'On Patrol: Live' Streaming on Peacock Despite Past Controversies

On Patrol: Live has landed on Peacock after the streamer partnered with Reelz, the independent cable network behind the live police series. Reelz's linear feed will be available to Peacock Premium subscribers starting March 1, Variety reports. There will also be on-demand access to some Reelz library episodes, including On Patrol: Live next-day episodes. It is expected that Peacock subscribers will be able to stream On Patrol: Live on Peacock as it airs live on Reelz every Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. until midnight ET. A&E canceled the long-running series Live PD in 2020 due to protests against police brutality following the death of George Floyd, but now On Patrol: Live is a revival of the long-running series. After Big Fish Entertainment reworked the series and brought it to Reelz, it premiered in July 2022. This month, Reelz ordered 90 new episodes of On Patrol: Live, so it would not cease to air until at least January 2024.

Reelz has experienced great success with this show, hosted by Dan Abrams. In 2022, the network saw an increase in its primetime audience of 107% thanks to its success in picking up the On Patrol: Live. A&E sued Reelz and the show's producers last fall, arguing that it was copyright infringement against Live PD. Peacock parent NBCUniversal sold its stake in A&E in 2012, according to the outlet. Peacock is also the exclusive streaming provider of WWE wrestling. Due to this exclusivity, Reelz will be unable to stream its linear channel when Major League Wrestling airs on Tuesday evenings at 10 p.m. Because of this category exclusivity, the channel will not be available during that time. However, Major League Wrestling will conclude after 10 weeks, after which Reelz will offer linear programming on Tuesdays at 10 p.m.

As part of its effort to add new programming sources and bulk up its offering, Peacock's deal with Reelz continues the streaming service's push to diversify its content. One of the key components of that puzzle is the WWE, and Peacock signed a deal last year with Hallmark Media, including a live streaming of Hallmark Channel and some on-demand programming as part of the deal. One of the most important aspects of the deal is Peacock's access to Hallmark's iconic slate of holiday movies. Peacock now offers live feeds from Reelz, Hallmark, WWE, and local NBC stations. Reelz does not have the name recognition of Hallmark, but their police programming has an equally broad following in middle America. Live PD, before its cancellation, was cable TV's most-watched show.