Why Ted Is The Funniest Show on TV Right Now
The 90s Nostalgia
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A prequel to the films that preceded it, “Ted” takes place in the early 90s where he is comfortably living with the Bennett family. The show hilariously skewers the ‘90s setting with a barrage of pop culture references from that period. Take for instance Ted and John becoming convinced that Steven Spielberg was given real dinosaurs to make “Jurassic Park”. Or the pair making the excuse that they lost their pocket money by watching “Schindler’s List.” But, perhaps the most amusing use of 90s culture takes place during John’s attempt at losing his virginity. The teen’s chances get dashed when his date becomes distracted with a breaking news story on TV - O.J. Simpson’s notorious white Bronco chase. The show’s production design, costumes, and props department all take their cues from the 1990s. From Pound Puppies to Lori Laughlin, if you’re a 90s kid, this series is a veritable time machine.
The Movie References
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Do you need to have seen 2012’s “Ted” and/or its 2015 sequel to enjoy this prequel TV series? Not at all. In fact, the show has very little ties to the movies. The good news, however, is that eagle-eyed fans of those films will find plenty of Easter eggs referencing Ted’s big screen adventures. You won’t have to wait that long either, as the series’ opening theme, “Everybody Needs a Best Friend,'' is the same song used in the first movie. After all, it was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the time! The show’s first episode also serves as an origin for Ted and John’s love of smoking pot while watching “Flash Gordon.” The call-backs, big and small, keep coming until the very last scene of the first season’s final episode. It’s here that we are treated to the beginnings of the infamous “Thunder Buddies'' song that’s featured in the first film.
The Visual Effects
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If you ever wondered what goes into making a believable foul-mouthed talking teddy bear, the answer is a lot! To be more specific: 3,000 VFX Shots and 44 Hours of Motion Capture work from creator Seth MacFarlane. Couldn’t they have just used the original assets from the first 2 films? Well, given that it’s over 10 years later, technological advancements have made those assets outdated, meaning everything needed to be started again from scratch. “Ted” also marks the first time that an animated lead was filmed in real time alongside other performers – this thanks to an augmented reality tool called View Screen Studio. We’d say the hard work and innovation paid off, as Ted feels less like a CG character and more like an actual living being. Never has a robust teddy bear bursting out of a cafeteria refrigerator full of hot dog wieners looked so authentic! "I'm the King of the wieners!"
The Family Guy Connections
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Could Seth MacFarlane’s long-running adult animated series, “Family Guy,” really be connected to his live-action series “Ted”? Maybe, maybe not – but there’s no denying some fun crossovers between the shows. For one, in the 3rd episode of “Ted,” John and his teddy bear best friend rent some “adult” video tapes. It just so happens that the first film they put on is titled “Genital Hospital” – the same name as the X-rated flick Chris Griffin and his friends watched in an episode of “Family Guy.” There’s also the fact that John’s crush in the show is named Betheny Borgwort. Borgwort also happens to be the maiden name of Brian Griffin’s mother-in-law on “Family Guy.” Add in some very similar music cues and a “MacFarlane-verse” seems increasingly likely at this point.
The Ensemble
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Except for Seth MacFarlane returning to voice the titular character, the remainder of “Ted’s” cast is made up of new faces to the franchise. And, given that this is a prequel set in 1993, it only makes sense. Luckily, the new crop of actors make for stellar stand-ins. This includes Max Burkholder as a young John Bennett. Max effortlessly employs the same authentic buddy relationship with Ted as Mark Wahlberg did in the films. Perhaps most impressive is that Burkholder, while playing a 16-year-old on the show, is 26 years-old in real life. In addition, Alanna Ubach and Scott Grimes expertly step into the roles of John’s parents, giving the couple a truly comical good-cop/bad-cop dynamic. Rounding out the family unit is Giorgia Whigham as Blaire, John's progressive cousin who lives with the Bennett family. While Blaire serves as the voice of reason, her advice often goes unyielded.
The Sitcom Homages
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Like Seth MacFarlane did with “Family Guy” and “American Dad,” the creator gives “Ted” a sitcom-adjacent look and feel. So much so that the exterior of the Bennett’s house is a dead ringer for the one featured in the wholesome 1975 sitcom “Leave it to Beaver.” The conversations inside the house, however, are anything but wholesome. But that’s where parallels to other groundbreaking sitcoms come in, such as “All in the Family”- a noted influence for “Ted.” Sure, the political and social discussions are given punchlines, but the themes are important and nuanced – even for this day and age. The unique family dynamic also has “90’s sitcom” written all over it, as does the interior set design of the family’s home. And, for all its crassness, there’s a surprising large helping of heart thrown into the mix. Alf walked so Ted could run!
The Comedy
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Like any Seth MacFarlane project, “Ted” is jam-packed with hilarious gags, entertaining scenarios, and laugh-out-loud lines. Simply put, the show is very funny. And with a vast array of differing personalities in the mix, everyone gets a chance to drop some truly memorable quotes - be it Matty’s not-safe-for-work Vietnam confession or Suze’s Halloween surprise backfire, "Can I have a hint?" "I can't do this to you. It's in the hamper. I'll go get it." Of course, Ted’s always got the best zingers "Johnny, we're watching porn. It's either gonna be creepy or tragic. Those are the choices." And while the comedy can get more than a little warped at times (did we mention there’s a talking dump truck in an episode?) we honestly wouldn’t want it any other way. Trust us, “Ted” is an R-rated crude comedy that’ll leave you in stitches. Now if only we could confirm a second season… What are your thoughts on “Ted”? Don’t be afraid to let the stuffing fly in the comments below.
