattoo identification numbers on the incoming prisoners' arms.
Any story based on the Holocaust will undoubtedly find it difficult to completely depict the scale of tragedy, and whileThe Tattooist of Auschwitzis undoubtedly uneven at times, it’s still a moving dramatization. The series also makes a point to show how an unreliable memory can affect some events, a novel conceit for such a story.
The Best Man: The Final Chaptersis a continuation ofThe Best Man Holiday, a 2013 comedy film which was itself a sequel to the 1999 filmThe Best Man. The miniseries takes place a few years after the 2013 film, catching up on the friends from the movie who are reuniting for vacation at an iconic resort.
Just like the films,The Best Man: The Final Chaptersis a loving ode to friendship that doesn’t shy away from the tricky parts of life where distance and time can cause cracks. You don’t need to watch the previous movies to enjoy it; the chemistry between the cast tells you all you need to know about the characters.
Paul T. Goldmanis a true-crime documentary miniseries starring Paul Finkelman as the eponymous character, which is the pseudonym the real actor writes under. It’s an odd miniseries that tracks Paul, uncovering the fraud and deception caused by his ex-wife, using reenactments where Paul plays his “fake” character.
The miniseries is a blend of true-crime and true-crime satire that can only really be compared toshows like those made by Nathan Fielder. Paul is an unreliable narrator, but it becomes difficult to parse which aspects of Paul’s life the real Paul recognizes as fictionalized and which parts he truly believes.
Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heistis a crime drama series based on a 2020 podcast, which fictionalizes an armed robbery that took place on the night of Muhammad Ali’s October 1970 comeback fight. Kevin Hart stars as Gordon “Chicken Man” Williams, the man hosting the party where the robbery took place.
It’s a rare dramatic role for the comedian-turned-movie star, and Hart proves that he can do more than the antic style of comic acting he’s made a name with. It’s a critical moment in black history with Ali stepping back into the culture after his conscientious objection to the Vietnam War, andFight Nighthandles the subject well.
One ofDamon Lindelof’s best replacements forLostis his fourth TV series,Mrs. Davis, starring Betty Gilpin as Sister Simone, a nun who is the only one who can defeat an artificial intelligence set on taking over the world. There is much more to the story than that, with religion, science, and philosophy coming together.
Mrs. Davisis a wildly unique TV show, even by Lindelof’s standards, and yet it never feels so outrageous that we lose our grip on the story. The series is extremely funny and offers a fascinating puzzle with answers that come at the exact right moment to satisfy and delight viewers.
In the true crimeA Friends of the Family, a nine-part miniseries set in 1974, Robert Berchtold (Jake Lacy) kidnaps 12-year-old Jan Broberg (Mckenna Grace, and Jendrix Yancey as a young Jan), the daughter of his close friends. After returning Jan, Robert decides to kidnap her again two years later.
Peacock’sA Friend of the Familytakes its time to reveal all its horrific layers, which is critical to us understanding just how intensely Berchtold felt about the young girl who moved next door. It’s an unflinching look at someone disturbingly evil, who seems able to justify their actions, no matter how cruel they may be.
