NBC’s 13M Viewers Sleeper Hit Is Officially a Reminder That Hits Don’t Have To Be Sci-Fi

The boom of the Peak TV era has left viewers with more options than ever before when it comes to small-screen viewing. With so much to choose from — and so many different platforms to peruse — it’s becoming increasingly difficult for networks to break out with a bona fide hit. Streamers tend to have the flashier, higher-budget shows that can entice viewers with bold premises and expansive genre worlds. Many of the biggest television hits of the past several years — Stranger Things, The Last of Us, Andor — have been sci-fi epics belonging to established properties. However, the recent success of NBC‘s new comedy The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins proves classic network sitcoms still have staying power.

‘The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins’ Premiere Scored Huge Viewership Numbers

The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins is NBC’s highest-profile new show of the current TV season, backed by a number of big-name creatives. It stars Tracy Morgan as the titular character, a disgraced former NFL star who seeks redemption and a place in the Hall of Fame. To achieve that, he hires Oscar-winning filmmaker Arthur Tobin (Daniel Radcliffe) to make a documentary about his life, though it soon becomes apparent that the two men have very different visions for the project.

NBC clearly saw the potential of The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, which was co-created by 30 Rock‘s Sam Means and Robert Carlock. The first episode received an early broadcast premiere, dropping on January 18 after the NFL playoff game between the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears. Per Variety, this earned an initial audience of 5.8 million viewers, but the total number has grown substantially since then. When delayed viewing from Peacock and other platforms is factored in, in the 50 days since its premiere, The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins‘ first episode has reached nearly 13 million viewers. Additionally, Episode 2 is Peacock’s most-watched comedy episode of the 2025-26 season to date. The specific viewership number was not disclosed.

Since then, a few more episodes have aired, though it isn’t yet clear how well they have performed. It’s likely that The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins‘ audience will dip a bit in subsequent weeks; it’s extremely rare that a show keeps going up, as oftentimes viewers can fall behind with week-to-week releases. However, this definitely puts the series in a great position for the rest of its freshman run and shows that network TV still has a lot to offer. Big-budget sci-fi isn’t the only thing that can break out these days.

With Big Stars and a Classic Format, ‘The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins’ Has the Ingredients for a Hit

Network TV has developed a reputation for being more generic and less ambitious than streaming projects, which also have the added benefit of attracting A-list talent. The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins challenges this idea, albeit in a way that still firmly marks it as a broadcast title. Its biggest strength is the odd-couple pairing of Morgan and Radcliffe, two stars with vastly different comedic styles and personalities. Morgan remains a legendary comedy actor thanks to his work on 30 Rock and Saturday Night Live, and Radcliffe continues to endear and impress audiences with his diverse post-Harry Potter roles. Their involvement alone gives The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins a big boost.

Beyond that, creatives Carlock and Means, as well as executive producer Tina Fey, have proven track records with sitcoms that serve as strong endorsements for audiences. The mockumentary format has produced enduring, fan-favorite hits like The Office, Parks and Recreation, and Modern Family, and The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins has given the well-trodden set-up a bit of a twist by having the crew be just as central to the plot as the subjects. It’s a throwback to the beloved sitcoms of the 2000s and 2010s with a fresh, updated spin, and it’s thus far been a big win for NBC and network TV as a whole.

Above all else, The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins‘ success is proof that what viewers want these days is unique, uncomplicated storytelling. It’s reliable entertainment, the kind that audiences can tune into week after week for classic laughs. Whereas the big-budget streaming offerings can be just as rewarding, they also often require more viewer investment and have varied release cycles. Network television can stick to a specific formula while offering original ideas, and in the case of The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, its combined elements have made a recipe that audiences are happily devouring.

New episodes of The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins premiere on NBC on Mondays.