Peacock renews The Five Star Weekend

Peacock renewed “The Five Star Weekend” for a second season on Wednesday, Aug. 5, after the streamer said the Jennifer Garner-led drama became its top scripted series in overall reach. The pickup came less than a month after the show’s July 9 debut. Peacock said the series has reached 2.1 billion minutes viewed, while TheWrap reported the renewal on Aug. 5. The series is based on Elin Hilderbrand’s 2023 novel of the same name and stars Garner as Hollis Shaw, a food writer and influencer whose life is upended by her husband’s death. Peacock released all eight episodes of the first season at once. The cast also includes D’Arcy Carden, Gemma Chan, Regina Hall, Chloë Sevigny, Harlow Jane and Timothy Olyphant. (thewrap.com) ### How big was Peacock’s audience claim? Peacock said “The Five Star Weekend” now stands at 2.1 billion minutes viewed and ranks as its No. 1 scripted series of all time in overall reach. TheWrap said the show also ranked among the top five streaming original series during its first two weeks after premiere, citing preliminary Nielsen data. (peacocktv.com) NBC and Peacock scripted content chief Lisa Katz said in a statement that audiences had “completely embraced” the story of friendship and reconnection. NBCUniversal’s corporate release separately described the show as Peacock’s No. 1 scripted series in overall reach, though a version of that release surfaced with a lower 1.8 billion-minute figure, suggesting the audience total was later updated in follow-on coverage. (thewrap.com) That comparison is an inference based on the differing published figures. ### What exactly is the show about? Jennifer Garner plays Hollis Shaw, who invites four women from different stages of her life to Nantucket after a personal loss. Peacock has described the drama as an adaptation centered on friendship, grief and long-buried tensions over the course of a reunion weekend. (nbcuniversal.com) The source material came from Hilderbrand, whose beach-set fiction has become a frequent target for screen adaptation. Variety reported that the television version was originally built from Hilderbrand’s 2023 bestseller rather than from an ongoing book series, which means a second season would move beyond the single novel’s published storyline. (peacocktv.com) ### Who is behind the series? IMDb lists Bekah Brunstetter as the creator of the television adaptation. Peacock and entertainment coverage around the renewal have framed the show around Garner’s lead role, with the ensemble cast serving as one of its main selling points. Variety’s Aug. 5 report said the renewal followed the show’s emergence as Peacock’s most-watched scripted series ever. (variety.com) That places the series in a small group of Peacock originals that have generated large audience claims quickly after launch. ### What has Peacock said about Season 2? Peacock announced only the renewal on Aug. 5 and did not provide a Season 2 premiere date. (imdb.com) The streamer also did not announce new casting, episode count or plot details for the next installment in the materials reviewed. Season 1 remains available on Peacock, where all eight episodes premiered July 9. (variety.com) Any next formal update is likely to come from Peacock or NBCUniversal, which issued the renewal announcement and audience figures this week. (peacocktv.com) (thewrap.com)