"Superfans" of sitcom "The Office" and related key collections are driving engagement with NBCUniversal Media LLC's streaming service Peacock.

Speaking at a virtual industry event Jan. 19, Mark Lazarus, chairman of television and streaming at NBCU, said "The Office," which became the exclusive streaming property of Peacock on Jan. 1, is not only attracting users to the show's episodes but also to curated content in the form of collected segments or certain types of installments. "The Office," which first aired on NBC (US) from 2005 to 2013, joined Peacock after a run on Netflix Inc.

For Peacock, "The Office" is contributing to a huge jump in viewing, with over 20% of the service's consumption now generated by "superfan" engagement of theme collections and playlists, Lazarus said. Other library content with strong engagement includes programming from NBC's studio, Universal's film library and the archives of "Law & Order" producer Dick Wolf, the executive added.

Lazarus also noted the success of the rebooted "Saved by the Bell," a reimagining of the popular '90s sitcom. The reboot has been renewed for a second exclusive season on Peacock.

He said the streaming service's catch-up capabilities for current season shows are driving viewers to earlier seasons as well, creating more viewership for library content.

Peacock had surpassed 26 million sign-ups as of last month, and Lazarus anticipates the company will announce significant growth in the next few weeks. NBCU parent company Comcast Corp. is scheduled to hold its fourth-quarter 2020 earnings call on Jan. 28.

A recent deal allowing Charter Communications Inc.'s Spectrum pay TV customers an extended free trial of the premium version of the service is expected to drive more viewership. Lazarus noted that Peacock scored notable new signups last year following distribution of the service on Comcast and later Cox Communications Inc. "We're excited about our growth prospects," Lazarus said.

Those prospects extend to this summer's Olympic Games from Tokyo as well. Lazarus said while NBCU was disappointed the Tokyo Olympics had to be postponed from last summer because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rescheduling represents an opportunity for Peacock.

While NBC (US) will be the centerpiece of NBCU's Summer Olympics coverage, cable, digital apps and Peacock will offer complementary 24/7 coverage of the event. Lazarus said the Summer Games will be an "accelerant" for Peacock, which will include some exclusive content within its games package.