As 2021 rolled around, nearly everyone was looking forward to the new year and all that it had promised. That is until the tragic announcement that the hit comedy, The Office, would be leaving Netflix for a new streaming platform called Peacock. Though Hulu and, more recently, DisneyPlus have pulled some shows from Netflix for their own platforms, it still feels like an entirely different situation with Peacock and The Office. Peacock seems to be centering their entire platform around The Office which can be problematic as it was not their show to begin with and not everyone likes the office, surprisingly.

While a lot of people responded by saying they only kept Netflix just to watch The Office, the majority doesn’t actually mean it. Netflix contains access to countless shows and produces many originals of their own, meaning there’s at least one thing all of its subscribers will enjoy. As seen with big hits such as Stranger Things, Nailed it!, Big Mouth and other original shows and movies, Netflix can create good content on their own. Yes, Netflix allows it’s viewers to access classics like Arrested Development and Gilmore Girls, but they have proved repeatedly that the loss of other shows won’t stop them from functioning. Other services such as HBO are known more for their original content, like Game of Thrones, or seem to have the dominant control over one network, such as Hulu with Family Guy, American Dad, Bob’s Burgers and Rick and Morty. 

Peacock, however, seems to be doing something different. And it’s a little troubling. Nearly every ad for Peacock I have seen solely promotes The Office. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love that show, and it is certainly the main reason I would consider making a Peacock account. However, it took me taking the time to see what Peacock is actually about to notice how many other shows and movies, classic and original, they actually have. Peacock has numerous fan favorites, like Downton Abbey and Dateline, which can easily solidify the decision for someone debating to subscribe to them or not. But for some reason, those shows aren’t talked about as much. Instead, when people think of Peacock, they think only of being able to watch Jim put staplers in jello again. And while that’s perfectly fine for fans of The Office, by only focusing on this one show, Peacock is putting itself at risk of losing potential subscribers who may not enjoy The Office. 
It’s important for companies to know where their strengths are, and to know what products will attract the most consumers. When that product becomes the only thing the company seems to be offering, that could lead to problems. If Peacock really wants to draw in the highest amount of subscribers that they can, then they should consider promoting The Office and all the other shows they have to offer.