From Snl To “the Chairman”: Eddie Murphy’s First Scripted Series Coming To Peacock

Back in 1981, an 19-year-old Eddie Murphy took the stage at Saturday Night Live and told the cast he could carry the entire show alone. The producers rolled their eyes. Two seasons later, nobody was rolling anything anymore — because the guy actually did it. A young comedian from Brooklyn walked into 30 Rockefeller Plaza and turned the place into his personal playground.

And now, decades later, Eddie Murphy is doing it all over again — except this time, he's bringing a whole new project to television. His first-ever scripted series, called "The Chairman," is officially heading to Peacock.

Yeah, the irony is delicious. The guy who once performed entire episodes by himself is now handing himself an entire series. You can't make this stuff up.

So, What Is "The Chairman" All About?

Here's where it gets interesting. "The Chairman" isn't just another sitcom where Murphy plays a funny guy living in a big house. The series revolves around the world of corporate power games, involving a mysterious chairman at the top of a massive organization.

Murphy will reportedly lead the cast alongside a lineup of talented collaborators, bringing that signature blend of sharp wit and unapologetic nonsense that we all know and love. Think less "coming to America, again" and more "coming to the boardroom."

And honestly? About time. Murphy has been away from scripted series for far too long.

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Why Peacock, Though?

Peacock — yes, the streaming platform named after a bird — has been hungry for content that actually makes people curious. Let's be real for a second: for a lot of us, Peacock is probably still where we watched one episode of Bel-Air and then immediately forgot it existed.

But snagging a legend like Eddie Murphy for a scripted series? That's a serious flex. Something tells me the network's lineup is about to get a lot more entertaining.

It's like showing up to a dinner party where people already judged the food — and then your richest friend walks in with wagyu. Suddenly, everyone's paying attention.

The Murphy Comeback Isn't Just One Thing

Let's step back for a moment. Ever since Murphy's powerhouse turn in Dolemite Is My Name back in 2019, everyone has been asking the same question: "When does he do something bigger?"

Eddie Murphy Snl Trigo Sarraceno إيدي ميرفي يعود إلى

Well, "The Chairman" seems to be part of his answer. After that, we had Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F on Netflix in 2024, which proved he still has the chops to command a screen (even one as big as yours).

But a scripted series is a different beast entirely. It's not a movie you can shoot and forget — it's a ongoing commitment, week after week, episode after episode.

And that's what makes this so exciting. Murphy isn't just chasing one pay check. He's building a new chapter.

(Side note: Yes, he'll probably still show up unannounced at random open mics purely to humiliate local comedians with three sterile jokes. Some things never change.)

Eddie Murphy Monologue - SNL - YouTube

The Reluctant Legend Returns

What always made Murphy special was that he never seemed desperate for the spotlight. He'd disappear for years, do absolute silence, then come back swinging like nothing happened.

This series feels like the same move — but made permanent. He's tired of vanishing, it seems, and "The Chairman" may be his way of staying put.

And we're here for it. Really.

The script is reportedly being crafted with input from both Murphy and experienced television showrunners, which gives it a strong chance of actually working. Not every high-profile series succeeds (looking at you, Bel-Air, again), but the raw ingredients here are promising.

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Should You Set a Reminder?

Short answer: absolutely.

You don't need to rewatch every single Eddie Murphy film or every classic SNL sketch to appreciate what's happening here. You just need to recognize that a once-in-a-generation talent is doing something he's never done before — for a platform that desperately needs him.

"The Chairman" has no confirmed release date yet, but the buzz is very real. And if the teaser images or trailer drop anything soon, you'll probably hear about it from at least three different group chats.

Eddie Murphy going from SNL wild card to Peacock cornerstone — what a ride. Who's got popcorn?