First look at iconic comedy’s spin-off TV series – and it’s just weeks away from hitting screens
EVERYONE’S favourite foul-mouth teddy bear is returning to screens next year.
Ted will reunite with a teenage John Bennett in a prequel series that follows the best friends through high school.
The U.S. streaming service Peacock has commissioned the series based on the success of the hit blockbuster movies starring Mark Wahlberg. The series will air on Sky Max and NOW at the beginning of 2024.
As a prequel to the hit movies, the upcoming TV series is making some changes and it won’t include Mark, 52. Instead it will follow 16-year-old John and Ted through all their teenage antics, including taking drugs for the first time.
“It’s 1993, and Ted the bear’s moment of fame has passed. He’s now living back home in Framingham, Massachusetts, with his best friend, 16-year-old John Bennett, along with John’s parents, Matty and Susan and cousin Blaire,” the official synopsis teases.
It continues: “Ted may be a lousy influence on John, but at the end of the day, he’s a loyal pal who’s always willing to go out on a limb for friendship.”
Seth McFarlane is returning as the titular teddy bear but he’s joined by an all-new cast.
Max Burkholder taking over the role of his best friend John Bennett, while Alanna Ubach will play John’s mother, taking over the role from Alex Bostein.
John’s dad is getting a total makeover, too. Previously named Steve in the movies, he is now called Matty and is played by Scott Grimes rather than Ralph Garman. Giorgia Whigham will also star in the series as John’s cousin Blaire.
In a joint statement, Seth and executive producers, writers, and co-showrunners Paul Corrigan and Brad Walsh previously spoke on the upcoming series. Diving into their motivation to create the show, they said they wanted to continue exploring the world they created.
“Our series is a prequel to the Ted movies. It takes place in the nineties but is based on the timeless truth that being sixteen sucks.
“The only thing that makes it tolerable is going through it with a friend, even if that friend is a has-been magical teddy bear with a foul mouth and a proclivity for drug use.”
They continued: “The three of us were teenagers in the nineties and grew up in and around Boston, where the show takes place. So many of these stories are personal for us.
“We were able to put the characters through some of the same indignities and milestones we experienced back then. Also, we made stuff up (it’s a lot of pages to fill, and real life is mostly boring).”
Katie Keenan, Group Director of Acquisitions, Sky UK also commented on the upcoming series, saying: “We’re honoured to welcome the foul-mouthed, larger-than-life character that is Ted to Sky next year.
“The Ted movies were a global smash hit, and we can’t wait to see what the TV prequel has in store, however given Seth is behind the project, we know it’s going to be riotous fun for Sky customers, from start to finish.”
Ted will air on Sky Max and NOW on 11 January 2024.