It’s been over ten years since “Ted” hit theaters in 2012. Ushering in a big R-rated comedy hit for creator Seth MacFarlane and star Mark Wahlberg, it’s still the 12th highest-grossing R-rated film of all time. Directed, written, and voiced by MacFarlane, the “Ted” premise was simple. John Bennett is a man whose childhood wish of bringing his teddy bear to life came true. “Ted 2” arrived in 2015. And now, nearly nine years later, the “Ted” franchise returns as a limited event series on Peacock.
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“Ted,” the event series, serves as a prequel to the hit film franchise and will take fans on a potty-mouthed, R-rated nostalgic journey back to the 90s. There, Ted lives with his best friend, 16-year-old John Bennett, and his family in Massachusetts. Joining Seth’s iconic teddy bear is a fresh cast of characters played by Max Burkholder (“Parenthood”), Alanna Ubach (“Euphoria”), Scott Grimes (“The Orville”), and Giorgia Whigham (“13 Reasons Why”).
Here’s the official synopsis:
In this comedic prequel event series to the Ted films, it’s 1993, and Ted the Bear’s (Seth MacFarlane) moment of fame has passed. He’s now living back home in Framingham, Massachusetts, with his best friend, 16-year-old John Bennett (Max Burkholder), along with John’s parents, Matty and Susan (Scott Grimes and Alanna Ubach), and cousin Blaire (Giorgia Whigham). 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 MacFarlane is the executive producer/writer/director/ and co-showrunner of the series, and executive producer/writers and co-showrunners Paul Corrigan and Brad Walsh join him.
“[While] it takes place in the nineties but is based on the timeless truth that being sixteen sucks. 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,” the three showrunners MacFarlane, Corrigan, and Walsh said in a co-statement. “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).”
All seven new “Ted” event series episodes will be available on Peacock on January 11, 2024. Watch the new trailer below.