Ted is now streaming on Peacock.
Comedy has modified lots since Ted debuted in cinemas 12 years in the past. Past the shifting tides of tradition and style, the once-dominant style’s theatrical fortunes have nosedived, with solely a handful of celebrity-led initiatives making the minimize every year. With large names like Adam Sandler, Melissa McCarthy, and Kevin Hart retreating to streaming, it’s simple to see how a prequel to one in every of the biggest comedy hits of all time would find yourself on Peacock. However that could be the one signal of Ted’s means to vary with the occasions. This throwback to the varsity days of John Bennett (Max Burkholder, inheriting the function originated by Mark Wahlberg) and his stuffed BFF (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) leans closely on a drained premise: Sure, the lovable teddy bear nonetheless says impolite issues.
The slick opening theme paying homage to Household Man is an early indication: Ted is a well-made live-action riff on a few of MacFarlane’s standard animated sitcoms, simply with barely totally different characters. Burkholder does an amazing job of channelling Wahlberg’s over-the-top efficiency (and his Southie accent) from Ted and Ted 2, whereas the remainder of the solid manages to be equally irritating/hilarious relying in your tolerance ranges. John’s mother and father have been renamed Matty (Scott Grimes) and Susan (Alanna Ubach) for some cause, and a number of the present focuses on the friction between them. Throw a random cousin (Giorgia Whigham) into the combo and this new season of Household Man Ted is off to a decidedly satisfactory begin.
Sadly not making the leap from movie to collection: Patrick Stewart. Fortunately, the Star Trek legend has handed the function of narrator-preoccupied-with-Apache-helicopters to his pal and X-Males nemesis, Ian McKellen. McKellen is vastly underused, solely displaying up in a handful of episodes – however when he’s round, he delivers some actual zingers.
The jokes in Ted are a lot of what we’ve seen and heard earlier than – outrage is the secret, and a number of the humor is derived from the worn-out gag of a cute, cuddly teddy bear saying some actually terrible stuff. There are punchlines about Jewish individuals, cannibalism, John Belushi, and even one joke you’ve undoubtedly heard earlier than within the Paul Rudd-Seann William Scott car Position Fashions. Once more, for those who’ve watched Household Man, what to anticipate, and that’s the largest downside.
The present improves because it goes alongside, reaching its stride across the midway mark. The introduction of a wild new character places a unusual spin on the components, and Ted’s popular culture riffs solely get stronger because the collection progresses. Whether or not you stick round that lengthy and even give Ted an opportunity within the first place will rely in your enthusiasm for the films and MacFarlane’s different work.
There’s no overarching narrative or perhaps a cause for Ted’s seven episodes to exist collectively. Every episode is self-contained – a conventional sitcom with out a 100-episode backlog. It’s a disgrace, as a result of Ted would sit properly as a consolation watch, the kind of factor value tuning in to week after week for a contemporary slice of the Bennett household’s lives. Seven episodes give Ted barely sufficient room to select up velocity, after which it simply slumps lifelessly over the ending line by the point it will get to the great things. Maybe a second season may take issues additional – the laughs is probably not vastly authentic, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a welcome addition to the MacFarlane secure.
One of many key causes to return to Ted is the one-two punch of John and Ted – their rapport is excellent, and Burkholder takes the reins from Wahlberg with ease. Throw in some nostalgia-driven giggles and a few hilarious callbacks to the films and also you’ve obtained a totally respectable comedy that captures what’s pleasing about its cinematic supply materials.
