A ChucksConnection TV Series Feature
Max Burkholder wears black high top Converse “Chuck Taylor” All Stars in the series.
Ted
Ted and John engaging in one of their favorite pastimes: playing video games.
Ted and John engaging in one of their favorite pastimes: playing video games.
The two Ted films were the biggest comedies of the 2010s, both in terms of box office success and cultural relevance. Ted and Ted 2, grossed over $800 million at the box office and on home video, and Ted himself was everywhere on the internet. If you were online in the early 2010s, you’ll remember the Ted Facebook memes that were inescapable. It was only a matter of time before we returned to Boston and the foul-mouthed toy, and while a third film has been rumored for years, a Peacock series wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card. Ted premiered on the streaming platform on January 11th, 2024, and stars Seth MacFarlane, Max Burkholder, Alanna Ubach, Scott Grimes, and Giorgia Whigham.
Muppet man for a different generation.
Back in 1985, an eight-year-old John Bennett (Burkholder) was a friendless only child living in a Boston suburb, who wished for his jumbo teddy bear named Ted (MacFarlane) to come to life and become his best friend. Somehow, the wish came true and once word got around that a teddy bear came to life, Ted briefly became a celebrity. In 1993, John is now in high school, and still at the bottom of the social ladder. He is your typical 16-year-old boy in that he likes girls, loves hanging out, wears chucks, and has a talking teddy bear. Ted is forced by John’s parents (Ubach and Grimes) to start attending school with John as Ted keeps causing trouble while home alone during the day. The brash and bold Ted sticks up for the more easygoing John, and his attitude may just be what John needs to get out of the social basement.
John and Ted have a very serious discussion.
Back at home, John’s cousin Blaire (Whigham) stays with the family while attending Emerson College. She’s rebellious and is the one who gets John and Ted hooked on marijuana, which proves to be all they really care about in the movies. In the first episode, she gives them the pot because Ted wants to get caught with it and expelled from school. When John’s dad finds out about this, he tries to kick her out of the house. However, Ted and John stick up for her and get him to let her stay. To make amends, John and Ted promise Blaire they’ll never do drugs again, which obviously does not last.
“Who starts a conversation like that? I just sat down.”
This show, like the films, is really funny. MacFarlane and company brought their A-game when it comes to the jokes, and the dynamic between Ted and John is the highlight of the humor. Max Burkholder does a great job at matching Mark Wahlberg’s portrayal from the films while also portraying him as a bit more naive and innocent in the series. Seth MacFarlane is hilarious as Ted, and it is a testament to his talent that Ted feels different from the other characters he has done over the years. Giorgia Whigham is also hilarious as John’s cousin Blaire. The incorporation of Ted is great, as he always feels like a real part of the world. The way he moves alone has so many fun details, like the way he has no traction and constantly slips. Being only seven episodes makes this a very quick binge-watch, so it’s easy to knock out on a weekend. Definitely check it out if you have the time and are a fan of the Ted films.
John wears black high top chucks throughout this season of Ted.
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