The Ted TV series, a spin-off from the 2012 film, has quietly appeared on Netflix and is rapidly ascending the streaming service's top 10 chart. The show, which originally aired on Peacock, follows the crude, weed-smoking teddy bear and his teenage owner John in a 1990s high school setting.
Critical Acclaim and Audience Reaction
The series currently holds an 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with its second season achieving a perfect 100% score based on 14 reviews. On IMDb, the show has a 7.9 out of 10 rating. One viewer, Kamal, called it an 'absolute game-changer,' adding, 'I'm obsessed! If you're a fan of Seth MacFarlane's style, you owe it to yourself to check this out.' Another reviewer, James Edward, wrote: 'This might annoy some people but this series is honestly better than the first two movies in terms of its direction, humour & writing.'
Plot and Tone
The premise carries over from the films: Ted came to life when eight-year-old John wished upon a shooting star. In the show, Max Burkholder plays John as a teenager. Episodes include antics like trying marijuana for the first time, renting porn videos, and racking up a massive phone sex line bill. Despite the cuddly bear animation, the content is not for children.
The Daily Beast praised the show for having 'quite a few more chuckles than its big-screen counterparts,' while ScreenAnarchy offered a more mixed review for season one: 'Frankly, Ted is far too foul-mouthed, and strays too far into perverse behaviour, for my personal taste. Even so, the LOL moments are too frequent to ignore.'
Availability and Context
Ted season one is now available to stream on Netflix. The show was created by Seth MacFarlane, who also voices the bear. The original film was Universal's highest-grossing movie of 2012 and broke box office records for an R-rated comedy. Paul Thomas Anderson even included it on his list of the best films of the 21st century.
