NBCUniversal’s Joe Exotic drama starring Kate McKinnon is no longer destined for broadcast television.
The series, initially set to air on NBC, USA Network, and Peacock, will now be exclusive to Peacock.
“Joe Exotic is shaping up to be a bold and provocative drama and perfectly suited for Peacock, where we can push the envelope and truly bring the story to life in a way that we would be unable to do on broadcast television,” said Susan Rovner, chairman of entertainment content at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming in a statement to THR.
“Moving Joe Exotic to Peacock exclusively is just one example of the strengths of our new structure, which gives us the ability to let the art dictate the platform and not the other way around.”
The news is actually not that surprising.
Launching a show in three destinations would probably dilute the ratings and not give an accurate representation of how many people are actually watching.
This, coupled with the fact that it would be confusing for viewers, means that it probably stands the best chance on streaming.
Netflix’s Tiger King flourished on streaming, but Peacock is not in the same league as the competing streamer.
A drama centered around the story that became a pop culture phenomenon on Peacock might help move the needle to get a wealth of more subscribers.
McKinnon is on board to play Carole Baskin.
The series will center around Baskin, Exotic, and the tigers they famously tussled over. The insanity begins when Baskin learns that her sworn nemesis is breeding and using his menagerie for profit.
“She sets out to shut down his venture, inciting a quickly escalating rivalry,” per the official logline.
“But Carole has a checkered past of her own and when the claws come out, Joe will stop at nothing to expose what he sees as her hypocrisy. The results prove dangerous.”
The project is based on Wondery’s Joe Exotic podcast, which was released last year.
John Cameron Mitchell in the titular role of Joe “Exotic” Schreibvogel in the series.
“I’m thrilled to take on the role of this modern folk antihero,” Mitchell said of his casting.
“Joe and I are the same age and like him, I grew up queer in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas so I feel like I know a little bit about this guy and his desperate attempt to conquer an inhospitable world.”
What are your thoughts on the move to streaming?
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Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.