By Shaurya Lall
Seth MacFarlane’s crafted prequel of the quippy teddy bear ‘Ted’ and his life long friend John Bennett brings back a genre of comedy which was lost among the era of modern day sitcoms.
About Show: The show is set in the majestic 90s which is just after a few years that Ted, his teddy bear has come to life through the prayers of his lifelong friend John Bennett. John is 16 years old here and lives with his comically dysfunctional yet characterful family. The 90s theme has been taken quite seriously with intricate detailing of sets and references. The VFX work on Ted is masterfully done in every scene. Ted is always sharp and remains as realistic as a talking teddy bear can be. The humour of the 2 standalone Ted films carry onto this 7 episode series. Even the low brow humour which we have seen in various projects of Seth MacFarlane such as Family Guy and American dad attend the parade. What stands apart here is the presentation and the chemistry of characters ensuring that a few recycled jokes still deliver laughs. The sardonic comedy leans into social and political commentary as well. These moments never feel forcefully written unlike many other shows which jump upon a bandwagon of political correction and preaching.
Narration: Ted feels like a passion project overall as it never feels disconnected narrative wise which has been a criticism of Seth’s previous works. It’s not just dunking one dark joke after the other but rather takes you through a microscopic view of the Bennett household. All characters are given due attention and not just used as plot devices.
Cast: The immaculate casting elevate the screenplay. Max Burnholder as John Bennett delivers a stelar performance. One could easily see his mannerism and believe that he will become the already established character of middle aged John from the films. Alanna Ubach fills the shoes of John’s mother. Her role exceptionally stands out because she perfectly nails her character of a timid and reserved home maker. Scott Grimes ’s performance as her husband and the conservative patriarch leaves no room for complaint. The outsider in the Bennett Family is John’s Cousin Blaire brought to life by Georgia Whingham. She is portrayed as empowered women that often clashes with the orthodox ideas of the Bennett household. Blaire also becomes the heart of the show at times and plays out as a welcome companion among Ted and John. All these characters are not overlooked and rather take the spotlight sometimes even overshadowing Ted and John. This clashes between all of them and their contrasting approach towards them builds the charm of the show.
Summary: Their is no way to put this in a non cliché manner but every episode does leave the audience with a wholesome lesson if you chose to read into it. It never imposes anything on the viewer but leaves it on the screen for one to read it in their own manner.It is very much a Seth MacFarlane show evident within its surreal and cynical humour but that has never been a complaint. He has delivered here commendably with maturity and not just over reliance on offensive controversies.
Ted definitely has earned the right to a second season.
