Spring is all about freshness and starting anew. It’s metaphorical for all parts of our life, so why shouldn’t it be true for what we will be watching on the small screen too? Thanks to NBC and Peacock, it most certainly will be. The network and it’s sister streaming service have a stellar line-up of programming launching this spring, with plenty of options to guarantee enjoyment from viewers of all ages and interests.
At the winter TCA’s in February, NBC and Peacock shared not only their upcoming programming with the media, but many of their talented stars as well. We got to hear firsthand from the actors and talent involved in the shows. If the trailers alone weren’t enticing enough to make us want to watch, their stories certainly were. Options abound in both reality and scripted programming. There will be new seasons of our favorite shows along with new episodes of brand new shows. Get ready to set your DVR’s and add to your watchlists – here are the top 3 shows you need to see this spring!
The Traitors: Season 2 just wrapped on Peacock, but that is the blessing of streaming, we can watch at any point in time! And you will need to, to prepare for season 3. That’s right, the hit show will be back with more of our favorite reality stars mixed with average joe’s, taking part in missions and building their prize fund. The Traitors’ goal is to eliminate the Faithful and claim the prize for themselves. Alan Cumming (host), Kate Chastain (cast member), Stephen Lambert (executive producer) and Sam Rees-Jones (exectuive producer) made up the TCA panel and they had lots of tea to spill about this buzzy reality show. Cumming is such a presence on the show and his personality and outfits are almost a character on their own. He said as host he is playing a heightened version of himself, but he has brought that host home in some ways – he likes to keep bits of his wardrobe and proudly wears them out and about. In fact he was wearing some at the panel event! The real beauty of this game is that it’s unpredictable – anyone can go at any time – the producers don’t even know in advance. Sam Rees-Jones said as a producer, this is both scary and exhilerating. When the panel was asked who their dream players would be some familiar names were dropped, including Taylor Swift and Beyonce, but Kate Chastain said she would love to see some Vanderpump Rules people join the cast. She said they are well suited to play this game. We will have to stay tuned to see who will actually arrive at the castle to play the game in season 3 of The Traitors.
Apples Never Fall: The trailer alone hooked me. I was ready to watch this mini-series right there and then. That wasn’t an option that day, but the show is now live on Peacock. As I said the trailer pulled me right in, but the cast is the real reason the trailer was so great. Apples Never Fall stars Annette Bening, Alison Brie, Jake Lacy and Sam Neill. It was developed by executive producer and showrunner, Melanie Marnich, and is based on Liane Moriarty’s mystery drama novel of the same name. The plot is about secrets within a family and what comes undone when a mother goes missing. It will make you realize you can spend a lifetime with someone and never really know who they are. There are only 7 episodes, but Melanie has promised us they are packed with action and information. She never wanted “air” within an episode – 6 episodes didn’t allow them to tell enough of the story and 8 was too drawn out, so she landed on lucky number 7. It’s a true ensemble cast, but the show (and the book) are very character driven, so each star gets their own time to shine. When the cast was asked what they love about the show and their characters they had some insight and some words of wisdom. Allison Brie said she loves playing a character who is basically an open wound. It’s new to her and allowed her to expand her skill set. Award winning actress, Annette Bening shared that she has always admired older actresses and envisioned playing women her age, as she hit those ages. She feels enlightened that she gets to do this and showcase women on screen that everyone can relate to. This mini-series is bound to leave viewers wishing a second season was possible.
Extended Family: This NBC show has proven to be a hit already in its first season and viewers are hoping it will be back for a second. Created by Mike O’Malley (of Yes, Dear fame, among many others), Extended Family is based on a true story, of the owner of the Boston Celtics who dates a woman whose ex-husband is the Celtics biggest fan. The show follows characters Jim and Julia, a divorced couple navigating co-parenting. This gets even tougher when Trey, the owner of the Boston Celtics wins Julia’s heart, and there is another co-parent in the picture. It’s got a great cast, including Jon Cryer, Abigail Spencer and Donald Faison. The energy the cast has is undeniable and they keep the audience laughing throughout each episode. It’s not only funny though, it injects cultural items that need to be talked about and does it in a very digestible way. Donald Faison said, “This show is the dream. I grew up on Cosby and Cheers and dreamed of being on an NBC sitcom. And here I am!” While Mr. Cryer is familiar with playing to a live audience, Abigail Spencer and Donald Faison are not and said it’s been a great learning curve. They said it took some time to adjust to laughs in real-time but now that they are comfortable with it, the audience and their reactions truly feed their performances. This show is relatable, light-hearted at times and not afraid to face tough stories. A sitcom like Extended Family is really what great network TV is all about. Faison said he feels network TV is re-defining itself right now – and if this is the definition they should stick with it!
To learn more, and find even more great shows to watch this spring, visit NBC.com and PeacockTV.com.
Photos provided by NBCU Media Village.
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