As a source for so much legendary comedy like Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show, and its many sitcoms, it shouldn’t be a surprise that NBC wants to expand its offerings beyond just “must-see TV.” (Especially because it hasn’t been able to use that slogan for a while.) Everything is going digital and streaming nowadays, and NBC wants in. Today, NBCUniversal announced that they will be launching Seeso, a digital streaming channel that will be exclusively comedy content.
With a planned launch in January 2016, Seeso will feature original content from some very recognizable names like Amy Poehler and her Upright Citizens Brigade co-founders Matt Walsh, Matt Besser, and Ian Roberts, Comedy Bang Bang‘s Scott Aukerman, and Reno 911‘s Ben Garant. In addition to web series, it’ll also feature new stand-up from names like Cameron Esposito and Wyatt Cenac. Seeso will also be keeping things in the family by teaming up with Above Average Productions, which was created by SNL‘s Lorne Michaels.
But the most surprising name to see was Dan Harmon’s. Exact details weren’t provided about what he’d be doing for Seeso, but considering how badly NBC treated Community when it was on TV — and how they should have been considering the digital audience of the show during its run instead of antiquated Nielsen ratings — it’s interesting to see Harmon’s name on the list of collaborators. But it’s there! Maybe somewhere along the line, NBCUniversal realized that Harmon was on to something.
In addition to original content, Seeso will also host some existing titles and stream various NBC comedies like Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and Late Night with Seth Meyers. But don’t think of this as a mere web extension of NBC — they’ll also feature classic comedy like Kids in the Hall, Monty Python, and The IT Crowd.
NBC wants to remain a destination for good comedy and they are finally deciding to evolve with the times and get on the internet! It’s too bad Community had to sacrifice itself to get them to do it.