How NBCU Built the Most Powerful Streamer in Reality TV

by

When NBCUniversal launched its streaming service in 2020, it was already behind the leaders. Netflix and HBO Max were dominating the market with popular release strategies – Netflix dropping entire seasons at once, and HBO Max building anticipation with big Sunday night premieres. At the same time, NBCUniversal’s traditional cable channels were struggling. USA Network was in decline, and E! lost its biggest stars, the Kardashians, who moved their reality show to Hulu, owned by Disney, in December of that year.

Reality Masterminds

Reality Masterminds

Our inaugural celebration of the most powerful people in unscripted television.

See All

 

When NBCUniversal launched Peacock, its new streaming service, Bravo stood out from the competition and became the dominant force in reality TV. Even as NBCU scaled back much of its traditional TV programming to compete with other streamers, they continued to invest in Bravo, home to shows like Real Housewives and Below Deck. This proved to be a smart move. Six years later, NBCU’s unscripted shows – including streaming hits Love Island USA and The Traitors, and long-running favorites America’s Got Talent and The Voice – are more successful than ever.

As a big fan of reality TV, I’ve been really impressed with how well Bravo has done lately. They still have around two dozen original shows, which is amazing considering how much cable ratings have dropped. Last year, they were even a top-five entertainment cable network for viewers under 50 – a huge feat! It’s pretty telling that networks like MTV and VH1, which used to compete with Bravo, are struggling now after cutting back on what they produce. But honestly, where Bravo really shines is with streaming on Peacock. NBCU made a smart move in 2022 by putting all Bravo content on Peacock just one day after it aired on cable. While broadcast networks had been doing this for a while, cable channels were usually hesitant to share their shows outside of traditional cable subscriptions. Having current Bravo shows on Peacock has been a game-changer for attracting new subscribers and keeping existing ones. It’s also helped Bravo franchises stay popular with younger viewers who would never consider getting cable, but suddenly tune in when something juicy happens on shows like Vanderpump Rules or Summer House.

Peacock became the main streaming hub for Bravo shows, offering a large library of content spanning the past two decades. This foundation allowed Peacock to grow quickly, especially with the successful revival of Love Island USA in mid-2022 (originally on CBS) and the launch of The Traitors in early 2023. These shows aimed to draw in fans of popular reality TV categories like dating and competition, and they did just that – both became some of Peacock’s most-watched programs. Importantly, Bravo stars played a key role in their success: Ariana Madix from Vanderpump Rules appeared on Love Island and later became its host, and cast members from Real Housewives, Below Deck, and Summer House have been featured on every season of The Traitors.

Rachel Smith and Sharon Vuong are key players in making Peacock a leading streaming service for reality TV. Smith manages all unscripted content for both Bravo and Peacock, working closely with Bravo chairman Frances Berwick. Vuong leads unscripted programming for NBC, bringing experience from successfully developing shows like Love Island and The Traitors on Peacock. Both were selected as part of our first group of ‘Reality Masterminds,’ and they’ll be discussing how Peacock developed its unique style of reality TV, how Bravo shows continue to contribute to its success, and why traditional NBC television remains important.

When you launched Peacock in 2020, Sharon, you already had a built-in audience from Bravo shows and were looking to expand. You started by acquiring Love Island from CBS. Considering you’d previously developed the show at CBS, what made it a good fit for Peacock?

Sharon Vuong: Love Island is a huge franchise with a really dedicated fanbase – those are rare and valuable. I always believed the show had untapped potential and just needed the right platform. It was incredibly fortunate that it became available.

We wanted to create a version of Love Island for Peacock that went further than what traditional TV allowed. Streaming gives us the freedom to air more episodes each week and embrace a more playful and uninhibited tone, similar to the UK version on ITV. Building up Peacock’s content library was a priority, and Love Island felt like the ideal show to do that with – it gave us a chance to really reinvent it for a streaming audience.

Last season, Love Island became incredibly popular. What caused this surge in viewers?

S.V.: It all began with Love Island Games. That was the first time the show was presented as a competition, similar to the Olympics. The producers used what they learned from Love Island Games to improve seasons six and seven. We encouraged the contestants to take responsibility for their choices and added a competitive element that appeals to American audiences. Our version of the show is unique compared to others in the Love Island franchise because we focus on building towards major, exciting moments – and that all started with Love Island Games.

We hired Alan Cumming as host on the recommendation of Studio Lambert, the production company. As soon as we heard his name, we knew he was the perfect fit. He’s a talented actor with a strong theater background, and being Scottish added another layer. When we spoke with him, he immediately understood the vision for the show and offered a unique perspective. He was eager to make the role his own, and many of his best lines were actually improvised!

While shows like Love Island and The Traitors have helped grow Peacock, Bravo content remains the foundation of the streaming service. Rachel, can you describe what defines a Bravo show in the future? What sets it apart from shows created specifically for Peacock, or reality shows on other platforms?

Rachel Smith: Bravo shows are built on a blend of humor, genuine drama (not just drama for the sake of it), and a knowing wink to the audience – letting them in on the joke. And it has to feel authentic. We start with real people who have existing relationships and connections, whether it’s the setting of a show like Below Deck or the Housewives franchise. It needs to be grounded in reality and become a part of the cultural conversation. We have a specific formula, whether it’s a competition like Top Chef or another type of show.

With so many shows already on Bravo, launching something new – whether it’s a completely fresh series or a spin-off – requires careful planning. How do you ensure a new show feels like it belongs within the Bravo brand and isn’t just a rehash of something you’ve done before?

R.S.: We’re always searching for interesting and unexpected communities and lifestyles. We want our shows to reflect the diversity of America – both in terms of location, covering both coasts and the heartland – and the people who live here. We also look for elements of aspiration and glamour, which can take many forms. Ultimately, we create entertaining TV that allows people to escape and have fun, so it’s crucial that we deliver on those expectations.

As a huge fan of the Housewives franchise, it’s wild to think it’s been around for twenty years! I’ve always wondered how Bravo decides where to set a new city like The Real Housewives of Rhode Island. Is it like a sports league now, where cities are actively trying to get a show? Apparently, it’s all about the people. They’re really looking for a cast with a lot of history and genuine connection – and a surprising location is a bonus. They’ve noticed other networks keep going back to the same cities like Atlanta, LA, and New York, so Bravo is actively searching all over the country for interesting and diverse personalities. They’re really casting a wide net!

The interviewer asked how the Rhode Island casting process went. The casting director found a woman who lived on the water and used her boat as her primary mode of transportation, which the director thought was a fantastic image. More importantly, the actors chosen for the Rhode Island scenes had all grown up together – they knew each other from grade school, and their parents were friends. This existing connection was a significant advantage.

These days, are you focusing more on starting new shows or revitalizing your established ones?

R.S.: My top priority is strengthening our existing franchises – making sure each show has the perfect combination of cast, producers, and writers, and that the stories remain compelling. We also have a couple of unannounced docuseries in the works that are really innovative and offer a fresh approach to storytelling.

Sharon, your current focus is on traditional television and NBC. It’s been about seven years since a truly massive unscripted show—like Fox’s The Masked Singer—premiered on a major network. With so much investment going into streaming services now, can broadcast television still launch a breakout hit?

S.V.: We asked the same question when launching Peacock: could we create a huge hit on a streaming platform? And I think we can. It’s all about finding exceptional, original ideas. We’ve established strong relationships with the BBC and production companies like Studio Lambert and Fremantle, as well as our own Universal studio, to develop shows. But network television remains the best place for an unscripted show to become a massive success. I really believe that.

As a huge fan of The Traitors, I’m really excited about the new version coming to NBC! It’s going to be a totally different game than what we’ve seen on Peacock, and I think that’s brilliant. The show will feature a group of people who have never met before, which means no pre-existing relationships or alliances – just pure strategy. Plus, having Alan Kummerfield continue as host is fantastic! The idea is to reach a wider audience on network TV and maybe even have players from the NBC edition eventually compete on the Peacock version – it’s a smart way to keep the whole Traitors universe thriving.

The episodes of “The Traitors” currently run for about an hour on Peacock and the BBC, but standard U.S. television hours are closer to 42 minutes. We’re currently deciding how to best adapt the show for NBC. We could either shorten the episodes to fit a one-hour slot, or air it as a longer 90-minute block, similar to how CBS airs “Survivor” and “Amazing Race.” Like “Survivor,” this show is flexible and can work well in various timeframes – the full hour on Peacock, or a more traditional 42-43 minute slot. The core elements of the show – the roundtable discussions, the Traitors’ meeting space, the challenges, and Alan’s hosting – will remain consistent no matter how long the episodes are.

Read More

2026-05-07 18:58