NBC's Peacock lacks Seinfeld: What's the deal with it?

NBC's Peacock lacks Seinfeld: What's the deal with it?

NBC Peacock TV's streaming service launches today, but there are some surprising absences. No Jerry, no Elaine, not even Summer of George. No Soup Nazi either.

Why is that? Well, because the series is currently stuck on Hulu. And even after the Hulu deal for "Seinfeld Next Door" expires in 2021, Jerry and friends will move to Netflix. It is hard to imagine the discontent that will erupt at NBCU headquarters over these contracts.

And how long will the staff of "My Neighbor Seinfeld" be at Netflix? The details are unknown at this time, but these contracts typically last more than a few years; according to Vox/Recode, Hulu's contract with "My Neighbor Seinfeld" lasted six years and cost the streaming giant $130 million.

The streaming sitcom wars are so lucrative that Netflix reportedly paid about $100 million for NBC's "Friends" (another iconic must-see TV show), which will move to HBO Max starting May 2020.

As for what we can expect from Peacock's TV shows and movies at launch, there is a mix of current series and classic favorites (including some retro selections). I'm most looking forward to rewatching "30 Rock," "Battlestar Galactica," and classic episodes of "Law & Order." Eventually, there will also be "Wild Speed" movies, including (at least) "Wild Speed" and one of the best: and on July 15, the film adaptation of Aldous Huxley's novel "Brave New World" should appear, which may be the only major new show at launch This may be the only major new show at launch. Also coming in July is a new adaptation of "Psycho," which fans of the USA series will be eagerly awaiting.

Peacock, which begins its preview phase today (April 15), is currently rolling out for the Comcast X1 and Flex devices, with Peacock Premium available for free. The full Peacock service, with some original programming and nationwide availability, is scheduled to launch on July 15, but executives told the press that there is some talk of moving the release date up a bit.

All of this is reminiscent of the "30 Rock" episode in which Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) realizes that NBC has enough footage of Jerry Seinfeld that they can digitally insert the comedian into any show airing on the network. It reminds me of the episode. That is, if Comcast has that capability.

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